ripping free from its fragile constraints. Van turned and walked off trying, unsuccessfully, to keep the Dark Knight controlled.
CHAPTER 5
Van squinted against the sharp morning light as the sun breached the horizon behind her father. He huffed and puffed and paced before her, dust billowing with each stomp of his feet. Irritation swirled within her as he ranted about the proprieties of sidesaddles.
His eyes bulged in anger and he shook his finger at her. “It is indecent for a properly bred young lady to ride astride.”
Images of her upbringing raced through her mind and she snorted lightly. Properly bred, indeed, she thought.
Van put her hands on her hips. She did not want the extra attention that a scene would cause, but she was not going to ride in that silly contraption they called a saddle.
“ You did not bring a carriage. I have never used a sidesaddle and I am not going to ride for two days in a saddle that I have never used.” She took a deep breath and tried to control the uneasiness that swarmed around her head like a swarm of gnats.
He came to a halt and stared at her with his mouth agape. “Never ridden a side...How could you never...How could your mother...” His words came in a stuttering rush that boiled her blood.
She clinched her fists until her nails dug into her palms. She stepped toward him, but only managed to get her fist half raised when she felt hands grip her arm. Amy yanked. Van ignored her and stared defiantly at her father. “How dare you question my mother?”
Amy pulled hard at her arm. Van arched one eyebrow as she faced the man she had hated for so many years that she could no longer count them.
“ Mi lady. ” Amy’s voice was nearly a screech.
Van winced. She would have liked to swat at Amy like a wretched gnat. Unable to ignore her maid any longer, she swung her head around to glare at the short, stubborn woman. “Nay, I will not budge on this, not now,” Van barked at her. She pushed away the smothering guilt as Amy cringed away from her icy stare.
Van turned back toward Matthew and forced her voice back into the high falsetto, the high-pitched tones breaking across the still morning air. “And definitely, not with you.”
Matthew Fordella scowled at her ferociously. Then finally he threw up his arms in apparent surrender and stormed away. He called back to Amy as he stomped off, “Good luck with her, my child. You will need it.”
Relief soothed Van’s nerves as she watched Matthew bark at his men to saddle her horse. Damien swayed from foot to foot as the men approached. Ears pinned to his head he snorted and pawed at the dusty ground.
Van stood calmly as the men closed in on Damien. She was the only one he trusted. This would not end well, but she did not say a word. A little revenge would do her heart some good. Her unease faded and a grin spread.
The first man cursed loudly as he took a bite to the arm. A second man received a bite to the side. The men fled out of Damien’s reach as the huge destrier reared up, slashing the air with his sharp hooves.
Van took a step toward the men and the rearing horse but was stopped by Amy’s soft words. “Milady.”
She took a deep breath, but didn’t look back. “No.” She walked past her father and the men without even glancing at them.
Damien held out his muzzle and nickered softly as she approached. As she watched the tension slip from her steed’s muscles she could feel some of the stresses drain from her as well.
Matthew grumbled something inaudible about stubborn asses as he turned and stomped away. She wondered in amusement if he was talking of her or Damien. Perhaps both, she thought and smiled smugly as she threw a saddle onto the now calm horse.
Soon Van sat proudly on her stallion and watched Amy receive help onto a docile mare. The poor girl clutched at the reins until her knuckles turned white and her hands shook, but she gave Van a weak smile.
Amy had confessed to her over the
CHAPTER 5
Van squinted against the sharp morning light as the sun breached the horizon behind her father. He huffed and puffed and paced before her, dust billowing with each stomp of his feet. Irritation swirled within her as he ranted about the proprieties of sidesaddles.
His eyes bulged in anger and he shook his finger at her. “It is indecent for a properly bred young lady to ride astride.”
Images of her upbringing raced through her mind and she snorted lightly. Properly bred, indeed, she thought.
Van put her hands on her hips. She did not want the extra attention that a scene would cause, but she was not going to ride in that silly contraption they called a saddle.
“ You did not bring a carriage. I have never used a sidesaddle and I am not going to ride for two days in a saddle that I have never used.” She took a deep breath and tried to control the uneasiness that swarmed around her head like a swarm of gnats.
He came to a halt and stared at her with his mouth agape. “Never ridden a side...How could you never...How could your mother...” His words came in a stuttering rush that boiled her blood.
She clinched her fists until her nails dug into her palms. She stepped toward him, but only managed to get her fist half raised when she felt hands grip her arm. Amy yanked. Van ignored her and stared defiantly at her father. “How dare you question my mother?”
Amy pulled hard at her arm. Van arched one eyebrow as she faced the man she had hated for so many years that she could no longer count them.
“ Mi lady. ” Amy’s voice was nearly a screech.
Van winced. She would have liked to swat at Amy like a wretched gnat. Unable to ignore her maid any longer, she swung her head around to glare at the short, stubborn woman. “Nay, I will not budge on this, not now,” Van barked at her. She pushed away the smothering guilt as Amy cringed away from her icy stare.
Van turned back toward Matthew and forced her voice back into the high falsetto, the high-pitched tones breaking across the still morning air. “And definitely, not with you.”
Matthew Fordella scowled at her ferociously. Then finally he threw up his arms in apparent surrender and stormed away. He called back to Amy as he stomped off, “Good luck with her, my child. You will need it.”
Relief soothed Van’s nerves as she watched Matthew bark at his men to saddle her horse. Damien swayed from foot to foot as the men approached. Ears pinned to his head he snorted and pawed at the dusty ground.
Van stood calmly as the men closed in on Damien. She was the only one he trusted. This would not end well, but she did not say a word. A little revenge would do her heart some good. Her unease faded and a grin spread.
The first man cursed loudly as he took a bite to the arm. A second man received a bite to the side. The men fled out of Damien’s reach as the huge destrier reared up, slashing the air with his sharp hooves.
Van took a step toward the men and the rearing horse but was stopped by Amy’s soft words. “Milady.”
She took a deep breath, but didn’t look back. “No.” She walked past her father and the men without even glancing at them.
Damien held out his muzzle and nickered softly as she approached. As she watched the tension slip from her steed’s muscles she could feel some of the stresses drain from her as well.
Matthew grumbled something inaudible about stubborn asses as he turned and stomped away. She wondered in amusement if he was talking of her or Damien. Perhaps both, she thought and smiled smugly as she threw a saddle onto the now calm horse.
Soon Van sat proudly on her stallion and watched Amy receive help onto a docile mare. The poor girl clutched at the reins until her knuckles turned white and her hands shook, but she gave Van a weak smile.
Amy had confessed to her over the
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