Blythe Gifford The Knave and the Maiden Review

Overall Rating

The Knave and the Maiden
Blythe Gifford
Harlequin, Jan 2004, $5.25
ISBN: 0373292880

In 1357, Garren carried the severely wounded Earl, William, and the man's armor home from the French battlefields. Though he sacrificed personal wealth by not looting like everyone else did and William's brother Richard the heir blames him that his sibling still lives, Garren knows William is dying anyway. When William asks him to buy a lead feather to help him on his next journey, Garren promises to steal the relic so William can touch it.

The Prioress Mother Julian believes that the abandoned foundling Dominica is a heretic when the lass insists that God told her to spread the word. Julian and Richard make a evil pact to destroy Dominica and Garren. They arrange a pilgrimage to honor Will, but offer money for Garren to take Dominica so she is not a pure wife to the Savior, which in turn will disgrace the popular hero. Garren agrees, but on the trek, he falls in love with the gentle Dominica and she reciprocates. As he becomes a believer, he wonders how to keep her safe and pure.

THE KNAVE AND THE MAIDEN is an engaging look at fourteenth century culture of the various classes. The story line is fun to follow with Garren slowly becoming converted by the goodness and love he feels for the woman he is supposed to deflower. Though Dominica is a charming person, she adjusts too easily to what should have been a strange secular world that should have her tripping all over the place since she has no experience outside the monastery. Still medieval fans will appreciate this appealing tale of love between two unlikely individuals.

Harriet Klausner