The Marquess's Scottish Bride by Lauren Royal & Lauren Royal & Devon Royal

Author:Lauren Royal & Lauren Royal & Devon Royal [Royal, Lauren & Devon]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Young Adult Historical Romance
ISBN: 9781634690379
Publisher: Novelty Publishers, LLC
Published: 2016-01-05T05:00:00+00:00

FORTY-THREE

WHITE AND yellow wildflowers dotted the gently rolling land on either side of the narrow lane leaving Sawtry. As they rode, Jason could see Emerald lazily toying with the daisy chain around her neck, silent as the peaceful landscape. But for once it wasn’t an adversarial silence, merely the silence born of exhaustion, the comfortable silence that comes to pass when two people coexist without the need to fill it with senseless chatter.

Indeed, the only sounds were those of Chiron’s hooves on the rutted road and the occasional travelers who passed. Until there came a wild yell, and three young bareback riders came racing down the road right at them, all but forcing Chiron into the stream that ran alongside.

“Gypsy lads!” Emerald came alive. “They pass through Leslie every year, and oh, they play the most lovely music.” She cocked her head. “Can you hear a lute?”

“Easy, boy.” Jason reined in. “I can hear nothing except—egad, here they come again.”

From the other direction, they thundered past.

“Follow them,” she urged. “They must be encamped nearby.”

Sure enough, over the next hill came the delicate notes of the lute she’d heard. The lively tune grew more distinct as they turned off the road and followed the trail of clumps kicked up by the racing horses.

The Gypsy boys halted and slid from their mounts beside a makeshift community of people milling among tents, carts, and pack animals. Smoke rose into the air above the encampment. The lads bent over in laughter, pointing at Jason and Emerald.

An old woman motioned them closer, flashing a gap-toothed grin.

Emerald turned and tilted her head back, one hand on her hat to secure it. “Have we time to stop? Just for a minute?”

He’d never seen her so excited. How could he deny those dancing turquoise eyes? “Ten minutes.”

Emerald was already waving to the short, round-faced woman. “Hallo!” she called as they pulled close.

“Hallo, me lady,” the Gypsy woman returned. She wore a long, many-layered skirt in a myriad of bright colors and a head scarf of another color altogether. Thick gold loops hung from her ears. “Will you buy?”

“I could have told you that’s what she wanted,” Jason muttered.

“Wheesht!” Emerald admonished. She slid from Chiron. “I haven’t any money.”

The woman patted Chiron’s flank. “A beauty.” She pulled an apple from her pocket and held it out for the horse to munch. “How much?”

Jason dismounted and held the reins possessively. “He’s not for sale.”

“Pity.” She sighed. “Trade?” With an expansive gesture, she offered several horses grazing nearby. “Two for one?”

Jason laughed. “No trade, either.”

“Pity.” Giving a dismissive wave, the woman turned and walked into the tent village.

Emerald shrugged. “Come, let’s find the music. They don’t usually mind visitors.”

He lifted Chiron’s reins. “Is it safe to leave him here?”

“They won’t be stealing him, if that’s what you mean.”

It felt deucedly strange to be asking Emerald for advice, but the truth was, he felt completely out of his element. As a boy in exile he’d lived all over the Continent, but he’d

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