To Touch the Knight
1349. In order to escape Giles, their brutal overlord, Edith of Warren Hamlet disguises herself as a princess of Cathay and the members of her village as her entourage. She knows the masquerade carries a death sentence if they are caught, but to her mind, it is the only way to survive. At least they are fed and treated as guests as they travel around England.
Sir Ranulf of Fredenwycke is a widower mourning his late wife, not out of love, but from guilt. He has no interest in any women, except the mysterious princess from Cathay. But Giles is Ranulf’s good friend and comrade-in-arms. Only Ranulf stands between Edith and her former lord and death. Love finally conquers all.
There are flaws in this story. The concept of Edith, a medieval English peasant, disguising herself as a princess stretches credibility to the breaking point. Ranulf is at turns obnoxious and lovable, but with little in between. However, the subplot of how Ranulf reacts when he learns of his friend, Giles, and the cruel treatment he deals out to the villagers under his authority, is far more interesting.
