Kinfairlie Knights by Claire Delacroix

Author:Claire Delacroix
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 978-1-927477-53-3
Publisher: Deborah A. Cooke

Chapter 9

Madeline remained silent—with an effort—until they reached the stables. Thomas was saddling Rhys’ dappled gray destrier. A chestnut palfrey stood beside the large stallion, its bright eye and tendency to fidget showing that it was ready to run. Rhys offered Madeline a hand to lift her into the palfrey’s saddle but she stepped away from him.

“This is not Tarascon.”

“Nay, it is not,” Rhys said, speaking through gritted teeth. “Nor is this steed injured.” He offered his hand again, with greater insistence, and his eyes snapped with impatience.

“But I cannot leave without my horse!”

“And you cannot thwart her healing by riding her hard so soon after that injury.”

“Then I will not ride hard this day.”

Rhys made an exasperated noise. Before he could argue, Madeline anxiously looked around the stable. She could not even spy Tarascon. She feared suddenly that the palfrey had been killed because of the injury and none had told her of it.

She clutched Rhys’ arm. “What have you done to her? Where is she? How could you have her killed and not tell me of it?”

“The steed is not dead,” Rhys said with such conviction that Madeline almost believed him. He shoved a hand through his hair, glanced to the courtyard, then paced to the end of the stables. His next words were more kindly uttered. “Look here, at this palfrey, and be quick about it.”

He gestured to a mare of darker hue than Tarascon and lacking the familiar white star upon her brow. “That is not Tarascon!” Madeline had time to say before the beast nickered and came to bury its nose in her hand.

She stared, astonished that this horse moved in so similar a manner to her own, and indeed, seemed to know her. She glanced up to find Rhys’ eyes twinkling.

“Do you not recognize your own steed?” he asked, his words low with laughter. “She knows you well enough.”

Madeline stared at the horse nuzzling her palm, then stroked her ears. It was Tarascon, albeit disguised. “But what happened to the star on her brow?”

“Soot, my lady,” said Thomas. “It rid her of her socks, as well as darkening her hue. Only one who knew her and looked closely would know her now.”

Indeed, even Madeline’s eye had passed over the beast.

“She will be safe here, my lady, safer than we may be,” Rhys said with quiet vigor. “Come.”

Even as she formed the question on her lips, voices carried from the bailey to their ears.

Rhys’ manner changed immediately. “Now! We must be gone.”

Thomas peered through the stable doors. “They go into the abbey. This may be your sole chance, Rhys.”

Rhys paused beside the palfrey and offered Madeline his hand again. She was torn between her loyalty to her lawful husband and to the steed she had known from its foaling.

“But I cannot leave Tarascon!”

“You must.”

“I will ensure her good care, my lady,” Thomas interjected.

“But she is my steed. I have ridden her for years. I cannot simply abandon her!” It was more than leaving the steed that she protested, and Madeline knew it well.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.