Armored Hearts - By Melissa Turner Lee Page 0,9

on her heel and left in haste.

Gareth knocked on the door three times as was his habit.

“Enter,” a shaking voice called through the door.

Gareth turned the knob and pushed the door open before wheeling himself in. He liked how Mr. Strong didn’t rush to assist him but left it to him to do things on his own.

“Lord Smyth, you’re early.”

Gareth wheeled himself behind the door so he could push it shut. “Yes, I wanted some extra time to work on our fencing.”

The old man nodded. “I see. Why the sudden interest? I’ve been trying to teach you fencing for months but you’ve shown no interest before.”

Gareth composed himself and drew upon his typical expression of boredom. “I just feel that it’s about time I learned every aspect of becoming a lord.”

Mr. Strong made his way to a bureau and pulled out a long, slender sword by the hilt. “Let’s start with a rapier.” He tossed it toward Gareth.

Gareth instinctively reached out and grabbed it by the handle without a thought.

Mr. Strong let out a whistle. “Fine work, Lord Gareth. Ye might na be able to learn the footwork, but yer hands certainly be na crippled.”

Gareth tilted his head to the side trying to figure out the change in his tutor’s accent.

Mr. Strong must have noticed his strange expression. “Oh, I studied fencing in Scotland. When I practice it, the old tongue comes back to me.”

Gareth nodded and pushed himself out of his chair. He used his arms to help put one foot in front of the other for a wide stance. “It’s true that I can’t walk, but I can stand. Let’s see how this goes in standing position.”

Mr. Strong’s eyes shone with delight as he smiled. “All right, let’s go.”

The tiny, old man positioned his feet so that his body’s side faced Gareth. Mr. Strong put one hand behind his back as he extended the sword with his other. “En garde!”

Gareth mimicked Mr. Strong’s position as best he could, and lifted his rapier at the shorter man. The two stared at each other for a moment. Adrenaline rose in Gareth’s veins, and he tried his best to be sensitive to every possible move his tutor could make.

The grandfather clock in the entrance ticked slowly, each clockwork change clear. A waft of pine-scented cleaner rose from the floor, and he wondered for a moment if it would be slippery after Sarah’s visit. While his thoughts had wandered, Mr. Strong launched his attack.

Gareth blocked Strong’s blade with his own, the clanging of metal echoed in his ear as Mr. Strong pushed his blade hard against Gareth’s sword. At least his tutor didn’t hold back.

“You’re strong for an old man,” Gareth said before pushing off the sword and leaping back. He landed in a graceful stance similar to Mr. Strong’s.

The tutor shook his head. “And you are quite lithe for a cripple.”

Mr. Strong swung hard, and Gareth blocked him again. His tutor attacked with renewed fervor, and Gareth’s feet slid back against the slick floorboards. With a smile, his tutor made a rounding motion with his blade and knocked Gareth’s sword from his hand.

Gareth stared wide-eyed at the old man as he came at his chest full force with the tip of the rapier. Without thought, Gareth leapt to the side and hovered for a split second. Dimwit. He clenched his jaw and tried to cover his flying by landing to the side in a body roll on the floor, grabbing up his sword and springing back to his feet.

“Well done.” A wide grin spread across the old man’s face. Mr. Strong placed the blade of the sword under his arm and began clapping. “Very nice indeed. You are truly growing into your abilities.”

Gareth blinked at the old man. “You were coming at me full force. You could have killed me!”

The old man shook his head as he took Gareth’s blade from him and headed for the cabinet. “No, I couldn’t, because you jumped out of the way. I wanted to see how you would react with your life in danger, if you would let your natural instincts take over. And you did. Very good.”

Gareth swallowed against his dry throat and tried to settle his pounding heart.

“Those were the small swords. Eventually we will work with these.” Mr. Strong placed the rapiers in the bureau, and pulled out a long, thick blade. The sword was longer than Mr. Strong, himself.

Gareth wondered how the old man could hold such a sword and how