she depart roused greater suspicion. However, when she stepped nearer, she saw he was not truly here—not fully.
“Uncle?” she whispered.
He blinked. “Pray, Marguerite, daughter of Marguerite, run.”
“But if they—”
“I will put myself on the floor. They will believe you overpowered this weak excuse for a son and brother, and though I do not think they will pursue you any more vigorously than they shall for fear you will reach Malcolm, more you will suffer if caught. Now make haste!”
She paused in turning away, leaned down, and kissed his heated brow. “The Lord be with you, Uncle.”
“More, with you,” he said almost too low to be heard.
Marguerite did as instructed, though it was no easy thing bundling up her skirts to climb out the window. Once her feet were in a patch of withering herbs, she looked one last time at her uncle and saw his shoulders and head go from sight as he eased off the bed.
“Run,” she rasped. And ran.
Dear Reader,
I hope you enjoyed this excerpt of BOUNDLESS, the tale of Sir Theriot D’Argent and Lady Marguerite. Watch for the release of the sixth book in the Age of Conquest series early winter 2020/21.
For new releases and special promotions, subscribe to Tamara Leigh’s mailing list: www.TamaraLeigh.com
Pronunciation Guide
Abelard: AA-buh-lahrd
Aelfled/Aelf: AYL-flehd
Aethelflaed: EH-thul-flehd
Aetheling: AA-thuh-leeng
Aiken: AY-kihn
Alditha: AHL-dee-thuh
Alfrith: AAL-frihth
Alvilda: ahl-VEEL-duh
Ardith: AHR-dihth
Asbjorn: AHS-bee-yohrn
Asketil: AAS-kuh-tihl
Balliol: BAY-lee-uhl
Bayard: BAY-ahr
Bernia: BUHR-nee-uh
Bjorn: BEE-yohrn
Boudica: BOO-dih-kuh
Boursier: BUUR-see-ay
Campagnon: KAHM-paan-yah
Canute: Kuh-NOOT
Chanson: SHAHN-sahn
Cyr: SEE-uhr
D’Argent: DAR-zhahnt
Daryl: DAA-rihl
Dougray: DOO-gray
Ebbe: EH-buh
Eberhard: EH-buh-hahrt
Edelwine: EH-duhl-wihn
Ely: EE-lee
Em: EHM
Emma: EHM-uh
Estienne: EHs-tee-ihn
Fortier: FOHR-tee-ay
Fulbert: FOO-behr
Gerald: JEHR-uhld
Gloucester: GLAH-stuhr
Gloucestershire: GLAH-stuhr-shuhr
Godfroi: GAWD-frwah
Godwine: GAHD-wihn
Gospatric: GAHS-paa-trihk
Grandmesnil: GRAHN-may-neel
Guarin: GAA-rahn
Guy: Gee
Gwain: GWAYN
Gytha: JIY-thuh
Hawisa/Isa: HAH-wee-suh/EE-suh
Hereward: HEHR-uh-wuhrd
Hugh: HYOO
Ingvar: EENG-Vah
Jaxon: JAAK-suhn
Lavonne: LUH-vahn
Leicestershire: LEH-stuhr-shuur
Maël: MAY-luh
Maerleswein: MAYRL-swiyn
Mary Sarah: MAA-ree-SAA-ruh
Mercia: MUHR-see-uh
Merle: MUHRL-uh
Michel: MEE-shehl
Nicola: NEE-koh-luh
Ordric: OHR-drihk
Pierre: PEE-ehr
Ravven: RAY-vihn
Raymond: RAY-mohnd
Richard: REE-shahrd
Rixende: RIHKS-ahnd
Robine: rah-BEEN
Roche: ROHSH
Roger: ROH-zheh
Sévère: SAY-vehr
Séverine: SAY-vuh-reen
Sigward: SEEG-wuhrd
Stigand: STIY-guhnd
Sweyn: SVIHN
Theriot: TEH-ree-oh
Torquay: tohr-KEE
Turold: TOO-rohld
Warenne: WOHR-ihn
Wulf: WUULF
Wulfrith: WUUL-frihth
Vilda: VEEL-duh
Vitalis: VEE-tah-lihs
Wynflaed: WIHN-flehd
Zedekiah: ZEH-duh-KIY-uh
PRONUNCIATION KEY
VOWELS
aa: arrow, castle
ay: chain, lady
ah: fought, sod
aw: flaw, paw
eh: bet, leg
ee: king, league
ih: hilt, missive
iy: knight, write
oh: coat, noble
oi: boy, coin
oo: fool, rule
ow: cow, brown
uh: sun, up
uu: book, hood
y: yearn, yield
CONSONANTS
b: bailey, club
ch: charge, trencher
d: dagger, hard
f: first, staff
g: gauntlet, stag
h: heart, hilt
j: jest, siege
k: coffer, pike
l: lance, vassal
m: moat, pommel
n: noble, postern
ng: ring, song
p: pike, lip
r: rain, far
s: spur, pass
sh: chivalry, shield
t: tame, moat
th: thistle, death
t~h: that, feather
v: vassal, missive
w: water, wife
wh: where, whisper
z: zip, haze
zh: treasure, vision
Glossary
ANDREDESWALD: forest that covered areas of Sussex and Surrey in England
ANGLO-SAXON: people of the Angles (Denmark) and Saxons (northern Germany) of which the population of 11th century England was mostly comprised
BLIAUT: medieval gown
BRAIES: men’s underwear
CASTELLAN: commander of a castle
CHAUSSES: men’s close-fitting leg coverings
CHEMISE: loose-fitting undergarment or nightdress
CHEVALIER: a knight of France
COIF: hood-shaped cap made of cloth or chain mail
DEMESNE: home and adjoining lands held by a lord
DONJON: tower at center of a castle serving as a lord’s living area
DOTTER: meaning “daughter”; attached to a woman’s name to identify her by whose daughter she is
EMBRASURE: opening in a wall often used by archers
FEALTY: tenant or vassal’s sworn loyalty to a lord
FORTNIGHT: two weeks
FREE MAN: person not a slave or serf
GARDEROBE: enclosed toilet
GIRDLE: belt worn upon which purses or weaponry might be attached
HILT: grip or handle of a sword or dagger
HOUSECARLE: elite warrior who was a lord’s personal bodyguard
KNAVE: dishonest or unprincipled man
LEAGUE: equivalent to approximately three miles
LIEGE: superior or lord
MAIL: garments of armor made of linked metal rings
MISCREANT: badly behaving person
MISSIVE: letter
MOAT: defensive ditch, dry or filled with water
MORROW: tomorrow; the next day
MOTTE: mound of earth
NITHING: derogatory term for someone without honor
NOBLE: one of high birth
NORMAN: people whose origins lay in Normandy on the continent
NORMANDY: principality of northern France founded in the early tenth century by the viking Rollo
PARCHMENT: treated animal skin used for writing
PELL: used for combat training, a vertical post set in the ground against which a sword was beat
PIKE: long wooden shaft with a sharp steel or iron head
POLTROON: utter coward
POMMEL: counterbalance weight at the end of a sword hilt or a knob located at the fore of a saddle
PORTCULLIS: metal or wood gate lowered to block a passage
POSTERN GATE: rear door in a wall, often concealed to allow occupants to arrive and depart inconspicuously
QUINTAIN: post used for lance training to which a dummy and sandbag are attached; the latter swings around and hits the unsuccessful tilter
SALLY PORT: small hidden entrance and exit in a fortification
SAXON: Germanic people, many of whom conquered and settled in England in the 5th and 6th centuries
SENNIGHT: one week
SHIRE: division of land; England was divided into earldoms, next shires, then hundreds
THANE: in Anglo-Saxon England, a member of the nobility or landed aristocracy who owed military and administrative duty to an overlord, above all the king; owned at least five hides of land
TRENCHER: large piece of stale bread used as a bowl for food
VASSAL: one who holds land from a lord and owes fealty
Also by Tamara Leigh
Ebook, Paperback, Audiobook
INSPIRATIONAL HISTORICAL ROMANCE
AGE OF CONQUEST: A Medieval Romance Series
Merciless: Book One
Fearless: Book Two
Nameless: Book Three
Heartless: Book Four
Reckless: Book Five
Boundless: Book Six (Winter 2020/2021)
AGE OF FAITH: A Medieval Romance Series
The Unveiling: Book One
The Yielding: Book Two
The Redeeming: Book Three
The Kindling: Book Four
The Longing: Book Five
The Vexing: Book Six
The Awakening: Book Seven
The Raveling: Book Eight
THE FEUD: A Medieval Romance Series
Baron Of Godsmere: Book One
Baron Of Emberly: Book Two
Baron of Blackwood: Book Three
LADY: A Medieval Romance Series
Lady At Arms: Book One
Lady Of Eve: Book Two
BEYOND TIME: A Medieval Time Travel Romance Series
Dreamspell: Book One
Lady Ever After: Book Two
STAND-ALONE Medieval Romance Novels
Lady Of Fire
Lady Of Conquest
Lady Undaunted
Lady Betrayed
INSPIRATIONAL CONTEMPORARY ROMANCE
HEAD OVER HEELS: Stand-Alone Romance Collection
Stealing Adda
Perfecting Kate
Splitting Harriet
Faking Grace
SOUTHERN DISCOMFORT: A Contemporary Romance Series
Leaving Carolina: Book One
Nowhere, Carolina: Book Two
Restless in Carolina: Book Three
OUT-OF-PRINT GENERAL MARKET REWRITES
Warrior Bride 1994: Bantam Books (Lady At Arms)
*Virgin Bride 1994: Bantam Books (Lady Of Eve)
Pagan Bride 1995: Bantam Books (Lady Of Fire)
Saxon Bride 1995: Bantam Books (Lady Of Conquest)
Misbegotten 1996: HarperCollins (Lady Undaunted)
Unforgotten 1997: HarperCollins (Lady Ever After)
Blackheart 2001: Dorchester Leisure (Lady Betrayed)
For new releases and special promotions, subscribe to Tamara Leigh’s mailing list: www.TamaraLeigh.com
About the Author
Tamara Leigh signed a 4-book contract with Bantam Books in 1993, her debut medieval romance was nominated for a RITA award, and successive books with Bantam, HarperCollins, and Dorchester earned awards and appeared on national bestseller lists.
In 2006, the first of Tamara’s inspirational contemporary romances was published, followed by six more with Multnomah and RandomHouse. Perfecting Kate was optioned for a movie, Splitting Harriet won an ACFW Book of the Year award, and Faking Grace was nominated for a RITA award.
In 2012, Tamara returned to the historical romance genre with the release of Dreamspell and the bestselling Age of Faith and The Feud series. Among her #1 bestsellers are her general market romances rewritten as clean and inspirational reads, including Lady at Arms and Lady of Conquest. In late 2018, she released Merciless, the first book in the new AGE OF CONQUEST series, followed by Fearless, Nameless, Heartless, and Reckless unveiling the origins of the Wulfrith family. Psst!—It all began with a woman. Watch for Boundless in Winter 2020/2021.
Tamara lives near Nashville with her husband, a German Shepherd who has never met a squeaky toy she can’t destroy, and a feisty Morkie who keeps her company during long writing stints.
Connect with Tamara at her website www.tamaraleigh.com, Facebook, Twitter and tamaraleightenn@gmail.com.
For new releases and special promotions, subscribe to Tamara Leigh’s mailing list: www.tamaraleigh.com