Page 44 of Chivalry in the Meadow
“As ready as I can be,” Mia said. Her face was still warm from all that attention.
Finn walked them across, to a mostly empty field, as the crowd had been moved along with no autographing session this time. That wouldn’t happen again until after the third jousting session this evening.
They reached Sir Elias first, as he was standing near his horse, removing armor.
“Sir Elias,” Finn said, “May I introduce my cousin, Lady Lilly.”
Sir Elias reached for her hand with a smile and as she reached out for him, took her hand in his. “Tis a pleasure, milady.” He bowed.
Lilly, beaming from ear to ear, curtsied. “Milord.”
“Will you be attending the masquerade bonfire ball tonight?” he asked.
“Yes,” she smiled deeper, “I will be.”
“Then I hope you will save me a dance,” he said.
“I will,” she said. “But behind a mask, how will I know which one is you?”
“Never fear,” he said. “Iwill findyou.”
Finn had walked Mia closer to Sir Cedric and Sir Alaric, but Sir Cedric stepped toward first. “And this lady is?” He smiled his most charming smile at Mia.
She blushed again, suddenly tongue tied.
“May I introduce Lady Mia,” Finn said.
Sir Cedric took her hand, bent to kiss the back of it, and standing again said, “Enchanted.”
Mia giggled.
“I trust you ladies are now in good hands, so I will retire to the pub for a cool pint,” Finn said with a wave of his hat.
“Thank you, Finn,” Lilly called.
He waved his hat over his head in response as he walked away.
Mia barely took that in as Sir Cedric had captured her full attention, and she felt like a blushing schoolgirl. His horse snorted and she jumped, then looked up wide eyed at the large white stallion.
“He is bigger up close,” she said, looking up at the horse.
“Indeed, he is,” Sir Cedric said, his smile telling her he wasn’t only referring to his horse. “I believe you’ve met him already this morning and can attest to that.”
She blushed remembering how she’d been seated upon Sir Cedric’s muscular leg and sat atop his horse. “Yes, I can,” she said. “It was startling at first.”
Sir Cedric beamed his smile at her. He led her to the side, more out of the way of his big horse. “Await here, milady” he said. “I shan’t be long.”
She nodded. “Okay.”
He glanced at his squire who was removing the armor from his horse. He turned to face him. “Come here, squire,” he commanded. “Leave the horse and help me with my armor.”
Mia wrinkled her brow at the way he spoke to his squire. She didn’t care for the abrupt way he spoke to the boy or the tone he used.
Perhaps he’s sore from jousting and needs his squire to remove the heavy armor.
She let out a breath, let the frown ease, relaxing and giving him the benefit of the doubt.
Sir Alaric, who’d been watching them both, while helping his squire care for his horse, came over to her now, still wearing most of his armor. He stopped in front of her and said, “LadyMia, it is good to see you again. I trust you are enjoying the faire?”
