Page 54 of A Bridge Through Time
“Did you see the smile on Helene’s face?” Lena asked conspiratorially.
“Mmmhmmm. I know exactly how she feels.”
“I’ll just bet you do,” Lena laughed.
“Where are the boys this morning?” Ashley hurriedly changed the subject.
“Off playing with their cousins, thank goodness. I’m grateful for the quiet time, no matter how brief it may be.”
“I could use a bit of fresh air. Care to join me?” Ashley suggested.
“I’d love to. These can wait.” She placed her mending on the chair and offered Ashley a devilish smile. “Shall we go spy on the men?”
“That sounds like a very good idea. They should be on the training field, I would think.”
“I agree. There is nothing I love more than watching a bunch of hunky men working out, without their shirts on. Shall we go see what they’re up to?” Lena had a surprising way of switching back and forth between sixteenth and twenty first century speech patterns. When in the company of Ashley and Helene, she had used a combination of both. When Ashley wasn’t involved in a conversation, Lena automatically seemed to defer to the speech pattern used by the clan members.
“Absolutely. Let’s go.” Ashley took one last bite of the delicious bannocks and followed Lena out through the door.
***
The skies outside were overcast and grey. The clouds sat oppressively heavy above their heads and threatened a shower of rain soon. Lena and Ashley took a turn around the courtyard, stopping here and there to exchange polite conversation with those they met on the way to the training area.
They stopped to watch as the blacksmith worked his magic with a hammer, anvil, and a raging fire. He was shoeing a young stallion that from the looks of him was still quite green. The large horse was prancing back and forth, the stable boys nimblyavoiding being trampled by his massive hooves. As a fierce burst of wind gusted through the courtyard from the approaching storm, the horse got even more agitated. Ashley suspected the stable boys had little, if any, control over the animal. She and Lena stepped back, safely out of the way and watched as the men struggled to calm the panicked animal.
Just as the young stallion began rearing onto his hind legs and backed away from the blacksmith, Ashley was horrified to hear little Mary, calling for her puppy. Ashley looked around frantically and saw the puppy was running directly towards the frantic horse and its stomping hooves. Worse still, Mary – oblivious to the danger – ran after him.
“Oh, no!” Ashley shouted. Adrenaline coursed through her veins and with no thought to her own safety; she flew across the yard and grabbed Mary and the puppy, just as the huge horse reared once again and fell over backwards. Ashley managed to roll safely out of the way, a split second before the horse landed where they had been. She held on tightly to Mary and the puppy as together they hit the outside wall of the blacksmith’s shop. The horse continued to thrash around, trying to get onto its feet and Ashley placed her body over Mary’s, desperately trying to protect the little girl.
It all seemed to happen in slow motion. Ashley heard Lena screaming and both Cailin and Robert shouting as they ran towards her and Mary. The horse was finally brought under control, but Ashley couldn’t move, stiff with fear. She still held tight to Mary, who was sobbing and clinging tightly to Ashley’s gown and her puppy. Ashley herself was near to tears and shaking uncontrollably. Despite her fear, Ashley managed to murmur words of reassurance to the little girl and stroked her back.
“Ashley, love!” Strong arms encircled them and Cailin pulled her to her feet.
“Mary!” Heather cried. “Mary!” Taking Mary from Ashley’s arms, Heather examined her daughter to be sure she was unhurt. “Thank ye, Lady Ashley, ye saved her life.” Tears ran down Heather’s cheeks as she buried her face in Mary’s hair.
Ashley was speechless and she held onto Cailin for dear life, happy to be safely in his arms.
“Dinnae fash, love, all’s well. Ye be a brave one to be sure,” Cailin crooned. He kissed the top of Ashley’s head as the others joined them.
“Are ye hurt, Ashley?” Robert queried, placing a reassuring hand on her shoulder.
“No… No, I’m fine,” Ashley managed to stammer.
“We were coming from the training field and saw what happened,” Cormac said.
“I’m just happy I was close enough to help. Mary would have been crushed if…” Ashley stopped abruptly. The thought horrified her and she quickly put it out of her head.
They all surrounded Ashley and she could sense their concern and worry. Lena held her hand, Cormac gently brushed her cheek with his fingers and Irene, who had arrived just before it happened, had tears in her eyes.
“Ye’ve been a blessing to us all, Ashley. I am forever grateful that Cailin found ye,” Irene announced.
“Me, too,” Ashley said, still clinging desperately to Cailin.
“Lady?” a small voice said.
Ashley turned to find Mary looking a bit disheveled from their roll through the dirt, but otherwise unharmed.
“Yes, Mary,” Ashley smiled.
