Page 3 of Country Winds
Ellie laughed, her eyes sparkling when she looked up at Tucker. “Would you like to stay with me and watch the show?”
He gave a nod and a smile, his face breaking into an amused expression.
The jester stuck his tongue out at the huntsman and made crude comments while he picked up a straw resting on the side of an upended crate. He held the straw so that it stuck up from his head, and he made grotesque faces that made the audience laugh.
Tucker studied the archer. The man nocked an arrow and drew the bowstring back. He released the arrow, and a moment later, it pinned the straw to the target, dead center in the bullseye.
“Time for a volunteer from the audience, if any are not faint of heart.” The jester scanned the crowd, ignoring raised hands. He grinned when his eyes rested on Ellie. “Wonderful of you to volunteer, Milady.”
“Me?” Ellie’s eyes widened as the jester jogged down the three steps from the stage straight for her. She stepped back, bumping against Tucker and trodding on his booted foot. “Uh, no?—”
The jester leered and cackled when he grabbed Ellie by the wrist and dragged her up the steps and onto the stage. Tucker had to restrain himself from going after her, but if she truly had objected, he was sure she would have made it loud and clear.
* * *
Ellie’s heart thumped when the huntsman approached the target and removed the two arrows he’d shot. She straightened her spine and assumed her voice actor mode, drawing on her experience in voiceover work.
“Unhand me, sir.” Ellie jerked her arm from the jester and raised her chin as she spoke with emphasis in her Old English accent. “What is the meaning of this?”
“Come, dear. It is truly a small thing.” The jester looked delighted as she fell into the part, and he pushed Ellie toward the target.
“I shall scream.” She balked, but in the next moment, the jester and the huntsman grasped her arm on either side of her and guided her to the target.
“You are quite mad.” She struggled for show—and the men were much too strong to be dissuaded. “Release me,” she commanded.
The jester cackled. “It will be over soon, depending on whether you survive.”
Hoots, shouts, and laughter came from the audience. What did Tucker think of what was going on?
In mere seconds, they strapped her to the target by her arms and legs in a big X-marks-the-spot.
Despite her acting bravado, her heart raced. Was this huntsman really going to shoot at the target with her pinned to it? She’d seen these kinds of things, and he had to be a professional. If he’d ever hurt anyone, that would have been game over for his career. At least, that was what she assumed.
That did nothing to calm her fears. She continued to struggle against her bonds until the huntsman unslung his bow.
The jester patted her shoulder and gave a maniacal laugh. “You might wish to be still for this part.”
Ellie didn’t need to be told as the huntsman sighted the target and aimed. She screamed as he released the bowstring and then heard a soft thunk as the arrow penetrated the target near her right cheek.
Holy crap, that was too close.
Another thunk and an arrow quivered against her other cheek.
Okay, the arrows being so close to her was far too much. She wanted out of there.
“Enough is enough, boys.” The low cowboy drawl carried across the stage as Tucker pushed the huntsman’s arrow down before he could nock it.
“What is the meaning of this?” The jester stood in front of Tucker, hands on his hips. “Be gone, abomination!”
Tucker, who had to be six-four in his sock feet, looked even taller from his boots to the top of his Stetson. He towered over the smaller man before him, maybe five-six at best. Tucker picked up the jester by his upper arms, set the sputtering man aside, and strode toward Ellie.
He gave her a gentle look. “Ready to get out of here?”
“Yes, please.” She looked at him gratefully as he pulled out a pocketknife and made short work of the ropes pinning her to the target.
“My knight in shining Wranglers.” She projected the words in Old English, then gasped as Tucker scooped her up in his arms and carried her across the stage. Cheers came from the audience.
She rested her hand against his broad chest as she glanced at the huntsman and jester, who were doing their best to go along with what was happening.
