A Dishonorable Knight - By Morrison, Michelle Page 0,115

she would not be forced to ride the smelly thing. What good would it do to have a beautiful new gown and then ride through the town on a broken down pony? A thought struck her as she waited for Gareth to finish bidding his father goodbye. Perhaps the pony was to serve as a pack animal and she would ride in front of Gareth as they had so often before. The thought of being nestled against his chest well pleased her and she decided she would accept no other plan.

Gareth finally turned to her after giving his father a short but hard hug and said, "Are you ready to leave?" She nodded and gave him her hand, which he grasped firmly in his own warm one. He indicated the shaggy horse and said, "I'm afraid he's not much to look at, but he is sturdy and will not bolt on you." Elena pulled back abruptly. "Is something wrong?" he asked.

"I am a little fearful of horses," she lied. "Especially when they look like that."

Gareth frowned, no doubt surprised to hear this claim after her weeks in the saddle. "I would give you my horse to ride, but I fear he may be difficult for you to handle. Besides, this one here is as tame as a lamb. He'll not hurt you."

Elena looked beseechingly into his eyes and said, "Please, Gareth. Can't I just ride with you for a little while? Then maybe I'll feel more confident about riding alone."

Gareth searched her eyes for several seconds and Elena sensed that he knew she was lying, but for some reason--perhaps the same reason she had asked to ride with him--he nodded his head and said, "Of course, Elena. Whatever will make you feel more comfortable." He led her to his horse and helped her into the saddle. She curled her leg around the front lip of the saddle so that she was not exactly sitting side saddle, but neither was she astride. Gareth returned to his father and two friends and said, "She is feeling a little nervous about riding alone so we'll just double up until she feels better about the horses." Cynan and Morgan, both obviously used to such feminine logic, nodded their heads understandingly, but Elena could see Bryant's eyes narrow suspiciously on Gareth before he came forward to say goodbye to her.

"Lady Elena, I hope you will remember my words. Know now and always that you only have to call upon me and I will travel the country to assist you in any way I can. I--" he paused and cleared his throat nervously. "I, uh, I wish--" he stopped again and Elena suddenly knew what he was going to say. "I wish you would think of me, umm, as a," he struggled for the words, "as a friend other than the brotherly kind. And if you would like to come back to Wales, well," he inhaled deeply and then said in a rush, "I would be waiting for you and you could come back to me." His speech exhausted, he stood, studying the stirrups that were peaking out from under her hem.

Elena reflected that Bryant's was certainly the most unusual proposal she had ever received. Suddenly finding she had not the heart to turn him down outright, she quickly thought of how the other girls back at court had refused suitors. She could not remember much, but she improvised and said, "You do me great honor, Bryant, by your words. I thank you for them and hope all goes well for you." Well, it was not exactly a refusal, but neither was it encouragement. She hoped it would do. She doubted--even if she didn't end up married to Brackley--that she would ever see Bryant again. Unless Gareth??ell, that was a thought for another time.

Bryant, his cheeks red, suddenly stepped back as Morgan and Cynan came forward to bid her goodbye. Elena smiled warmly at Cynan and warned him to hurry home to Enid. Morgan took her hand and she squeezed it while he looked searchingly into her eyes and said, "God be with you, Elena. Go with my son and be well." Before Elena could say anything in response, Gareth swung up in the saddle behind her and she found herself pleasantly pressed against him. Morgan handed his son the reins to the other horse and Gareth deftly tied them to the saddle. Cynan and Bryant backed away as Gareth gathered his own horse's reins and