Read Online Hard Day's Knight by Katie MacAlister - Free Book Online
Authors: Katie MacAlister
Ads: Link
Canadians do.”
“How come?”
CJ unzipped the tent and did a little makeup repair while I stuffed a cold wet cloth down my bodice and sighed with pleasure. “Quarantine laws. The foreigners can’t bring their horses in and take them home again because of quarantine laws. So they get loaner horses from people around the area.That’s why they come a week early, to work with the horses and learn their ways and do any necessary training. Because they’re at a disadvantage working on horses that aren’t their own, they get the bigger practice ring to compensate.”
“Ah. I suppose that makes sense.” We chatted for a moment with people passing by, heading for their own tents to change clothing or grab food for dinner; then CJ snagged a package of hot dogs, one of frozen hamburgers, and a couple of packages of buns.
“Come on, I’ll show you where the Three-DK tents are.”
I tried to lock Moth into the tent, figuring he’d be ready for a postdinner snooze, but he started scratching at the material the second I zipped up the door, so I ended up putting his harness on.
“You’re putting a crimp in my style, cat,” I said as I scooped him up and ran across the field to catch up with my cousin. “Hey, Ceej, wait up, I’m lugging his majesty.”
She stopped and waited for me, rolling her eyes when I set Moth down. “Honestly, the way you coddle that cat . . . I thought you didn’t like him?”
“I don’t. He deliberately dribbled cat food on my foot and kicked the lid off his litter box so the litter sprayed all over my sleeping bag.”
“You sure keep him around you a lot for someone who doesn’t like him.”
I glared down at the big white cat walking alongside me. “He’s a great big hairy pain in the butt.”
“Methinks the lady doth protest too much,” CJ said in her best Shakespearean voice.
“Methinks the lady hath no other choice. Hey, what do you know about Veronica? Was she really . . . er . . . you know. With Walker?”
CJ shrugged and raised her hand when a couple of people sitting around a campfire called out a greeting. “They’re minstrels from Ottawa. Nice people, but never get into a singalong with them. They don’t know the meaning of the word enough .”
I smiled and waved at the minstrels, following as CJ weaved her way through the seemingly endless tent city. Smoke from various barbecues mingled with the exhaust from the food vendors, making my stomach growl. I dragged my mind from the need for food to the need for information. “You said you’ve heard of her. Veronica, I mean. What have you heard?”
CJ looked a bit evasive, which really made me curious. “Not much, just that a bunch of rich society babes had formed their own jousting troupe. Word is they do a lot of charity stuff, and donate all their winnings to a children’s organization. There they are! Lamby-pie!” CJ squealed and launched herself at the man who was sitting in a lawn chair.
Moth lunged forward, all but dragging me into the circle of people collected around a couple of barbecue grills and coolers.
“Moth, stop it! Heel! Excuse me, I hope I didn’t hurt your toe—Moth! Get down off him!”
Clearly unaware of how a proper cat maintains an air of dignity and uninterest in the people around him, Moth hauled me through the group of people and leaped up into a startled Walker’s arms. He dug his claws into Walker’s tunic, quickly scaling him and alighting on his shoulders, just like Walker was some sort of human scaffolding put there for feline entertainment.
“I’m so sorry; he seems to have a little crush on you,” I said, tugging on the leash to get Moth down. “Come along, you horrible beast.”
Walker grimaced as Moth fought the leash. “It’s all right; he’s not doing any harm there.”
“Oh.” I unsnapped the leash, then stood looking at Walker, more than a little awed by what I saw. On a horse he was impressive. In a practice ring, he was intimidating. Standing just a
“How come?”
CJ unzipped the tent and did a little makeup repair while I stuffed a cold wet cloth down my bodice and sighed with pleasure. “Quarantine laws. The foreigners can’t bring their horses in and take them home again because of quarantine laws. So they get loaner horses from people around the area.That’s why they come a week early, to work with the horses and learn their ways and do any necessary training. Because they’re at a disadvantage working on horses that aren’t their own, they get the bigger practice ring to compensate.”
“Ah. I suppose that makes sense.” We chatted for a moment with people passing by, heading for their own tents to change clothing or grab food for dinner; then CJ snagged a package of hot dogs, one of frozen hamburgers, and a couple of packages of buns.
“Come on, I’ll show you where the Three-DK tents are.”
I tried to lock Moth into the tent, figuring he’d be ready for a postdinner snooze, but he started scratching at the material the second I zipped up the door, so I ended up putting his harness on.
“You’re putting a crimp in my style, cat,” I said as I scooped him up and ran across the field to catch up with my cousin. “Hey, Ceej, wait up, I’m lugging his majesty.”
She stopped and waited for me, rolling her eyes when I set Moth down. “Honestly, the way you coddle that cat . . . I thought you didn’t like him?”
“I don’t. He deliberately dribbled cat food on my foot and kicked the lid off his litter box so the litter sprayed all over my sleeping bag.”
“You sure keep him around you a lot for someone who doesn’t like him.”
I glared down at the big white cat walking alongside me. “He’s a great big hairy pain in the butt.”
“Methinks the lady doth protest too much,” CJ said in her best Shakespearean voice.
“Methinks the lady hath no other choice. Hey, what do you know about Veronica? Was she really . . . er . . . you know. With Walker?”
CJ shrugged and raised her hand when a couple of people sitting around a campfire called out a greeting. “They’re minstrels from Ottawa. Nice people, but never get into a singalong with them. They don’t know the meaning of the word enough .”
I smiled and waved at the minstrels, following as CJ weaved her way through the seemingly endless tent city. Smoke from various barbecues mingled with the exhaust from the food vendors, making my stomach growl. I dragged my mind from the need for food to the need for information. “You said you’ve heard of her. Veronica, I mean. What have you heard?”
CJ looked a bit evasive, which really made me curious. “Not much, just that a bunch of rich society babes had formed their own jousting troupe. Word is they do a lot of charity stuff, and donate all their winnings to a children’s organization. There they are! Lamby-pie!” CJ squealed and launched herself at the man who was sitting in a lawn chair.
Moth lunged forward, all but dragging me into the circle of people collected around a couple of barbecue grills and coolers.
“Moth, stop it! Heel! Excuse me, I hope I didn’t hurt your toe—Moth! Get down off him!”
Clearly unaware of how a proper cat maintains an air of dignity and uninterest in the people around him, Moth hauled me through the group of people and leaped up into a startled Walker’s arms. He dug his claws into Walker’s tunic, quickly scaling him and alighting on his shoulders, just like Walker was some sort of human scaffolding put there for feline entertainment.
“I’m so sorry; he seems to have a little crush on you,” I said, tugging on the leash to get Moth down. “Come along, you horrible beast.”
Walker grimaced as Moth fought the leash. “It’s all right; he’s not doing any harm there.”
“Oh.” I unsnapped the leash, then stood looking at Walker, more than a little awed by what I saw. On a horse he was impressive. In a practice ring, he was intimidating. Standing just a
Similar Books
