03 Tempted by a Warrior

Author:Amanda Scott [Scott, Amanda]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9780446568913
Publisher: Forever
Published: 2013-07-18T16:00:00+00:00

After six days of seeing Richard and Tony occupied with accounts, estates, and men-at-arms, and the household running smoothly, Fiona found herself missing their visitors sorely and yearning for activity.

Her life with Will and Old Jardine had been one so full of tension and criticism that she had learned to keep quiet most of the time and busy herself with household tasks. Such pastimes no longer sufficed, though, and with Flory taking over much of wee David’s care, and the servants’ children busy in the kitchen with so many more men to feed each day, Fiona had begun to feel like a prisoner again.

Thus it was that on the Tuesday afternoon following their visitors’ departure, she greeted the announcement of the lady Anne’s return with a cry of delight.

Nan strode in, grinning. “I knew you’d be bored to distraction by now, and your mam agreed. So here I am with an escort of armed men and a maidservant who could talk the feathers off a chicken. Can you ride in that dress, or must you change?”

“I must change to one with a wider skirt, but will you not get enough riding just coming here and riding back to the Hall in one day?”

“Pish tush,” Nan said. “’Tis nobbut three miles each way, and I want to see Annandale. Indeed, I’d like to see that so-notorious Lochmaben Castle.”

“We cannot do that,” Fiona said. “’Tis too dangerous, and your brother would likely have the hide off both of us if we got within a mile of the place.”

“We won’t tell him then,” Nan said cheerfully. “Is Tony still here?”

“Aye, of course, he is, but they are not here at present, either of them. They took a large group of men-at-arms out to some field or other to practice their skills with bows and arrows, I think, and mayhap swords. So it is every day!”

“Good, then they need not trouble us,” Nan said.

Fiona, on the brink of admitting that she had no idea which direction the men had gone, decided that before she entered into what was certain to become a debate, she would do better to learn what orders Kirkhill had left. She had seen enough of that gentleman to be sure he had left orders of some kind with regard to her ordering a horse for herself. Will had never let her do so. If he had not ordered the horses and gone with her, she had not ridden at all.

Taking a more positive view of Kirkhill, she hastily changed her skirt and went with Nan to the stableyard.

Joshua strolled out of the stable as they approached.

Fiona went to him and said, “The lady Anne and I mean to go riding. Will you tell someone that I want my bay gelding?” Hoping she sounded more confident than she felt, she waited with bated breath for his reply.

“I’ll see to that myself, m’lady,” Joshua said. “I ken the beast ye like.”

She had no idea how he could know which was her horse, but he brought it out quickly, along with another that was clearly for himself.

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