To Win a Lady's Heart by Sian Ann Bessey

Author:Sian Ann Bessey
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: romance, historical, clean, novel, LDS, archery, relationship, fiction
Publisher: Covenant Communications, Inc.
Published: 2016-10-21T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 16

When Joanna, Eva, and Cona arrived at the stables, Sir Lukas was already there talking to Timothy. The men were standing by the doors next to three saddled horses, but as the women approached, they both turned to greet them.

“Good morning, my lady,” Timothy said, bowing slightly. “Sir Lukas told me of your intended trip, so I took the liberty of readying your horses.”

“I am grateful to you, Timothy,” Joanna said, moving to stand beside her chestnut mare and giving its neck an affectionate pat. “I am anxious that we be on our way.”

Sir Lukas stepped forward. “May I assist you?” he asked.

Joanna had never had anyone but a groomsman help her onto a horse before, and she’d promised Eva that she’d behave circumspectly for the rest of the day. Was it appropriate to allow Sir Lukas to lift her up? How she wished she were more experienced in these matters.

She glanced at Eva, but her lady’s maid had eyes only for Timothy, who was already helping her to mount. “Yes,” she said. “I . . . I thank you.” She raised her hands, hesitantly placing them on his broad shoulders. He placed his hands around her waist and lifted. One moment later, she was sitting in her saddle, but his hands were still around her, and the look in his brown eyes was setting a hundred butterflies loose in her stomach.

“You are lovely,” he said softly. Then, before she could gather her wits enough to respond, he released his hold, turned, and swung himself onto the saddle of the brown horse standing beside her own.

With her thoughts in a whirl, Joanna watched Cona take his place to the right of her horse. The dog raised his head, looking at her with languid eyes. And despite her befuddled state, Joanna made a startling realization: Cona was calm. Not once had her protective wolfhound objected to Sir Lukas’s proximity—not even when the knight had held her. It was something she’d never seen before. She wound her trembling fingers through the reins. Actually, if she were being completely honest with herself, nothing she’d experienced in the last two minutes had ever occurred before.

Sir Lukas inched his horse closer. “Would you lead the way?”

She nodded, still not sure if words would come. Then she urged her horse forward, and Sir Lukas took his place at her left, with Eva right behind.

They made their way out of the castle’s main gate and took the road that led away from the town toward the outlying farms. The skies were still overcast, but the muted light deepened the greens of the rolling hillsides, and even from this distance, it was possible to see the white dots of sheep grazing in the meadows.

Birds sang in the trees. A stray dog ran out from beneath the hedgerow to greet them, but upon spotting Cona, it quickly ran off in the other direction. Sir Lukas chuckled at the poor little dog’s understandable intimidation, and Joanna glanced his way and exchanged a smile.

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