Read Online Warrior's Deception by Diana Hall - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Diana Hall
Ads: Link
outer bailey and the open fields beyond the castle gate. “Don’t worry, Lady Lenora, there are those of us here a-watchin’, out for ye,” he whispered to himself, and then retrieved his twig broom.
Lenora’s fingers curled tight around the reins to keep the powerful stallion at a bouncy walk. She maneuvered her impatient mount among the working villeins and freemen of Woodshadow. Once past the smithy, she entered the more open space of the outer bailey courtyard.
Her attention gravitated toward managing her excited horse. Jupiter’s muscles contracted and he arched his neck, impatient for the signal from his rider to break into a more taxing gait. When she reached the marshal’s tower at the castle gate, the dewy rolling hills of the meadow became visible. New spring grass sprinkled with just-opened multicolored wildflowers swayed in the still-cool air, beckoning horse and rider.
She leaned forward and whispered into the stallion’s ear, “Let’s see if we can outrun that nagging Roen de Galliard.” The horse sprang forward, almost unseating her. Her fingers wove into the gray black mane, and a breeze of refreshing air blew the hair from her eyes. The rhythmic beat of Jupiter’s hooves on the dirt road became hypnotic.
Tender shoots of grass blurred with the darker green of hedges and trees. She swept past peasants toiling in the black soil of recently furrowed fields, past huddled flocks of woolly, bleating sheep and grazing cattle. The tension pulled away, left behind in the dust of the stallion’s thundering hoofbeats. Her anxiety tumbled away from the force of the wind. She smiled, then laughed. To her right, she spied a low hedge. A quick move of the reins guided the galloping horse toward the emerald hedges.
“Come on! Let’s do it!” Horse and rider concentrated on the obstacle ahead. The hedge seemed to grow in height as they approached it. ‘Twas not a low-lying wild brush but a natural fence, grown to keep out deer and roving cattle. Jupiter sensed the challenge ahead of him, and she felt the horse’s hard muscles contract as he prepared for the jump. The hedge loomed before them.
Her heart pounded against her chest. Even to her own ears, her breath sounded ragged. Her conscience berated this latest folly but ‘twas too late to change course now.
Two strides from the hedge, Lenora laced her fingers into the flying mane, leaned forward in the saddle and gave the stallion his head. She felt the surge of strength course through Jupiter’s body, a lurch, then she was airborne. Her body transcended the confines of the earth and she became weightless, suspended in midair. Air whipped around her and tore the hood from her head. Her waist-length braid came unbound and streamed about her. Pleasure, excitement, complete freedom sprouted within her. Too soon, she saw Jupiter’s long legs reach the fast-approaching ground. The hard impact jarred her backbone and jerked her back in the saddle.
Exhilaration made her giddy. Another hedge lay a short distance away. Laughter bubbled from her. Lenora pushed her long tresses from her face and pivoted Jupiter toward the next jump. Thoughts of the bad-tempered knight cleared from her mind.
She dug her heels into Jupiter’s flanks, and the pounding of horse’s hooves drummed in her ears. She prepared for the jump, mentally picturing when she would need to ease off the bit to give the stallion his head. Just a few more strides, five more, three more, “Now!” She loosened her hold on the reins,grabbed the flying mane, and leaned forward in the saddle. From the corner of her eye, a shadow swooped down on her. A huge mail-covered hand appeared out of nowhere, yanking her from Jupiter’s back just as the horse sprang. Jupiter cleared the hedge as her back hit against a hard wall of metal. The blow knocked the air from her lungs. Stunned, she found herself breathless and dumped into the lap of an armor-clad knight.
“Let…go…of…me.” The words came
Lenora’s fingers curled tight around the reins to keep the powerful stallion at a bouncy walk. She maneuvered her impatient mount among the working villeins and freemen of Woodshadow. Once past the smithy, she entered the more open space of the outer bailey courtyard.
Her attention gravitated toward managing her excited horse. Jupiter’s muscles contracted and he arched his neck, impatient for the signal from his rider to break into a more taxing gait. When she reached the marshal’s tower at the castle gate, the dewy rolling hills of the meadow became visible. New spring grass sprinkled with just-opened multicolored wildflowers swayed in the still-cool air, beckoning horse and rider.
She leaned forward and whispered into the stallion’s ear, “Let’s see if we can outrun that nagging Roen de Galliard.” The horse sprang forward, almost unseating her. Her fingers wove into the gray black mane, and a breeze of refreshing air blew the hair from her eyes. The rhythmic beat of Jupiter’s hooves on the dirt road became hypnotic.
Tender shoots of grass blurred with the darker green of hedges and trees. She swept past peasants toiling in the black soil of recently furrowed fields, past huddled flocks of woolly, bleating sheep and grazing cattle. The tension pulled away, left behind in the dust of the stallion’s thundering hoofbeats. Her anxiety tumbled away from the force of the wind. She smiled, then laughed. To her right, she spied a low hedge. A quick move of the reins guided the galloping horse toward the emerald hedges.
“Come on! Let’s do it!” Horse and rider concentrated on the obstacle ahead. The hedge seemed to grow in height as they approached it. ‘Twas not a low-lying wild brush but a natural fence, grown to keep out deer and roving cattle. Jupiter sensed the challenge ahead of him, and she felt the horse’s hard muscles contract as he prepared for the jump. The hedge loomed before them.
Her heart pounded against her chest. Even to her own ears, her breath sounded ragged. Her conscience berated this latest folly but ‘twas too late to change course now.
Two strides from the hedge, Lenora laced her fingers into the flying mane, leaned forward in the saddle and gave the stallion his head. She felt the surge of strength course through Jupiter’s body, a lurch, then she was airborne. Her body transcended the confines of the earth and she became weightless, suspended in midair. Air whipped around her and tore the hood from her head. Her waist-length braid came unbound and streamed about her. Pleasure, excitement, complete freedom sprouted within her. Too soon, she saw Jupiter’s long legs reach the fast-approaching ground. The hard impact jarred her backbone and jerked her back in the saddle.
Exhilaration made her giddy. Another hedge lay a short distance away. Laughter bubbled from her. Lenora pushed her long tresses from her face and pivoted Jupiter toward the next jump. Thoughts of the bad-tempered knight cleared from her mind.
She dug her heels into Jupiter’s flanks, and the pounding of horse’s hooves drummed in her ears. She prepared for the jump, mentally picturing when she would need to ease off the bit to give the stallion his head. Just a few more strides, five more, three more, “Now!” She loosened her hold on the reins,grabbed the flying mane, and leaned forward in the saddle. From the corner of her eye, a shadow swooped down on her. A huge mail-covered hand appeared out of nowhere, yanking her from Jupiter’s back just as the horse sprang. Jupiter cleared the hedge as her back hit against a hard wall of metal. The blow knocked the air from her lungs. Stunned, she found herself breathless and dumped into the lap of an armor-clad knight.
“Let…go…of…me.” The words came
Similar Books
