Read Candace C. Bowen - A Knight Series 01 for Free Online Page B

you slackers be saddled before he returns.”
    As the younger men rushed past Fulke to retrieve their horses, Albin
remained behind. “Why so tense this morn, Fulke?”
    Relaxing his clenched fists, Fulke ignored the question.   
    “The Mistress Reina is a beauty, is she not?” Albin pressed.
    Slanting his gaze to Albin, he snapped, “Mind your own affairs.”
    “Now what would be the fun in that?”    With a chuckle, Albin jogged off towards the stables.
    Busy putting the men through the paces, Fulke intended to drive all
thought of Reina from their minds. Impressed by Warin’s skill with a sword, he
had Osbert engage him in mock combat.  
    The rest of the men quit the jousting field to watch.   Riding up to join him, they began to take
wagers as the wood practice swords made resounding thwacks.   Lunging forward, Osbert managed to catch
Warin off balance.   Stumbling back, his
free arm flailing, he landed in the dirt with a thud.  
    Osbert reached down to give Warin a hand up as Fulke called to them,
“Well done, lads.”    
    A distant flash of golden-red caught his attention.   As if his thoughts conjured her, Reina
appeared at the bottom of the hill, her unbound hair swirling about her in the
cool day’s breeze.
    Following his gaze, Gervase reined around with a low whistle. “Mistress
Reina returns from the village. How about that introduction now, lad?” he
called to Warin.
    Before Warin could respond, Albin reined up beside Gervase.   Leaning over, he cuffed him on the back of
the head.   “How about paying a mind to
the task at hand, lout.”
    Gervase cringed, rubbing the sore spot as the rest of the men laughed.
    Without thinking, Fulke spurred his horse in the direction of the
village, ignoring Albin’s bark of laughter.
    Reina drew to a halt as he reined up beside her.   Dismounting, he gathered the reins in one
hand.   
    He smiled as a blush stained her cheeks. “It pleases me to see you
suffer no ill effects from your moonlight dip, Mistress Reina.”
      She shyly returned his smile,
before biting her lip.
    Sensing her frustration, Fulke sobered.   Regardless of their watching audience, he stepped closer to her.
    “I am willing to follow, if you are willing to lead me mistress.”
    “I would like that, my lord.” Reina slowly formed the words.  
    Amazed, Fulke realized if he stared directly at her lips, he could
understand her.   He repeated her words to
be sure. “You would like that, mistress?”
    “I would, my lord.” She smiled up
at him.
    “I never would have believed it possible,” he breathed.
    Nearing the courtyard, Reina paused. “I wish to
thank you for fostering Warin, my lord.”
    Catching a lock of hair wafting around her face, he smoothed it behind
her ear. “You seem particularly fond of each other.”
    “Aye, Warin gave me a new life. Without him, I
never would have learned to communicate as I do.” Her eyes
clouded with sadness. “I shall miss him very
much.”
    “Castell Maen is not that far of a journey from Kenwick,” he said to
cheer her. “I shall release him to visit as often as he wishes.”  
    “His mother will be very happy to hear that, my
lord.”  
    “And you Reina?   What would it
take to make you happy?”   With a will of
their own, his hands were reaching for her…
    “There you are your lordship.” The caustic voice stopped him like a
blow from the quintain.
    With a groan, he briefly closed his eyes before dropping his
hands.   Glancing towards the keep, he
drew Reina’s gaze to Baldith and Sibilla.  
    Spotting the women, he heard Reina’s soft indrawn breath.
    He touched her sleeve to ask, “Is aught amiss, Mistress Reina?”   
    Before she could answer, Baldith closed the distance. “Your lordship.
Sibilla has been waiting for some time to escort you to the falconry.   It is one of the best in the realm and Sir
Everard so wishes for you to see it.”
    “Perhaps another time, Lady Baldith,” he coolly