Olivia Davenport is looking forward to her future. After all, Prince Liam has professed his love and King William has promised her a reward for her role on a recent mission. She fully expects to continue her knightly training while enjoying a blossoming romance with her Prince. The King, however, has other ideas, appointing her as a lady-in-waiting to Queen Helen.
Thrust into unfamiliar territory and left to fend against the malicious women of court, Olivia feels awkward and confused. With the help of her new friend, Kat, and her sister, Anne, she tries to find her footing among the courtiers, their protocol, and the added complication of Jocelyn Crawford, a lady who has her eyes set on becoming Liam’s bride.
When, a disturbing prophecy puts the safety of the King in question, fear spreads through kingdom. Intrigue abounds at the palace with an enigmatic witch and a strict Friar at the center of the controversy. Olivia must use her training and instincts to unravel what is truly going on in order to protect the King. Through it all, she questions if she will ever be able to fit into Liam’s life and if, in the end, their love can prevail.
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“Excuse me, Sir
Davenport, Lady Davenport,” says a voice, and suddenly Liam stands beside us.
“But I would very much like to have a dance with your daughter.”
“Of course, Your
Highness,” Mother replies in awe, dipping into a curtsey.
My acknowledgement is a
much stiffer bow of the head. The moments with my family had briefly smothered
my worry, but now it hurtles back full force. He takes my hand and I follow him
onto the floor, silently praying my knees don’t give out from the terror that
rises in me like the tide. One hand fits on the small of my back, the other
grasps mine. His palms are uncharacteristically sweaty.
Something is definitely
wrong.
I look into his
beautiful, blue eyes. They swim with misery. Now that I am going to find out
the reason, I am not sure I want to anymore.
He clears his throat. “I
didn’t want to have to tell you in public, but I can’t let the night pass and
deceive you.”
Not good.
At my silence, he
continues, “Somehow Jocelyn has influenced my father. He wants me to court her,
to give her a fair chance, because he considers her a more suitable match.”
There she sits now,
right next to King William, her usual smug expression in place. Our monarch
absently surveys the room. The monarch I saved—who praised me for it—stabs me
in the back without a second thought. I should have left him to die in that escape
tunnel.
“And what do you think
of that?” I ask pointedly.
“Naturally, I
protested…abundantly, but…” He stops, won’t meet my eyes.
But? But cannot be
good. But can only be disastrous.
I stop moving and we stand looking at each
other like mannequins while
couples rotate around us.
“But what?” I whisper,
the cacophony of music and chatter turning into an otherworldly buzz while my
senses brace for the impact of his answer.
“But…my father told me
if I did not give Jocelyn a fair chance, he would not only send you from the
palace, but ship you down to Prescott and arrange a marriage for you there. I
don’t
know what to do, Olivia. I don’t know how
to fix this.”
A barrage of thoughts
leap to mind, none of them in any way accepting of this information. Send me
away? Ship me to Prescott? As if I were livestock? And arrange a marriage? So
many protests, I hardly know where to begin.
The music ends and couples
saunter off the floor. Liam and I stand alone in the center.
Eyes will be upon us soon if we remain
here like statues.
With every ounce of
composure I can muster, I curtsey and hear my voice say, “Thank you for the
dance, Your Highness. I hope you enjoy the rest of your evening.”
Then, I walk away.
Author Bio:
Reading was always a big part of Jane’s life. Over the
years, creating stories developed out of this love. Finally, she decided to try
her hand at writing a novel and that was when Not Every Girl was conceived.
She lives in New Jersey in a house full of boys, including
one over-indulged cat. When she is not running around with her family or
writing, she can be found curled up with said cat and a good book.
You can visit her online at: www.janemcgarrybooks.com.
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