Bride for a Champion — Lindsay Townsend

I Command you to marry the bearer of this letter. Lady Alice Martinswood has no choice but to obey her dead father's final instruction. His choice is his champion, the mercenary Simon Paton. To Alice, the handsome, arrogant Simon is a dangerous, seductive stranger. Bewitched in turn by Alice, Simon is appalled when he discovers that Alice's father disowned Henrietta, her younger sister, when Henrietta fell in love and eloped. Simon promises Alice that he will help her find her sister. Still having nightmares after witnessing the sack of Constantinople, Simon misunderstands Alice's tears of joy on their wedding night. Swearing not to hurt her again, he decides he must not touch her--a promise he finds impossible to keep, especially when Alice vows to beguile him... Meanwhile Simon and Alice trace Henrietta to medieval London, wandering together through the perilous, exciting streets. Will they find Henrietta? Will they find true love with each other?