Page 7 of May Queen: May Day

“Where are you going?” he asked again, looking less than happy by his discovery of her departure.

“My lord, I’ll give the kennelgroom the message to prepare the hounds for the hunt,” said his squire, hurrying in the other direction.

Perfect, thought Flora. She had the squire to thank for having the habit of running at the mouth. “I am preparing to leave on the hunt with you, of course,” she said, straightening her gown.

“The hunt?” Ricard looked up at her, cocking his head. “How did you know about that?”

“Why, you told me last night. Don’t you remember?” she asked, figuring he was still soused and hadn’t even realized what the squire said in front of her. “You invited me to accompany you today.”

“I didn’t,” he growled and then stopped and ran a hand through his hair. “Did I?” He looked confused and as if he honestly couldn’t remember.

“Mmmm hmmm,” she told him with a nod and a grin.

His eyes darted across the courtyard, following his squire’s path. Then he opened his mouth to speak while raising a finger in the air.

“Are you ready to leave?” she asked, cutting him off before he could figure out she was lying. “After all, if we’re to hunt boar on this trip, the best time is early in the day before they leave to forage in the fields.”

“Aye. I’m ready,” he said, motioning for a stable boy to bring his horse.

“Are we heading east toward the Mendip Hills then?” she asked, hoping that is where they were going. From her information, that is where the Druids were last seen. If she was to find her father, that would be the best place to look.

“Nay. We’re going west toward the Quantock Hills instead.”

“I don’t think that’s a good idea,” she told him, realizing it was in the opposite direction.

“Oh really?” he asked sarcastically. “Are you telling me you know anything at all about hunting wild boar?”

“I admit, I haven’t been on a lot of hunts, but I do know about the forests in these parts. If we head east, they are filled with oak trees. Acorns are the favorite food of wild boar, so that is where you’ll most likely find them.”

“Aye, you’re right,” he said with a quick nod, taking his horse from a stable boy and pulling himself up into the saddle. “Then it’s east we’ll go. But I warn you, my lady, if you think you’re fooling me in any way, you’re not.”

“W-what do you mean?” she asked, hoping he hadn’t heard from her uncle that she was descended from Druids.

“I know what you’re up to and I don’t like it in the least.”

“You do?” She didn’t know how to respond because she didn’t really know what he meant.

“You don’t want to marry me, do you? Your uncle is forcing you to do it even though I don’t understand why.”

“Nay, that’s not true,” she said, laughing aloud. “I am only too happy to step in for my pregnant cousin. I assure you, I am honored to be your betrothed. I also want to tell you that I would never act wanton and wild like Gretta. I am much more reserved and loyal, my lord.”

“All right then,” he said, liking the sound of it. He didn’t need a troublesome bride-to-be. He directed his horse to the main gate where the rest of his hunting party awaited him. “Don’t fall behind because the woods are filled with danger.”

“I’ll be on my horse so I highly doubt I’ll be in danger from a little old wild pig.”

“That’s not what I’m talking about,” he said, turning his horse to face her.

“Then whatever do you mean?” she asked innocently, batting her eyes as she tried to imitate the absurd actions of her obedient cousin.

“The woods are filled with pagans. If I had my way, I’d burn them all at the stake, if only we could find them.”

“P-pagans?” She tried to keep the terror from her voice so he wouldn’t know how much she despised him right now for talk like this. These were her people. Her family. She wouldn’t let anyone hurt them, even if she didn’t know them.

“Aye. There are Druids hiding in the forest, doing the work of the devil.”

“Druids?” She forced another laugh. “You must be mistaken, my lord. The Druids were all killed off hundreds of years ago, slaughtered by the Romans.”

His dark head snapped around and his oaken eyes bored into her. “What do you know about the Druids?”