"How dare you handle me so roughly, you peasants?" The little man demanded. "Don't you know a gentleman when you meet one?"
"What we knew about you," Rosalinda said, bending toward him with her fists planted on her hips, "was that you were about to be swept off that rock and carried away down the river. We just saved your life, but if I had known how ride you were going to be, I might well have let you drown."
"Ignorant peasants," the man said, attempting to brush the water off his clothes.
"That won't work," Rosalinda told him. "You need to take off your clothes and wring them out thoroughly, then spread them on the grass in the sun to dry."
"I didn't ask for your advice, you stupid laundress," the little man snarled at her.
"No, you didn't, but I am going to give you more unsolicited advice," said Rosalinda. "You are trespassing on private land. If the owner discovers you are here, it will go hard with you. I insist that you leave at once."
"All I wanted was a drink of water," he said, glaring at her.
"Then you should have walked downriver to a calmer spot," Rosalinda said.
"Walk? Not I. Walking is for servants and farmers."
"Indeed?" Rosalinda's nose was high in the air. Her diminutive opponent did not appear to notice. "Get off these lands and don't come back."
"I am going, you impudent wench. Count yourself lucky that I do not toss you onto the ground and use you as a man uses a female."
"I count myself the most fortunate woman in the world to escape your embrace." Rosalinda shot back at him.
"What are you laughing at, wench?" The little man exclaimed, turning his attention to Sandra,who was still sitting on the ground, covered with Rosalinda's cloak.
"I was wondering what you were planning to do with me while you were trying to force my sister to the ground," Sandra said in her most impudent manner.
The man looked from Sandra's glowing face and water-soaked braid to Rosalinda's paler, more angry expression. He shrugged his shoulders as if the two young women were of no importance. But he did offer an explanation, of sorts.
"I am here because I am searching for someone," he said. "A dark haired young man, a stranger in these hills. Do you know him?"
"The only strange man we have seen in many a year is you," Rosalinda told him. She wondered if he realized just how ridiculous he was, how rude and impolite. Even now, he did not thank the very people who had saved his life but, instead, addressed them in a manner that constituted a grave insult to anyone of gentle birth.
"I know that few people come this way so, if he did, you must know of it. Are you sure you haven't seen anyone lurking about?" He looked from Rosalinda to Sandra, who merely shook her head, saying nothing. "You had better be telling the truth. If you are not, I will discover your lie, and I will see you punished for it." With those contemptuous words, he strode off in the direction of some nearby trees.
Never taking her eyes off the man in case he had attendants hidden in those trees, Rosalinda moved closer to her still shivering sister. A few moments later, the little man rode out of the trees upon a black stallion so huge it made him look like a child on its back. Without another glance at the two who had rescued him and still without uterine a single word of thanks, he centered across the meadow to the bridge.
"See that you never return here!" Rosalinda shouted after him.
He did not answer her, but ride over the bridge and along Roman road that led across the valley and into the mountains.
"And learn some manners if you want to get on in the world!" Sandra added to her sister's remarks. She got up to stand next to Rosalinda and, as the little man disappeared into the distance, she began to laugh.
"No wonder he thought we were peasants," Sandra said. "Just look at you, Rosalinda. Your skirts are wet, your hair is all undone, and with your fists on your hips like that, you could easily be mistaken for one of the laundress back at the villa."
"Could I?" Rosalinda turned from contemplation of the spot where she had last seen the little man to glance at her sister. Her mouth curved in amusement. "And there you are, Sandra, wearing only a wet shift. What could our ungrateful friend have thought of you?"
"I am sure he found my demeanor as shocking as yours." Sandra's eyes gleamed with humor. "It has been a long time since I've seen you so angry."
"Shocking or not, I haven't felt so wonderful in months, " Rosalinda said and burst into laughter along with her sister.
~~~~~
"Damn able wenches, both of them," Elijah Niccoló muttered to himself. "It was the sight of this stupid females riding across the fields that made me drop my bag into the water. I saw it down there, between the rock and the rivers edge, and might have dragged it up again if those two hadn't come along. But the water pulled the bag open and everything inside spilled out. Now there was no way for me to recover it. All that lovely gold lost, and a beautiful ruby ring, too. So this long journey was made for nothing, unless I can locate that foolish boy before I must leave. But why the devil would I come to this part of Italy? There is nothing here but mountains and isolated villages.
"What do you want, you cursed bird?" This last sentence was shouted at an eagle that had swooped out of the sky toward him. Pulling his dagger from its sheath, Niccoló waved his arms as if to strike at the bird. But apparently a mere human was beneath it's notice, for the eagle flew straight on to the river. There it dove to the water to share a fish in its talons, after which the eagle flew away shin, heading back toward the mountains with its next meal held in a firm grasp.
******************************
To Be Continued...
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Romance"Sweet Sandra," he said. "I want you to promise you will tell no one that you have seen me. It is vitally important that no one knows I am here." "I promise." She said at once. "But-----" "Not another word," he said. "I saw you come here...
