behind and pulled her away. She whirled around, hoping to see Randall behind her, but instead she found herself gazing into the eyes of a beautiful redheaded woman of about her age. Her hair was a much lighter shade than Diana’s.
She smiled and grasped Diana’s hand tightly. “You spoke to him. I saw you.”
Diana peered at the girl, a wee bit wary since she did not have many female friends her age. “Spoke to whom?”
“The handsome one. Why, he is almost a prince. Have not you heard? All the girls are dying to talk to him, to be the chosen one, and he picked you.”
Now she held Diana’s attention. “Who is it you speak of? What handsome one?”
“Randall Baines,” she whispered. “Do not say his name too loudly or the other lasses will listen.”
Diana nodded. “Aye, I did speak with him. What do you know of him?”
Her eyes glittered. “Everyone knows him. He came along with the English crowd for the wedding, and everyone says he searches for his bride. He has not chosen anyone yet. How did you get to be so fortunate? What did he tell you?”
“He told me naught.” Diana was secretly pleased that he had chosen to single her out when there were so many lovely women present. “Who are you?”
“I am Clarissa. I saw him drag you away. Tell me, did he kiss you? What was it like? Do you like him? Do you plan to see him again? Will he come back for you?” Her excitement was contagious, her eyes glowing when she spoke of him.
“I don’t know anything about him, Clarissa. I just met him. He does look like a prince. I am not certain he is truly looking for a bride. Are you sure?” He had said as much, but Micheil had seemed less than convinced. Besides, she did not want to encourage this other girl to think Randall was seeking a bride. She wanted the man for herself. “Who is the knight getting married? I would like to see him, too. Isn’t he handsome as well?” Mayhap she could entice him away. Desperation was a strange motivator.
“Aye, but he is not here. He will be at the tournament tomorrow,” Clarissa said.
“The tournament?” Diana’s heart fluttered at the thought of such a thing. It was as if all the stories she had loved as a young girl were coming to glorious life. She could feel the flush bloom in her cheeks.
“Aye, there will be a tournament on the fields tomorrow, and jousting is the main event at midday where all the knights showcase their talents with a horse and lance. You can watch from the side. Everyone will be there, hoping to see blood and rooting for the Scots or the English. Surely the knight will ask his betrothed to tie her token on the point of his lance. Even though the lances are dulled, it will be great fun. You should come. Maybe Randall is going to join in as well.”
“I would like that. How do I get invited?” Her palms dampened at the thought of attending a tournament and possibly finding her knight in action. Suddenly, Randall did not matter anymore. Her knight would surely be on the field.
“Anyone may attend, but most will be on the fields. The only ones allowed under the tents will be the members of the royal party or the honorees—the groom and his bride. All the others will be on the grounds. But you must come.”
“When is it?”
“High noon. Please say you’ll be there. I will look for you.”
Micheil appeared by her side, a grin on his face. “Good eve to you, my lady.” He nodded at Clarissa and kissed the back of her hand. She covered her face quickly with a linen square and ran off, giggling with pleasure.
Micheil was still grinning after Clarissa left, his gaze following the trim hips as they moved through the crowd.
Diana glared at him. He was such a flirt.
“What’s wrong, my friend?” Micheil smiled at her, his eyes dancing.
“You chase all the lasses, do you not, Micheil?” She narrowed her gaze, suddenly seeing Micheil a bit differently. He was a handsome and charming man to be sure, but she hadn’t realized the
She smiled and grasped Diana’s hand tightly. “You spoke to him. I saw you.”
Diana peered at the girl, a wee bit wary since she did not have many female friends her age. “Spoke to whom?”
“The handsome one. Why, he is almost a prince. Have not you heard? All the girls are dying to talk to him, to be the chosen one, and he picked you.”
Now she held Diana’s attention. “Who is it you speak of? What handsome one?”
“Randall Baines,” she whispered. “Do not say his name too loudly or the other lasses will listen.”
Diana nodded. “Aye, I did speak with him. What do you know of him?”
Her eyes glittered. “Everyone knows him. He came along with the English crowd for the wedding, and everyone says he searches for his bride. He has not chosen anyone yet. How did you get to be so fortunate? What did he tell you?”
“He told me naught.” Diana was secretly pleased that he had chosen to single her out when there were so many lovely women present. “Who are you?”
“I am Clarissa. I saw him drag you away. Tell me, did he kiss you? What was it like? Do you like him? Do you plan to see him again? Will he come back for you?” Her excitement was contagious, her eyes glowing when she spoke of him.
“I don’t know anything about him, Clarissa. I just met him. He does look like a prince. I am not certain he is truly looking for a bride. Are you sure?” He had said as much, but Micheil had seemed less than convinced. Besides, she did not want to encourage this other girl to think Randall was seeking a bride. She wanted the man for herself. “Who is the knight getting married? I would like to see him, too. Isn’t he handsome as well?” Mayhap she could entice him away. Desperation was a strange motivator.
“Aye, but he is not here. He will be at the tournament tomorrow,” Clarissa said.
“The tournament?” Diana’s heart fluttered at the thought of such a thing. It was as if all the stories she had loved as a young girl were coming to glorious life. She could feel the flush bloom in her cheeks.
“Aye, there will be a tournament on the fields tomorrow, and jousting is the main event at midday where all the knights showcase their talents with a horse and lance. You can watch from the side. Everyone will be there, hoping to see blood and rooting for the Scots or the English. Surely the knight will ask his betrothed to tie her token on the point of his lance. Even though the lances are dulled, it will be great fun. You should come. Maybe Randall is going to join in as well.”
“I would like that. How do I get invited?” Her palms dampened at the thought of attending a tournament and possibly finding her knight in action. Suddenly, Randall did not matter anymore. Her knight would surely be on the field.
“Anyone may attend, but most will be on the fields. The only ones allowed under the tents will be the members of the royal party or the honorees—the groom and his bride. All the others will be on the grounds. But you must come.”
“When is it?”
“High noon. Please say you’ll be there. I will look for you.”
Micheil appeared by her side, a grin on his face. “Good eve to you, my lady.” He nodded at Clarissa and kissed the back of her hand. She covered her face quickly with a linen square and ran off, giggling with pleasure.
Micheil was still grinning after Clarissa left, his gaze following the trim hips as they moved through the crowd.
Diana glared at him. He was such a flirt.
“What’s wrong, my friend?” Micheil smiled at her, his eyes dancing.
“You chase all the lasses, do you not, Micheil?” She narrowed her gaze, suddenly seeing Micheil a bit differently. He was a handsome and charming man to be sure, but she hadn’t realized the
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