Mischief and Manors by Ashtyn Newbold

Author:Ashtyn Newbold
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Cedar Fort Publishing
Published: 2016-12-08T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter 12

When I took Peter and Charles to the north lawn the following day, Owen was waiting to meet us for his next lesson. After I had left him on the third floor the day before, I hadn’t seen him much all evening. But when he did come down for dinner, he told us to meet him here. It worried me, after his first lesson, that I would be a major key to another “demonstration.”

But thankfully, when we arrived, I noticed targets set up across the lawn. The only way I could imagine being used in a demonstration of archery, would be as a target. Even that was extreme for Owen, so I allowed myself a sigh of relief.

Owen greeted us with a wide smile. “Are you ready to learn how to shoot?” I was grateful that he was back to his cheerful self again.

Peter and Charles looked across the lawn in awe and hurried to Owen’s side, nodding and giggling as they went. I smiled as I watched them. This was certainly an activity that most young boys enjoyed, and one that they had been deprived of.

Owen walked toward me and placed a bow in my hand. “Do you know how to shoot?”

I shook my head. It was something I had always wanted to learn, but never had.

“Then you must join us.” He gave me such a cajoling smile, that I couldn’t possibly say no.

“Very well.” I said, studying the bow I now held. I had no idea how to use it.

Owen motioned for me to stand in front of a target, and he stood in front of his own. Beginning with a demonstration, he removed his jacket and raised his bow. I had never seen him without his jacket before, and it made him seem more like himself—casual and free. He released the arrow and hit the target perfectly. He turned toward me with a winning smile, then bowed swiftly. I rolled my eyes.

He then shot three more arrows, and I watched with quiet awe the way his muscles strained against his shirt. I had known he was strong, but without his jacket, it was completely obvious, and I couldn’t take my gaze off the steady, graceful slope of the muscles in his arms and shoulders. He hadn’t lived an idle life; that was certainly evident.

My brothers were eager to try, so Owen helped them next. After several attempts, Peter finally hit the target from a closer range. After he had hit it once, he rarely missed.

“Well done!” Owen said. “You are a natural.”

I could tell Peter was trying to keep his smile moderate when he said, “I know.”

When Charles tried, though, he struggled to come even close to the target. Owen gave him plenty of advice, but nothing seemed to do the trick. Charles shot arrow after arrow with no success. While Owen was working with Charles, I decided to try myself. I watched carefully as Owen adjusted Charles, and tried to replicate his stance. I was proud of how accurate it felt, until I released the arrow.

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