Daughters of the Dagger 03 - Amber by Elizabeth Rose

“Afraid I might bite you?”
    “Afraid you’ll kiss me again,” she admitted.
    “I wouldn’t object, if you wouldn’t.”
    “Stop it. This is very inappropriate. And if we are going to be traveling together you need to promise me right now that you won’t touch me again.
     
    Lucas didn’t want to lie, as he planned on touching her alright on their little journey, but he also couldn’t alert her to it or she may try to come up with a reason not to go on the pilgrimage with him.
    “Lucifer, ” came Father Armand’s voice from behind him.
    Though he hated that name , he was glad at the moment for the distraction.
    “Lucifer, do you have the scroll that Sir Romney has asked us to copy for him?”
    Lucas bent over and picked it up quickly, dusting it off and handing it to the priest. “Here are the Codes of Conduct of a knight, copied in the beautiful hand script of the very talented Sister Amber.” He flashed a smile at her when he said it, but she just rolled her eyes.
    Sir Romney was with Father Armand, as well as a lusty tart.
    “Take a look, Sir Romney,” said the priest handing him the scroll. “See if it is to your liking.”
    Amber poked Lucas in the back and he turned to her. She leaned over and whispered behind her hand.
    “I told you I saw a man who reminded me of you, and that he was a knight. This is that man.”
    “What?” He turned back to look at the knight, surveying his dark hair and dark eyes. Lucas was blond. He didn’t see a resemblance at all, though the man was the same height and build as him, though he looked to be a few years younger. “I see no resemblance at all,” he told her. “Other than we are both knights.”
    “You are not a knight,” she said. “You told me so yourself.”
    “That’s right,” said Father Armand, overhearing the conversation. “Lucifer is a knight errant. He will be knighted as soon as he finishes his pilgrimage to Canterbury.”
    “Canterbury? That’s where we’re going ,” said the whore, looking up to Sir Romney and smiling. Lucas had seen this girl before at the Cardinal’s Hat, one of the whorehouses in Southwark. As a matter of fact, if he wasn’t mistaken he’d even had her once. Aye, he was sure of it.
    “That’s right,” said Sir Romney, rolling up the scroll and placing it under his arm. “When are you going? Mayhap we can travel with you along the way?”
    “That would be wonderful,” piped in Amber. “I would love to have someone to talk to on the road.”
    Lucas knew she was only saying that so she wouldn’t have to be alone with him on the journey. He couldn’t allow that. He had work to do with her and a third and fourth party would only make it harder for him when he tried to woo her.
    “Nay, we won’t be leaving at the same time,” said Lucas quickly.
    “Oh, that’s a shame,” said the whore, eyeing up Lucas. “I really want you to come.” She licked her lips in the process and he suddenly remembered exactly who she was. Mirabelle. And she was very good with her mouth. He also remembered having had no money at the time she’d serviced him, and so he’d left without paying her. He only hoped she didn’t recognize him as well.
    “I bet you do ,” he said under his breath.
    “We are leaving in the morning,” said the knight. “In case you change your mind and want the company.”
    “That’s when we’re leaving,” said Amber, and Lucas just wished she’d shut up already.
    “You are going to be late for prayers, Sister Amber,” he reminded her through gritted teeth.
    “Oh, that’s right,” she said. “But first, my name is Sister Amber,” she told their guests, “just like you’ve heard Lucas call me. I know your name, Sir Romney, as I’ve heard Father Armand mention it, but I don’t know the lady’s name.”
    “Her name is Mirabelle, and she is not a lady. Now get going,” growled Lucas as he gave her a slight push in the right direction. She took a step forward and then turned