Forever Knight: Thornton Brothers Time Travel (A Thornton Brothers Time Travel Romance Book 2) by Cynthia Luhrs Page B
Authors: Cynthia Luhrs
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Radford?”
The man puffed himself up. Elizabeth held in a chuckle as she watched him toddle over. He kind of looked like a frog the way he walked, slightly bobbing up and down and side to side.
“The joust. I will contribute jewels and gold to the purse. The winner takes the girl, horses, jewels, and gold. All.”
“I will match your stake.”
There was an area roped off. Rabbie told her it was the lists, where the men usually practiced swords.
“Thomas is teaching me to fight.” He stood up straight then blushed. She looked to see why, and noticed Joan hurrying across the courtyard.
“Like that, is it?”
The boy looked at her. “Mistress?”
She pointed. “You like Joan.”
“Aye, but she says I am much too young for her.”
Elizabeth touched his arm. “How old is Joan?”
“She is eleven.” He watched the cute girl all way into the hall before turning back to Elizabeth. “I am only ten.”
“One year isn’t anything much. My mom is twelve years older than my dad. Give her time; she’ll come around.”
The smile on Rabbie’s face made her grin. “I will. Joan is the only woman in all the lands for me.”
“You’re young. You could meet lots of other pretty girls,” she teased him.
“Never. There is only Joan.” He looked so certain that it made her momentarily jealous, wishing someone would be as certain of her. To distract herself, Elizabeth pointed to the men below. “Do they do this a lot?”
The boy considered her question. “My lord is very good at the joust. And sword fighting. He is one of the best in England. Has won a great deal of gold. Have no fear; he will win.”
A door opened and one of the servants came out bearing a tray. “Lord Highworth bid me bring you spiced wine. He didn’t want you to catch a chill.”
How unexpected. So he could be kind when he wished. Elizabeth accepted the cup, feeling the warmth seep into her hands. She looked down to find Robert looking up at her. Lifting the cup, she mouthed thank you before turning to the servant. “Thanks. It’s exactly what I needed.”
While she’d been busy thinking about the timeline of history, Robert and Radford had dressed in chainmail, with several plates of armor covering the vulnerable parts of the body. They sat on huge horses, waiting as men brought out long wooden lances.
She could feel the excitement in the air as Rabbie and the guard both leaned forward, watching.
“Come on, beat the whoreson.” The guard pounded the gray stone wall with a gloved fist.
She caught some of the crude remarks bantered back and forth as both riders prepared. One of the men called out and they were off. Galloping toward each other, lances down; the earth trembled as the horses thundered onward. The anticipation was infectious, and she leaned forward, clenching the cup in her hands, anxious to see who would win. And what her fate would be. For she had no rights. Was at the mercy of a jerk or a frog. Which was the least worst choice?
Chapter Nineteen
The scene unfolding in front of her made Elizabeth feel like she was standing on a movie set or attending one of those medieval dinners. She’d never been to a Renaissance faire, but imagined it must look similar.
As the horses brought the men closer and closer, Robert teetered back and forth in the saddle.
She squinted. “Is he drunk?”
The guard frowned, but it was Rabbie who spoke up. “No more than usual, mistress.”
As if that was supposed to make her feel better. When the frog’s lance struck Robert, she couldn’t help it: Elizabeth screamed. In slow motion, she watched as he leaned far to the right like a metronome but did not fall, instead coming back to center, leaning to the left, and then returning to an upright position in the saddle. The pounding of her heart made it hard to hear what the men below were saying. She clenched the cup so tightly she was surprised it didn’t shatter into a thousand pieces.
They went again, and she swore her
The man puffed himself up. Elizabeth held in a chuckle as she watched him toddle over. He kind of looked like a frog the way he walked, slightly bobbing up and down and side to side.
“The joust. I will contribute jewels and gold to the purse. The winner takes the girl, horses, jewels, and gold. All.”
“I will match your stake.”
There was an area roped off. Rabbie told her it was the lists, where the men usually practiced swords.
“Thomas is teaching me to fight.” He stood up straight then blushed. She looked to see why, and noticed Joan hurrying across the courtyard.
“Like that, is it?”
The boy looked at her. “Mistress?”
She pointed. “You like Joan.”
“Aye, but she says I am much too young for her.”
Elizabeth touched his arm. “How old is Joan?”
“She is eleven.” He watched the cute girl all way into the hall before turning back to Elizabeth. “I am only ten.”
“One year isn’t anything much. My mom is twelve years older than my dad. Give her time; she’ll come around.”
The smile on Rabbie’s face made her grin. “I will. Joan is the only woman in all the lands for me.”
“You’re young. You could meet lots of other pretty girls,” she teased him.
“Never. There is only Joan.” He looked so certain that it made her momentarily jealous, wishing someone would be as certain of her. To distract herself, Elizabeth pointed to the men below. “Do they do this a lot?”
The boy considered her question. “My lord is very good at the joust. And sword fighting. He is one of the best in England. Has won a great deal of gold. Have no fear; he will win.”
A door opened and one of the servants came out bearing a tray. “Lord Highworth bid me bring you spiced wine. He didn’t want you to catch a chill.”
How unexpected. So he could be kind when he wished. Elizabeth accepted the cup, feeling the warmth seep into her hands. She looked down to find Robert looking up at her. Lifting the cup, she mouthed thank you before turning to the servant. “Thanks. It’s exactly what I needed.”
While she’d been busy thinking about the timeline of history, Robert and Radford had dressed in chainmail, with several plates of armor covering the vulnerable parts of the body. They sat on huge horses, waiting as men brought out long wooden lances.
She could feel the excitement in the air as Rabbie and the guard both leaned forward, watching.
“Come on, beat the whoreson.” The guard pounded the gray stone wall with a gloved fist.
She caught some of the crude remarks bantered back and forth as both riders prepared. One of the men called out and they were off. Galloping toward each other, lances down; the earth trembled as the horses thundered onward. The anticipation was infectious, and she leaned forward, clenching the cup in her hands, anxious to see who would win. And what her fate would be. For she had no rights. Was at the mercy of a jerk or a frog. Which was the least worst choice?
Chapter Nineteen
The scene unfolding in front of her made Elizabeth feel like she was standing on a movie set or attending one of those medieval dinners. She’d never been to a Renaissance faire, but imagined it must look similar.
As the horses brought the men closer and closer, Robert teetered back and forth in the saddle.
She squinted. “Is he drunk?”
The guard frowned, but it was Rabbie who spoke up. “No more than usual, mistress.”
As if that was supposed to make her feel better. When the frog’s lance struck Robert, she couldn’t help it: Elizabeth screamed. In slow motion, she watched as he leaned far to the right like a metronome but did not fall, instead coming back to center, leaning to the left, and then returning to an upright position in the saddle. The pounding of her heart made it hard to hear what the men below were saying. She clenched the cup so tightly she was surprised it didn’t shatter into a thousand pieces.
They went again, and she swore her
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