‘Kiss my foot stable boy, and all will be forgiven.’
‘It would be the greatest honour ay me life tae kiss your boot, for a simple fellow such as m’self,’ he responded. At once he rose, and with trembling hands he cradled her boot and brought his lips down to kiss the leather.
‘William!’ she exclaimed, jerking her foot out of his hands. ‘It was but a jest! I’ll not have you kissing my boot.’
He fell to his knees, and a tightness wrapped its iron fingers around his throat.
‘Aye,’ he replied softly. ‘I know, m’lady. One such as m’self is unworthy ay … ay an empress like you. I should ne’er hae presumed tae … oh, crikey, I feel like such a fool now…’
‘That was notwhat I meant, William,’ she murmured gently, staring down at William with compassion glowing in her gaze. ‘I am no princess, and I certainly do not wish to undermine your dignity as a free man by having you kiss my muddy riding boots. That’s all I meant by it.’
‘But I meant what I said,’ he declared as a swirling tornado of both fear and bravado began spinning within his core. ‘I’m nowt but a lowly farmhand. You, on the other hand, are nobility. And what’s more, you’re the finest, most … most absolutely beautiful an’ angelic example ay a human being I’ve e’er had the privilege tae lay my eyes upon. I’ll no’ forget this moment, no for the rest ay me days. The time I almost, almost got tae kiss the toes ay an angel.’
William bowed his head again as a hot blush reddened his face. Aurora stared in silence at him, with compassionate gentleness drawn about her features, yet he dared not look up and meet her gaze.
‘Thank you, William,’ she murmured. ‘Such words are often spoken to me by all manner of arrogant and pompous suitors, but when you say them, for the first time I feel as if I have met someone who actually means them.’
‘With all my heart I mean them,’ William said, his voice barely louder than a whisper.
‘Rise William, please. There is no need to kneel before me.’
‘As you command, Aurora.’
The tinkle of her laughter shattered the brittle tension of the moment, melting the jagged fragments instantly with its warmth. A surge of courage fired sudden heat through William’s veins, and he glanced up at Aurora, daring at last to meet her eyes with his. She answered his look with a subtle curving of her mouth, and life sparkled with the effervescent glee of a mountain spring in her eyes. Both of them felt invisible energy surging between their irises, and each of them quickly looked away, both charged and terrified at once by the intensity of it all.
‘We must hurry,’ Aurora urged, breaking the tense, pulse-racing silence. ‘Although, perhaps, not at quite the pace you were setting when galloping!’
‘Aye,’ William agreed, feeling a sudden surge of energy and optimism as he sprang back onto his horse. ‘After me!’
He took off at speed, but kept his pace steady enough that she could follow him without much difficulty. Together they raced through the darkening forest, laughing as they went. Eventually they emerged from the trees and galloped across a landscape of broad green plains and undulating hills, through which a stream carved a meandering path. After a time, they slowed their hard-breathing, exhausted mounts to a gentle trot, and William reined his mount in, peering over his shoulder at Aurora.
‘Which way now?’
‘West. Quickly!’
William turned and faced the setting sun.
‘‘Tis a beautiful sight, is it not?’ he said, gazing in contemplation at the great, fiery red orb as it retreated beyond the distant mountains.
‘Aye, it is, William. Helios, the Greeks called it in ancient times.’
‘Helios, m’lady? Beggin’ your pardon, but what’s Helios?’
‘Not “what”, but “who”,’ she answered. ‘Helios was the Greek titan who pulled the sun in a chariot across the sky, day after day. My boring old tutor taught me that. I suppose not all of the history of antiquity is so dull, after all, for I do like the idea of Helios. What do you think about it?’
‘I think we should chase him an’ try tae catch his chariot! I’ll wager I could!’
Aurora laughed.
‘I believe you, William. Let’s pursue this sun god and overtake his chariot of fire!’
They spurred on their horses and sped off across the rolling expanse of green, streaking towards the ever-fleeing fire, and the crispness of the falling evening air washed over their young bodies and filled their lungs with its invigorating freshness. As they galloped, side by side, William turned to stare at Aurora. The sight of her astride her horse, with the wind streaming through her hair and her bright eyes mirroring the flames of the dying sun, was a vision that at once took his breath away. His heart sprang into his mouth with a lurch of panic as this mesmerising distraction caused him to almost lose control of his mare. Aurora glanced across at him at that very moment, catching his fumble and near-fall, and she let out a cheerful chortle.
‘I saw that, William!’ she shouted.
‘Aye, and I did it just for your amusement!’ he responded, his heart still thumping madly from both the near-accident and the excitement her proximity to him brought to him.
‘I like the manner in which you amuse me!’ she laughed.
Just after the last sliver of molten iron sank behind the hills, the riders veered around the perimeter of a tall, grassy mound, and William saw below him a Georgian mansion perched on the edge of a small loch. Aurora reined up her horse next to him and began to speak.
‘This is my father’s estate, William. I need to hurry back and hand Robert over to the stable hands, so I must take my leave of you now. Thank you for accompanying me here.’
‘I am honoured tae have done so, Aurora,’ William said. ‘Can I no’
