Page 42 of The Sword and the Damsel

They nibbled on breakfast as they dressed and kissed and then kissed some more.

It was mid-morning when they emerged from their room and rushed down to the stables to avoid her family. Nonetheless, Carenza saw them in the halls and gave her a wink that made her cheeks burn.

Soon they rode through the west gate of Winchelsea and out into the surrounding farmland. Alais was on Snow. Victor was on Socorro. He broke into a gallop as soon as they were on the open road. “Beat you to the next farm,” he yelled over his shoulder.

“Never,” she yelled back, urging Snow faster and faster along the well-trodden Roman road as the wind whipped through herhair. Snow had no chance against Socorro, of course, but it didn’t matter. It felt like heaven to race through the cool autumn morning, galloping with abandon after Victor as he whooped like a barbarian. He and Socorro moved together like a single creature with one mind, a graceful blur of lean muscle and movement.

“I win,” he crowed, turning sharply, and circling back to ride alongside her.

“Not a fair contest! Let me ride Socorro, and we’ll see who wins,” she objected with a laugh, slowing Snow to a walk.

“Would you like to? I’m happy to trade. Anything to please my lady…”

“That depends. Where are we headed?”

“I thought we’d start with a visit to Hastings.”

“What?” She came to a halt.

“We won’t go anywhere near my aunt, I promise.” She started walking again, giving him a wary look. “I thought I might spoil you some, given that you didn’t have a chance for the usual pre-wedding shopping spree. I know the best merchants in the city. Their wares will put what you can find in Winchelsea to shame. My lady deserves only the finest.”

“Heavens!” Alais didn’t know what to say. She thought back to the occasions when he’d been forced to accompany her and her sisters out into Winchelsea on shopping expeditions. He’d always looked so miserable, but then, in retrospect, maybe that had nothing to do with the shopping.

“Then I’d like to take you to meet a talented friend of mine whom I think you might find entertaining. And this afternoon, if you’re willing, I’d like to take you to Guestling to meet my father. He’ll adore you. But beware, he will feed you within an inch of your life. His cook is an artist of rare skill, but you will feel like a stuffed capon by the time my father is satisfied that you’ve eaten enough.”

“I would love to meet your father, and I’m sure I’ll have quite an appetite after everything you described. What’s your father like?”

Victor narrowed his eye and then raised an eyebrow. “A fat goat.”

Alais burst out laughing.

“It’s true! You’ll see for yourself soon enough. He is a hairy man with voracious appetites and no shame. You think I blaspheme? Brace yourself. He’s far worse. But he’s a good man. He might have left me to the servants after my mother died, but instead, he gave me a happy childhood until I was old enough to foster.” He looked off in the distance.

“And what were you like as a child?”

He laughed. “Trouble.”Of course, he was.“You?”

“Also trouble.”

He smiled. She flushed as she returned his smile. She was tempted to sneak behind a tree with him and do wicked things. But no. Plenty of time for that later.

“So what’s the worst thing you got caught for?” he asked, a smolder in his look as if he knew what she was thinking.

“When I was seven, I got mad at Carenza for tattling on me about stealing a honey cake from the kitchen, so I cut off all her hair.” Victor sputtered and snorted loudly. “It took months for it to grow back. She had to wear a wimple the whole time. Mother made me wear one too for punishment. To this day, I still hate covering my hair, though I suppose I’ll have to, now that I’m a respectable married woman.” She made a disgusted face.

She could see the boy in him when he laughed. She could just imagine him as a tiny troublemaker with twilight eyes, an angelic face, and a sandy mop. He could probably have gotten away with anything.

“Your turn.” She grinned. “What’s the worst thing you didn’t get caught for?”

“Good question. I rarely got caught. I was sneaky.” The mischievous look he gave her made her bite her lip.

“I believe that.”

“All right. If I tell you, you have to swear you will never reveal my secret to another living soul.” He looked so serious, she couldn’t help but burst out laughing.

“I swear on Carenza’s hair.”

“Oh, you’ll have to do better than that.”

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