The cheering crowd seemed muffled to Lara as she waited for signs of life from Reece.
“Get up,” she whispered. “Please.”
Reece rolled onto his side and with the aid of Toby climbed to his feet. The crowd booed, but Lara was thanking the fates and God and any other deity who might have spared his life.
“The first round goes to Lord Abbot,” the emcee announced.
“He cheated!” Lara cried. She wasn’t sure where that had come from. “Sir Ferguson’s lance broke.”
“The man brought his own lance,” Lord Abbot called over the crowd. “It’s not my fault he’s too poor to afford quality weapons.”
A round of laughter rang through the crowd.
Lara bit back a retort. Reece was walking towards his horse, which had come to check on his master. Wobbly on his feet, Reece pulled himself up into the saddle, favoring his left shoulder.
“Don’t count me out, yet!” Reg called. “There are still two events.”
Abbot spun his horse around. “Let’s finish this then. I hope to be wed within the hour.”
Another cheer erupted from the crowd. Alyssa appeared at Lara’s elbow.
“Did I miss the joust?” she asked, looking disappointed. “Who won?”
“Lord Abbot won, naturally,” Lord Clayton said with a smirk.
Alyssa tugged on Lara’s sleeve and she looked down at her. Alyssa beckoned her closer and cupped her hand around Lara’s ear, whispering, “I tried to distract him with that mirror. It would have worked if Abbot hadn’t sabotaged Reg’s weapon.”
“That flash of light was you?” Lara asked in a harsh whisper.
“Shh. I hate to admit defeat, but it looks like you’ll be married to Abbot this evening, sister.”
“There are still two events,” Lara reminded her.
“Have you ever seen Reg hit a target with any degree of accuracy?”
Lara shrugged.
“I didn’t think so. Reginald cannot beat Christopher at archery.” Alyssa’s eyes shifted to one side and she smiled wickedly. “Unless...”
A trumpet sounded again. “The second event of the tournament will now commence,” the announcer called.
The hum of the crowd died.
“A duel of swords!”
Lara’s eyes moved to Reece. He was already holding a long sword in his right hand and a shield in his left. At the other end of the arena, Abbot accepted a sword and shield from his squire.
“The first man to be knocked from his steed shall be declared the loser.”
Lara winced. She wasn’t sure if Reece would survive another fall from his horse.
The knights approached the center of the arena, and faced each other between the fence and the spectator tent. Reece settled his shield to protect his chest and lifted his sword. With a loud cry, Abbot kicked his horse forward and brought his sword down with a loud clank against Reg’s shield. The trumpet announcing the start of the match sounded.
“Cheating again,” Lara said under her breath. “Why isn’t anyone calling foul?”
“Probably because these are Abbot’s people,” Alyssa said. “This is his castle.”
Reg had recovered from the first stunning blow and swung his sword expertly, sometimes connecting with Abbot’s shield, sometimes his sword, sometimes an exposed bit of armor, but each strike found its mark. Abbot was continually forced backwards as he attempted to parry the blows. The crowd gasped each time a blow connected with Abbot’s armor and he’d wobble unsteadily in the saddle before recovering again. Lara dared not blink. One false move could prove fatal for either knight.
Making his move, Reg kicked his horse forward and swung aggressively. He unsettled Abbot with his shield, then brought his sword in for three quick strikes and a forward thrust. Abbot teetered in his saddle. A final strike to the side of the head knocked Abbot to the ground with a loud crash.
A wave of boos sounded through the crowd, but Lara was smiling and bouncing on the balls of her feet, barely able to contain her exuberance.
“The victor of the second event is Sir Ferguson,” the announcer proclaimed.
Another round of booing. Reece sheathed his sword in the scabbard at his hip, then removed his helmet. His perspiration-drenched hair was plastered to his head but the smile on his face as he looked at Lara made her heart catch in her throat. There was definitely something to this knight in shining armor thing. Toby appeared at Reece’s side, patting the armor on his leg excitedly. Reece handed his shield to the squire, then his helmet, before he dismounted.
Lord Abbot was still on the ground. His helmet had been removed by his squire and the young man was talking to the knight in quiet tones. After several moments, Abbot sat up. The crowd, who’d been watching him in rapt attention, broke out into a spattering of applause.
Reece took a long drink from a flask of water, his eyes trained on Lara in the stands. She offered him a discreet wave and he winked at her. She grinned stupidly and lowered her eyes. Why was her heart pounding so forcefully? Was it Eleanor? No, she realized. She had completely fallen for that fool, Reece Jericho.
Damn it.
“The third round will be an archery tournament,” the announcer said. “There will be a short intermission while the knights remove their armor and the targets are put in place.”
“Now’s your chance,” Alyssa whispered into Lara’s ear.
Lara was still staring at Reece, watching Toby help him remove his armor, and hoping to catch a glimpse of bare skin. God, she wanted to kiss the sweat off the side of his face. Why, oh why, was he all the way over there? “Huh?” Lara muttered distractedly.
“Go talk to Lord Abbot,” Alyssa insisted. “He’s going to have to be pretty addled to lose an archery contest against Sir Reginald.”
Lara glanced at her. “Do you really think anything I do can possibly help?”
Alyssa huffed and then whispered, “Lure him behind that big oak tree. Rub up against him. Accidentally brush against his male parts. Get him really worked up, then I’ll come get you.”
Lara’s stomach flipped over. “Are you sure that will work?”
“I’m positive.”
“And you promise to come save me from him.” She didn’t think sexually exciting her rapist was wise.
“I’ll keep an eye out. When you’re ready for me to rescue you, put an arm out from behind the tree and I’ll hurry straight over.”
Lara would rather eat live spiders than seduce Lord Abbot, but if it might help Reg, she was willing to try. Besides, while Eleanor might not know how to get away from the asshat, Lara knew self-defense. If he got too fresh, she’d kick him in the nuts repeatedly and jab his eyes out with her thumbs. Lara hurried from the spectator tent in the direction of Lord Abbot. His armor had been removed and he was drinking from a flask of water. He looked mostly dazed and confused already. She wondered if it was necessary for her to further unsettle him.
“You shouldn’t be here, milady,” Abbot’s squire said. “The final match is about to begin.”
Lara ignored him. “Can I have a word with you, my lord?” she asked Abbot.
His gaze was already glued to her bosom. Oh, this guy was too easy. And so disgusting. How could Alyssa want to wed him? Was it really that important to marry a man with wealth and a title? Weren’t there any better prospects for a lady of this age? How demoralizing.
“Can it wait?” Abbot’s tongue snaked out to moisten his thick lips.
“It will only take a moment.”