Read Online The Loyal Heart by Merry Farmer - Free Book Online Page B

she’d managed to catch him on a good day or whether he told her everything to get her to drop her questioning Aubrey didn’t know, but Crispin had sat with her in the cloister for a good twenty minutes. For him that was like three days.
    She grinned at the memory in spite of herself, at the way he had tried to sit straight and proud in spite of his nose bleeding. He had attempted to ignore his injury until she had to pull out a handkerchief and wipe the blood off his lip. Then he had forgotten what he had been saying. She laughed to herself then lost her grin and swallowed hard as guilt replaced mirth. Her eyes sought out Ethan.
    “You call that a straight shot?” her brother was laughing. Ethan lowered his bow and craned his neck to see where his shot had landed on the target across the clearing. Aubrey nudged her mount to stand beside her brother atop his horse. Geoffrey nodded to her and tilted his head to Ethan with a grin. Toby sat at the edge of the clearing mending one of Ethan’s shirts while Tom worked carving something that looked like a bowl nearby.
    “I hit the target, didn’t I?” Ethan complained with a bright, flashing smile and a wink for Aubrey. Aubrey blushed to her fingertips.
    “Psht!” Barely,” Geoffrey scoffed. “It’s hanging off the end!”
    “I’d like to see you do better,” Ethan challenged.
    Geoffrey exchanged a grin with Aubrey and raised his bow, turning his horse to the side with his one leg. He took aim at the distant target, forgetting everything but the bow and the bull’s-eye, senses focused. The arrow shot loose, sped across the clearing, and landed square in the center of the target with a satisfying thwack. Geoffrey lowered the bow with a smug grin and turned to Ethan.
    “Alright, alright, you won that one,” Ethan conceded.
    “You think that’s somethin’?” Jack stepped forward from the tree he had been slouched against, eyes alight and hair extra gingery in the afternoon sun. “Watch this.”
    Aubrey raised an eyebrow at Jack as he strode to stand in front of them, his strong legs apart in a ready position. Tom glanced up and shook his head with a frown. Jack stood ready, staring at the target as if he would set it on fire with his eyes. Then, without warning, he whipped his right hand to his belt and threw a small dagger that no one had seen on him at the target. It would have been amazing but for the fact that the handle of the dagger and not the point smacked the bull’s-eye just below Geoffrey’s arrow, bouncing to the ground.
    Jack cursed and stood straight. “I’m outta practice.” Not satisfied to leave things there, he took another concealed dagger from his belt, aimed, and threw it deep into the target several inches to the right of Geoffrey’s arrow.
    Aubrey rewarded him with applause. “Not bad,” Geoffrey shrugged.
    “Not bad?” Jack shifted his weight and threw out his arms.
    “Where did you get the daggers, Jack?” Ethan arched an eyebrow.
    Jack shrugged. “Nicked ‘em from that house where we called day before yesterday.”
    Tom dropped his head in shame.
    Ethan rolled his eyes. “Lindsey is my friend, Jack. I need his support if I’m to petition the crown to get my land back.” Aubrey glanced from Ethan to Jack and chewed her lip.
    “Oy, he’s never gonna miss a couple of daggers, mate,” Jack defended his actions with a shrug.
    “I won’t have a thief as part of my retinue.” Ethan took a bold step towards him.
    “Your retinue ?” Jack squared his shoulders and planted his hands on his hips.
    “You forget your place.”
    “Whenever possible.” Jack arched an eyebrow.
    “Jack!” Tom scolded, jumping to his feet.
    “Boys, boys!” Aubrey interrupted the pissing contest. “Let’s not forget why we’re here.” She fixed them each with the same flattering smile that she’d showered Crispin with that morning. Jack’s scowl broke into his usual sly grin and he turned to trot across the clearing to the target to