Gisela Anne Balewyne is determined to build a new life for
herself and her young son, Ewan. After surviving a drunken,
violent attack from Ryle, her husband, Gisela flees to
Clovebury with Ewan, where she begins working as a
seamstress, saving her money so that she can afford to move
farther away from Ryle's reach. But when Gisela realizes
that she's being followed home one afternoon, she fears that
Ryle has found her.
Four years after escaping an arranged marriage by joining
King Richard's crusade, Dominic de Terre has returned,
helping his friend and lord, Geoffrey de Lanceau, hunt down
a criminal group that has stolen a shipment of precious
silks. But while investigating in Clovebury, he spies
Gisela, the commoner he loved against his wealthy parents'
wishes, but was forced to leave when he went on crusade.
Dominic's feelings for the beautiful Gisela have only grown
stronger, but he's shocked to discover she has a
three-and-a-half year old son but no husband, and that the
carefree, happy woman he remembers has become a secretive,
fearful recluse.
Gisela is torn when she recognizes Dominic. She has never
stopped loving him, having only agreed to marry Ryle because
she was pregnant with Dominic's child, but Ryle swore to
destroy anyone Gisela loved if she ever dared to defy him,
and she can't bear the thought of putting Dominic in harm's
way. Her worries are only magnified when she learns about
Dominic's investigation, because she is in possession of
bolts of the stolen silk which are hidden in her shop; a
commission from a wealthy French businessman who brought the
fabric to her and insisted she work on the garments in
secret. Gisela suspects the silk is part of the stolen
shipment, and she wants to confide in Dominic, but she also
desperately needs the money the Frenchman will provide.
When Dominic discovers the silk in Gisela's shop, he's
stunned and furious to realize that she lied to him,
especially after he learns that she also hid the truth about
Ewan. But when the Frenchman shows up with Ryle in tow, and
Dominic sees the monster that has filled Gisela with terror,
he knows that Gisela and Ewan will need a knight on their
side in order to slay the dragon that threatens them.
A KNIGHTS REWARD is a story with an interesting plot and a
charming, honorable hero, but with a few flaws which are
difficult to ignore. The pacing, particularly at the
beginning and end, is very slow and the scenes are often
repetitive. The characters are very likeable with the
exception of Gisela, who is a tough character to understand
since she continually makes assumptions which are against
common sense. She trusts the villain to follow through on
his promises, even after he openly threatens her, but she
repeatedly doubts Dominic, who has never been anything but
honest and loving toward her. It makes for an uneven reading
experience, with moments of brilliance, usually when Dominic
and Ewan make an appearance, but also periods of
sluggishness. If you can forgive Gisela her foolishness,
it's an entertaining read.
Assaulted and injured by her abusive husband Ryle, Gisela
Anne Balewyne flees with her small son, Ewan. Hiding from
Ryle and working as a tailor in the town of Clovebury,
Gisela struggles to save enough money to move north and
start a new life. All goes well until Dominic de Terre,
back several years from the Crusade, accepts his lord de
Lanceau's mission to find out who has stolen de Lanceau's
cloth shipment, worth a fortune. Dominic discovers not only
that Gisela has lied to him about the stolen silks
concealed in her shop, but he learns Ewan is his
illegitimate son. She has betrayed his trust not once, but
twice, and Gisela expects him to arrest her and take Ewan
away. French merchant Crenardiue's thugs, however, reach
Dominic first, and Gisela realizes there is only one way to
save his life. She must go to de Lanceau, admit her crimes,
and convince him to let her help him save Dominic.
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