Read Online Rescuing Rapunzel by Candice Gilmer - Free Book Online
Authors: Candice Gilmer
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else was inside. A piece of parchment, rolled up and sealed with a tiny drop of wax. I held the stones in one hand and broke the seal of the letter. Opening it, I found a note written with strong dark slashes.
Rapunzel,
Near my castle, there is a dark river that is cool even on the hottest days and on its banks I often find stones that have washed up from high in the mountains.
This morning I found these. Green as the new spring leaves. Green as your eyes.
I knew at once they were meant for you.
One stone is for you, for your beautiful green eyes.
One is for me, for being so fortunate to be gazed upon by those green eyes.
And the third is for the hope that I may come again, and you will lower your hair for me.
Yours,
Nick.
My hand trembled, and I stared at the words, reading them over and over. He wanted to come back. I glanced at the window. If he came, I would have to allow him to come up.
I would have to lower my hair.
I did not know if I could.
Chapter 14
“What are you doing?” a woman asked.
Nick spun around, careful not to startle Ovet, and let out a sigh. He had arrived home from his morning ride to check on tenants a good hour ago and, while he should have had the horse groomed by now, he continued brushing Ovet down. The horse seemed to like the attention.
Though lingering in the stables had more to do with his early morning activities than anything.
He glared at his little sister. “Kiki, do you not have houseguests who need your attention?”
“I do, but they are all still sleeping,” she replied, leaning on the adjoining stall. “You know I could never sleep very late.”
He smoothed the body brush over Ovet’s flank. “One of your greatest methods for learning the latest gossip. Even the maids complain about your early hours.”
She waved a hand in the air. “Only Alda does, because she does not like getting up early. Part of the reason I have quit having her help me get dressed.”
Nick sighed. “Is there something I can do for you, little girl?”
“I just wondered why you headed out so early this morning. The guard house said you left before the morning guard change.”
“And?”
“Bryan’s horse is still gone, too.” She glanced around the stables. “It has been over a week–”
He raised his eyebrow at his sister. “Bryan has been gone for six days.” Nick brushed the soft hair on Ovet’s neck, careful to mind her face. He patted the animal as he did and the horse shook her head at him, sniffing at his pocket. “Yes, there is a snack in there for you. When I am done,” he whispered. “Then you get your prize.”
The horse huffed indignantly.
“I think you love that horse more than you love your own sister,” Kiki muttered, arms crossed.
“The horse knows when to be quiet,” Nick replied. “And Ovet is not nosy. Unlike some sisters I know.”
She waggled her finger at him. “I know you, Nicolas. You are up to something.” She narrowed her eyes at him in a fair imitation of their mother. “I am bound and determined to find out what it is.”
He rolled his eyes at her. “Nothing you need fret about, dear sister. Now, run along and play or I will find something for you to do in here.”
She shook her head. “I can brush down a horse better than you can.”
He held out his brush. “Prove it.”
She ran her hand down the post of the stall before looking at him again. “You boys are up to something. Where is Bryan, anyway?”
“Why do you care?”
She shrugged. “I like to know where my enemies are. It does not look well when my guests are afraid another volley of arrows will fly into the room in which we are taking our tea.”
He snorted. “It was one arrow.”
“Regardless,” she said, taking a step closer. “Where did he go?”
Nick could not help being intrigued by his sister’s curiosity. “Which one of your little friends has a crush on Bryan?”
“None of them, now. Not after he shot arrows at us.” Female
Rapunzel,
Near my castle, there is a dark river that is cool even on the hottest days and on its banks I often find stones that have washed up from high in the mountains.
This morning I found these. Green as the new spring leaves. Green as your eyes.
I knew at once they were meant for you.
One stone is for you, for your beautiful green eyes.
One is for me, for being so fortunate to be gazed upon by those green eyes.
And the third is for the hope that I may come again, and you will lower your hair for me.
Yours,
Nick.
My hand trembled, and I stared at the words, reading them over and over. He wanted to come back. I glanced at the window. If he came, I would have to allow him to come up.
I would have to lower my hair.
I did not know if I could.
Chapter 14
“What are you doing?” a woman asked.
Nick spun around, careful not to startle Ovet, and let out a sigh. He had arrived home from his morning ride to check on tenants a good hour ago and, while he should have had the horse groomed by now, he continued brushing Ovet down. The horse seemed to like the attention.
Though lingering in the stables had more to do with his early morning activities than anything.
He glared at his little sister. “Kiki, do you not have houseguests who need your attention?”
“I do, but they are all still sleeping,” she replied, leaning on the adjoining stall. “You know I could never sleep very late.”
He smoothed the body brush over Ovet’s flank. “One of your greatest methods for learning the latest gossip. Even the maids complain about your early hours.”
She waved a hand in the air. “Only Alda does, because she does not like getting up early. Part of the reason I have quit having her help me get dressed.”
Nick sighed. “Is there something I can do for you, little girl?”
“I just wondered why you headed out so early this morning. The guard house said you left before the morning guard change.”
“And?”
“Bryan’s horse is still gone, too.” She glanced around the stables. “It has been over a week–”
He raised his eyebrow at his sister. “Bryan has been gone for six days.” Nick brushed the soft hair on Ovet’s neck, careful to mind her face. He patted the animal as he did and the horse shook her head at him, sniffing at his pocket. “Yes, there is a snack in there for you. When I am done,” he whispered. “Then you get your prize.”
The horse huffed indignantly.
“I think you love that horse more than you love your own sister,” Kiki muttered, arms crossed.
“The horse knows when to be quiet,” Nick replied. “And Ovet is not nosy. Unlike some sisters I know.”
She waggled her finger at him. “I know you, Nicolas. You are up to something.” She narrowed her eyes at him in a fair imitation of their mother. “I am bound and determined to find out what it is.”
He rolled his eyes at her. “Nothing you need fret about, dear sister. Now, run along and play or I will find something for you to do in here.”
She shook her head. “I can brush down a horse better than you can.”
He held out his brush. “Prove it.”
She ran her hand down the post of the stall before looking at him again. “You boys are up to something. Where is Bryan, anyway?”
“Why do you care?”
She shrugged. “I like to know where my enemies are. It does not look well when my guests are afraid another volley of arrows will fly into the room in which we are taking our tea.”
He snorted. “It was one arrow.”
“Regardless,” she said, taking a step closer. “Where did he go?”
Nick could not help being intrigued by his sister’s curiosity. “Which one of your little friends has a crush on Bryan?”
“None of them, now. Not after he shot arrows at us.” Female
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