Page 11 of Saxon Blade Norman Blood
Though no one had taken a second look at her, Rowena felt extremely conspicuous. She was the only woman in the company, and the only Saxon. Every single person around her was Norman, even the servants.
All the noblemen carried swords and most wore chainmail. This was little less than an army on the move, quite a daunting sight. If William chose this moment to tell his friends what she had done to him, she wouldn’t stand a chance. Being killed outright would be a mercy compared to what else they could do to her.
Fear chilled her to the bone, and she wrapped her cloak tightly around her.
“Were you expecting to see an iron cage to lock you in?” William had not missed her gesture and he sounded amused.
But she did not feel like laughing. Shehadhalf expected it.
“Well, I have no cage, iron or otherwise. Believe it or not, attempts on my life are not numerous enough to make such a contraption necessary. You will travel on horseback, like the rest of us.”
Rowena sighed in relief. She would be spared the pain and humiliation of being treated as a criminal. Then she looked around and relief transformed into full-blown panic. All the horses were enormous. They were rearing to go, stamping the ground and snorting excitedly. She bit her lip. Such animals were trained to carry armed warriors on the battlefield, not slight women like her. She would never have the strength or skill to control them.
“Which one will I ride?” she croaked.
“This one.” William walked over to a stallion with flaring nostrils. His black coat shone under the sun. “Thunder.”
A whimper escaped Rowena’s lips. She had only ever ridden small ponies or mules, and this not very often. She was not at all sure she would be able to handle such a spirited mount without injuring herself.
Suddenly the iron cage seemed a more appealing option. The twinkle in Willaim’s eyes when she dared to look at him told her he understood the reason behind her dismay.
“Quite daunting, is he not?” An affectionate pat on the animal’s rump mitigated the comment. “Fret not, his gait is surprisingly even. He is well trained, though of course I would say so since I did it myself.”
“Still, he looks too strong for me.”
William flashed even, white teeth. “He is. But you won’t have to manage him.”
The knot in her stomach loosened somewhat. “Oh. I thought you said I would ride him.”
“As I do not let my closest friends do so, I am hardly going to let someone I don’t know handle the reins. I will not have you ruining his mouth when I had the devil’s own job breaking him.” He gave what would almost pass as a chuckle. “No.Iwill ride him.”
“So which one shall I be riding?”
“My apologies, I should have been clearer. You will ride on Thunder, but with me.”
Rowena rebelled at the notion. “I’m not sitting in front of you like a child.”
“No? It will be a whole lot more comfortable than lying behind me like a sack of grain, I should think.”
“I mean that I will ride my own horse.” His refusal to understand irritated her.
“Out of the question. I am not running the risk of you giving me the slip when you feel like it, even though the chances of you outrunning me on Thunder are non-existent. Still, I don’t know what you might be capable of. You did intend to kill me after all.”
The smile never left his lips, but she could not ignore the reminder. She was his prisoner, even if no one else knew it, even if he had not locked her up, and her every move would be monitored.
Dayandnight.
Well, there was no help for it now.
Once William had climbed on Thunder’s back, he held out his hand to her. The gesture was more that of a lover trying to woo his lady love than a warrior dealing with a dangerous prisoner. It threw her.
“Your turn,” he prompted when she remained frozen on the spot. “Do not make me come and get you. I will do it, but I cannot guarantee I will be gentle.”
Without a word, she took his hand.
“We ride!”
At the sharp order the whole company moved on.
