The Virgin Duchess (The Romantic Crusader Series)

Description

Standing amid the lavender fields of 11th Century France, her sword sharpened and her chin held high, Duchess Eleanor of Aquitaine cannot possibly anticipate the peril that awaits her.

Ever since the death of her father, Eleanor has taken all the responsibilities of the duchy upon her own slender shoulders. Though she would never betray a sign of weakness, those closest to her know that her duties haven’t been easy. Her moments of respite are few and far between—and she prefers to spend them engaged in combat training, ensuring that she will be prepared for any threat that comes her way.

Resilient, headstrong, and wise beyond her years, Eleanor is not like any woman to come before her. She aspires for neither riches nor romance, though both have a way of finding her whether she likes it or not. For as long as she can remember, she has craved the heat of battle. The wind in her hair, the drumbeat of her heart, the glittering edge of her blade beneath the midday sun… that is her divine ordinance. That is the valiant crusader whom she is fated to become.

But on this warm, golden afternoon, destiny has not even crossed her mind. She is occupied only with her handmaidens, her swordwork, and the frisky young stallion who has been troubling the stableboy as of late.

Little does she know that she and her maidens are not alone. Consumed as they are with their practice, the three young women fail to notice the dark eyes watching them from the nearby evergreen grove.

The Virgin Duchess encapsulates a single afternoon in what will prove to be a long, vibrant life, brimming with royal intrigue, Templar secrets, bloodsoaked battles, and, most dangerous of all, the irresistible beguile of romance in all the wrong places. From the meadows of France to the glittering spires of Jerusalem and the Gothic castles of medieval England, Eleanor will find her mettle and faith tested in each and every way she can imagine… as well as some ways that even her bleakest nightmares could not hope to conjure.

The virgin duchess of Aquitaine has yet to taste blood. She knows little of the ruthless evil lurking in every corner of her realm. And she certainly never expects to fall in love.

Now, on the most seemingly innocuous of summer days, all of that is about to change.