A Dishonorable Knight - By Morrison, Michelle Page 0,77

The sun had set and torches were being lit at each merchant booth. Their flickering light gave everything a dreamlike quality. The smoke from the pitch torches mingled with the scent of food cooking, the smell of hard-earned sweat, and the salty tang of the nearby sea. Somewhere in one of the enclosed taverns, a lute and recorder played a lively tune to the accompanying beat of an Irish bohdrin.

Elena inhaled deeply and sighed with contentment. She felt utterly comfortable and happy. Happy? she thought with a start. What was there here to make her happy? There certainly were no grand feasts of state with adoring men to flatter and cajole her. She had none of her beautiful gowns or precious jewelry give to her by her mother. There were no waiting maids to brush out her long hair or help her bathe. In fact, Elena could not remember the last time she had really bathed. Splashing around in a stream could not replace a barrel full of hot water and scented soap. Why she should be happy at this odd moment was a mystery to her, but as Elena sat on the hard wooden bench with the narrow slats of the back pressing against her ribs and Gareth's arm lightly brushing her, she decided that she was truly happy at this moment. As a matter of fact, she didn't even remember the grease stain on her skirt.

Chapter 16

"Well, that does it for me," said Cynan with a yawn. "I am about to fall asleep on this miserable bench. I've had one too many nights of the late watch." Standing, he gave Elena a sleepy bow and said, "Don't let him keep you out all night." He turned and stumbled through the milling people.

"So much for my friend who never slept and was always up for a new adventure," Gareth said wryly.

Elena smiled and leaned forward. Gareth imagined she was weary herself and would like to retire, but he had promised Cynan that he would try to discover where her loyalties lay and they might not have much time alone again before they returned to England. While he racked his brain to think of a way to approach the subject, a breeze brought the fresh scent of the sea and he was seized with an inspiration. "Would you like to see the docks before we retire?"

Elena looked at him dubiously. "Are they safe?"

Gareth smiled. "Don't worry, they're not at all like those near London. Aberystwyth is still for the most part a large fishing village. The most excitement you're like to see is a late fisherman unloading his catch. Besides, what have you to fear? You are accompanied by Sir Gareth, knight of the realm. You think anyone with evil intent dare approach us?"

Elena laughed and said teasingly, "Nay, not with your hair sticking up all over your head like an ogre's!"

Gareth's hand flew to his unruly hair, but he could feel nothing unusually messy. When he saw the teasing look in his companion's face, he joined her laughter. "Well, what do you say?"

"That sounds lovely."

Gareth was surprised by her polite answer. Although she had been astoundingly cooperative of late, her early rudeness and haughtiness had so influenced him that he was constantly surprised by any other attitude from her.

They stood and she followed him through the crowds of people. As soon as they reached the edge of the marketplace, the throng rapidly diminished until they were walking alone down moonlit streets, the faint rush of the sea audible.

"This seems bigger than a large fishing village," Elena said as they made their way toward the ocean. The further they walked from the marketplace, the louder the sound of the water grew.

"Well, in size, yes, it is large, but not in attitude. The folk here consider themselves all family of sorts and they're not very tolerant of people disturbing their home with mischief and mayhem." Gareth glanced sideways at Elena. She was nodding her head slightly.

They came around a bend in the street that opened onto a rocky beach and the weathered docks.

"I've never seen such a sight," Elena whispered, coming to a stop on the edge of the sand.

"I'd have thought you'd seen everything in Britain, traveling with King Richard."

"All I ever get to see traveling with Richard is the inside of musty hunting castles and the filthy streets of London."

"Likes to hunt, does he?" Gareth asked, struggling to direct the conversation towards the current politics as they walked along