like a banner against the blue
sky. Isobel crouched low over Apple’s neck, so much so that she felt like she
was one with the animal. The thundering rhythm of Apple’s hooves pounding
against the earth thrilled her, giving her a fragile sense of freedom.
She glanced over
her shoulder and noticed that much to her dismay, the guards were right behind
her. Apple was no match for their giant stallions. Breathing a sigh of
disappointment, Isobel began to rein Apple in. As she pulled lightly on the
reins, Apple whickered loudly and stumbled, having suddenly lost her balance.
Having been
looking over her shoulder and not at the road ahead, the faltering of her horse
caught Isobel completely off balance. She was thrown flying over Apple’s head.
Isobel screamed in terror as she made contact with the hard ground, landing
mostly on her shoulder and skidding forward until she came to a rest.
Her guards were
about her at once.
“Be still Lady
Isobel!” Alex thundered as his large hand pushed her back against the ground.
She struggled
against him for a moment and then relented, relaxing against the ground. Her
shoulder hurt something fierce but it did not sting nearly as much as her
wounded pride. The last time she had been thrown from a horse was when she was
but eleven years old.
Alex’s hands
traversed her body, checking for broken bones.
“I’m well! Pray
leave me be! ‘Tis only my shoulder that pains me,” she said with a hint of
annoyance. Her father’s guards had a tendency to be overly cautious as well as
over protective.
“Nothing’s
broken,” Alex said with relief to the guards that huddled around them. “You’ve
quite a deep scrape on your shoulder. Ripped right through your gown, I’m
afraid,” he said softly as he reached up and gingerly brushed some dirt away
from the injury. “We’ll need to get that cleaned up.”
“She’s thrown a
shoe!” Mason shouted as he examined Apple. “It’s a wonder she remained
standing, having thrown it mid-stride. She’s a good lass,” he said approvingly
as he patted Apple appreciatively on the whither.
“Are you able to stand,
Lady Isobel?” Alex asked. His big brown eyes were riddled with concern. Lady
Isobel had always treated him so graciously; it pained him deeply to see her
injured.
“I told you that
I’m quite alright!” Isobel snapped. She quickly smiled at Alex to soften the
sting of her retort. She was angry with herself for not being more cautious with
Apple. She was also disappointed by the harsh words that had escaped her
lips. A Lady did not take out her frustration on her guards.
Alex hoisted
Isobel to her feet and helped her brush off her dirt stained gown.
“Thank you, Alex,”
she said sweetly. She walked about experimentally, not wanting to admit that
her shoulder was throbbing rather fiercely. She looked down at the flesh wound
and winced. It stung badly and she gritted her teeth together as she appraised
the dirt caked abrasion.
“You shall ride
with me, milady,” Alex insisted. His eyes warned her not to argue. “We’ll go
to the village and get you cleaned up. Wouldn’t want Hodges to see you like
this or he’ll have all of our heads,” Alex joked as he helped Isobel up onto
the plaid that was rolled up behind his saddle. He swung into the saddle in
front of her and made sure that she was holding on tightly to his waist before
he clicked his tongue at his stallion, spurring the animal into a slow walk.
Isobel glanced
over her shoulder to see that Apple was indeed safe. Mason had tied her reins
to the saddle of his stallion and the small white mare ambled slowly along
beside them. Isobel said a prayer of gratitude. Apple could have fallen and
broken her leg, an injury that would have required that she was put to death.
Isobel cursed her stupidity at pushing the mare so hard. Her heart ached as
she watched Apple amble awkwardly along the path,
sky. Isobel crouched low over Apple’s neck, so much so that she felt like she
was one with the animal. The thundering rhythm of Apple’s hooves pounding
against the earth thrilled her, giving her a fragile sense of freedom.
She glanced over
her shoulder and noticed that much to her dismay, the guards were right behind
her. Apple was no match for their giant stallions. Breathing a sigh of
disappointment, Isobel began to rein Apple in. As she pulled lightly on the
reins, Apple whickered loudly and stumbled, having suddenly lost her balance.
Having been
looking over her shoulder and not at the road ahead, the faltering of her horse
caught Isobel completely off balance. She was thrown flying over Apple’s head.
Isobel screamed in terror as she made contact with the hard ground, landing
mostly on her shoulder and skidding forward until she came to a rest.
Her guards were
about her at once.
“Be still Lady
Isobel!” Alex thundered as his large hand pushed her back against the ground.
She struggled
against him for a moment and then relented, relaxing against the ground. Her
shoulder hurt something fierce but it did not sting nearly as much as her
wounded pride. The last time she had been thrown from a horse was when she was
but eleven years old.
Alex’s hands
traversed her body, checking for broken bones.
“I’m well! Pray
leave me be! ‘Tis only my shoulder that pains me,” she said with a hint of
annoyance. Her father’s guards had a tendency to be overly cautious as well as
over protective.
“Nothing’s
broken,” Alex said with relief to the guards that huddled around them. “You’ve
quite a deep scrape on your shoulder. Ripped right through your gown, I’m
afraid,” he said softly as he reached up and gingerly brushed some dirt away
from the injury. “We’ll need to get that cleaned up.”
“She’s thrown a
shoe!” Mason shouted as he examined Apple. “It’s a wonder she remained
standing, having thrown it mid-stride. She’s a good lass,” he said approvingly
as he patted Apple appreciatively on the whither.
“Are you able to stand,
Lady Isobel?” Alex asked. His big brown eyes were riddled with concern. Lady
Isobel had always treated him so graciously; it pained him deeply to see her
injured.
“I told you that
I’m quite alright!” Isobel snapped. She quickly smiled at Alex to soften the
sting of her retort. She was angry with herself for not being more cautious with
Apple. She was also disappointed by the harsh words that had escaped her
lips. A Lady did not take out her frustration on her guards.
Alex hoisted
Isobel to her feet and helped her brush off her dirt stained gown.
“Thank you, Alex,”
she said sweetly. She walked about experimentally, not wanting to admit that
her shoulder was throbbing rather fiercely. She looked down at the flesh wound
and winced. It stung badly and she gritted her teeth together as she appraised
the dirt caked abrasion.
“You shall ride
with me, milady,” Alex insisted. His eyes warned her not to argue. “We’ll go
to the village and get you cleaned up. Wouldn’t want Hodges to see you like
this or he’ll have all of our heads,” Alex joked as he helped Isobel up onto
the plaid that was rolled up behind his saddle. He swung into the saddle in
front of her and made sure that she was holding on tightly to his waist before
he clicked his tongue at his stallion, spurring the animal into a slow walk.
Isobel glanced
over her shoulder to see that Apple was indeed safe. Mason had tied her reins
to the saddle of his stallion and the small white mare ambled slowly along
beside them. Isobel said a prayer of gratitude. Apple could have fallen and
broken her leg, an injury that would have required that she was put to death.
Isobel cursed her stupidity at pushing the mare so hard. Her heart ached as
she watched Apple amble awkwardly along the path,
Similar Books
