Envoys Of The Vow

Chapter 6

A couple of days had passed since the “vision” as she now thought of it, and she was sitting in the garden at the pub drinking a huge glass of wine with Amy and Chloe.  The Hare and Hounds was the local pub, a wonderful old style local with a well stocked garden full of shrubs and flower beds for the summer and a roaring open fire inside for the cold, muddy winter afternoons.

 Chloe was now a gorgeous girl of eighteen who had, like so many of the others, arrived at the yard a shy and quiet twelve year old boarding school kid.  She had made the yard her home from home, and had spent every hour there she could with her pony Rosie.  In spite, of her chocoholic tendencies, Chloe had grown into a stunning young lady with the world at her feet.  She stood nearly six foot tall, with a figure that could cause serious harm and discomfort to any unsuspecting male that clapped eyes on her.  Her hair was naturally blonde and cascaded down her back in a mass of waves.  Blue eyes full of mischief and fun with a wicked sense of humor.

 Amy, on the other hand, was a couple of years older than Chloe and also quite pretty, but she had a side to her that Sara didn't really like.  She had a mean spirited and selfish way about her not to mention she was hugely jealous of Chloe in all she did.

 They had been sat there for most of the afternoon having had a wild ride in the morning.  Misty had felt amazing, she had put her down to three hedges each bigger than the last, and it felt like the mare had wings.  On the way back, they had passed the church, and both Misty and Sara had inwardly shrunk away from it, but all looked peaceful and serene as the church and its famous tree basked in the autumn sunshine.

 They had headed down the pub for about two o’clock, and had chattered and gossiped all afternoon about their mutual group of friends until the light started to drain from the day. 

 By nine o’clock Chloe and Amy had gone.  They were planning to head up into town for the night.  Sara had cried off as she had the horses to do first thing in the morning.  She had wandered out into the car park and was dialing her mum to come and pick her up.

 "Nice to see you again" the unplaceable accent sent shivers up the back of her neck as if he had been close enough to feel his breath.  Sara spun round only to be confronted by the Jonathan's clear blue eyes crinkled at the sides from his grin.

 "Um, hi how are you?" she spluttered out with a vague hope she didn't sound flustered, failed epically but at least she had tried.

 "I'm good thank you.  Are you leaving?"  It was blatantly obvious she was leaving, but she had a sudden urge to stay that was not helped by amused blue eyes and that incredible smile.

 "Well, I was calling mum for a lift...." she floundered on her words trying not to sound too pleased he had turned up.

 “Oh right, I was going ask you if you fancied a drink but if you have to go?”  the question trailed off.

 “Yeah, that would be good.”  Her nerves had finally settled down a little bit.

 They walked back into the pub garden, and he pulled a chair at one of the smaller tables for her.  She sat down into the chair grateful that the garden was quieter now than it had been earlier.

 As she waited for him to sit down the lights in the garden suddenly lit up.  The whole garden glowed with hundreds of fairy lights strewn up the posts of the wooden fencing and over the hedges.   She suddenly noticed the low music that was playing from inside the pub, and the scent of the last of the roses that were planted around the garden.

 "What would you like to drink?" he asked

 "Just a coffee would be lovely thank you” She watched as he walked into the pub to go and order the drinks noticing again the grace with which he moved.  It wasn't a feminine thing, it was more like a cat prowling with a confident tread and ease of movement.

 Sara looked around her, in the time it had taken for Jonathan to appear and to take a seat back in the garden the whole place had changed.  The late afternoon sun had finally dropped, and it was nighttime.  The garden had emptied of customers as everyone had moved inside.  She didn't feel the cold though it still felt warm and comfortable.  She inwardly wished she was a bit more dressed up.

 Jonathan returned with two coffees and slid into his seat opposite her.  She was suddenly aware she was leaning forwards towards him, she swung her legs round out from under the table and crossed them over, so she seemed a little less pleased he had arrived.  She looked back round towards him to see him smiling at her.  She added sugar and milk to her coffee and was glad of the distraction.

 "I hope you’re not too cold out here? We could move inside?" he asked seemingly genuinely concerned.

 "No, it is lovely I would rather stay in the garden if ok with you?"  He seemed pleased about this and grinned at her his eyes lighting up. 

 Reaching across the table, he lifted her hand looking at the ring she wore.  It had been a present from her mum and dad on her last birthday.  A single band of white gold that ended with two triquetra symbols which supported the purple gemstone in the middle.

 “That is lovely.”  His thumb rubbed over the top of the silver ring.

 “Thank you it was a present from my parents.”  She smiled at him her hand tingling strangely.

 He took a fraction too long to let go of her hand not that Sara minded.  She looked up at him his expression darkened fractionally as he released her fingers. 

 They chatted for a while passing the time in an easy conversation.  It turned out he worked in the city but had moved near to Crowthorne about a month ago.  Every time the conversation turned to him he would expertly turn it back to her.

 He was so easy to be with she didn’t feel any of the tension she usually felt on a first date.  Not that it was a first date she kept reminding herself.

“What are you doing tomorrow?”  he suddenly asked her.  They had been chatting about the horses, so the question surprised her.

 “Um, I’m working in the morning, but I’m not doing anything after that. Why?”  she looked at him curiously.

 “Good you are now.  I will pick you up about oneish.”  He smiled widely as if clearly pleased.

 “Ok, where are we going?” She laughed, delighted that he wanted to see her again.

 “It is a surprise, but wear something comfortable” that was all he would say.  He would not be drawn on where they were going at all.  He would only tell her that he wanted to see something, and he wanted her to come with him.

 He had driven her home that night in a comfortable silence.  Again she had the feeling he wanted to say something to her but couldn't.  She had already looked at his finger for the tell tale tan line indicating a removed wedding ring and seen none.  Besides she trusted him, for reasons she could not fathom, from the moment they met she would have trusted him with her life.

 "Until tomorrow.”  He glanced over to her in the passenger seat his eyes glowing blue in the dash lights.

 Her heart fluttered surprising her again.  She never went silly over guys and certainly not this fast.  They had to prove themselves to her first, to get round the barriers she put in the way of any man that showed interest in her.

 He leaned forward and for one heart-stopping moment she though he was going to kiss her.  He stopped inches short so she could feel his breath on her cheek.

 "Vanima Er" he whispered. 

 Slowly he moved forward and kissed her cheek, his lips brushed her skin the feeling and sensation burning a trail across her cheek.  She looked around at him, his eyes were blazing.  At that moment, she realized that whatever this intense reaction was that she had for him he could feel it too.  Sara had to wrench her eyes away from his.  She opened the car door and got out her legs like jelly, she raised a hand as she watched him pull away it was only when his lights disappeared down the drive she thought, "What does Vanima Er mean?"