Moondance of Stonewylde Read Online Free PDF Page A

silver sarong wrapped loosely around her waist. Although only thirteen, she had a lovely figure and her skin was already tanned soft apricot. Her hair was darker blond than most Hallfolk’s, the heavy waves glinting with natural highlights. She’d be stunning when she was older, Sylvie thought.
    Curled on the rock, her long hair fanned out to dry, Rainbow stared dreamily up at the sky. Her fingers played with a seashell and her toes, their nails painted silver, wriggled amongst the strands of green seaweed clinging to the stone. She was completely unselfconscious and beautiful. Then she glanced across suddenly and caught Sylvie’s gaze.
    ‘Why are you staring at me, Sylvie? What is it?’
    ‘Nothing. I was just thinking that you look like a mermaid.’
    Rainbow burst out laughing at this.
    ‘Do I really? How nice! I love mermaids.’
    Wren overheard the conversation and flung herself wetly next to Rainbow.
    ‘A mermaid? They lure men away from their homes and into the depths of the watery underworld.’
    Rainbow laughed again.
    ‘Well I won’t be doing any of that today. None of the boys here are worth the effort.’
    She stood up in a fluid motion and dived gracefully into the lagoon, her silver scales sparkling in the sunlight. Sylvie shivered, and not only from the drops of water that splashed onto her hot skin. There was something about Rainbow – a kind of sinuous, calculated perfection – that disturbed her more than Holly’s blatant antagonism and bullying. She thought again of Yul, imagining him here, brown and lithe, putting all the pale Hallfolk boys in the shade. How he must be rejoicing today, free at last from his father’s reign of tyranny.
    Whilst Sylvie and the Hallfolk youngsters swam and sunbathed, Yul continued with the seemingly endless chores that Martin had lined up for him. After the pans in the scullery had been dealt with to Marigold’s satisfaction, Yul was sent across to the stables. Tom was pleased to see him and smiled his welcome at the tousle-haired boy.
    ‘I were going to clap you on the back, son, but I weren’t sure if ‘twas still painful.’
    Yul looked up at the old ostler sharply, his grin fading.
    ‘So you know what happened to me?’
    ‘Aye,’ he muttered, ‘I do. I heard every single damn stroke, every crack of that whip. Magus got me to rig up the byre with that electric light afore he came and got you. I was outside while it all happened, battling with myself what to do for the best. I ended up doing nothing. I been wanting to say to you ever since how bad I feel about it.’
    ‘No need for you to feel bad, sir. It wasn’t your fault.’
    ‘Well, it was partly, I’m sorry to say. ‘Twas me as told Magus about you riding Nightwing that day, when the Hallfolk gentleman was thrown and hurt hisself. Not to get you into trouble, you understand. I thought the master’d reward you. You showed great courage and skill riding that stallion back here to get help so quick. Anyhow, I feel bad that I told Magus, and for not coming to help you in your suffering.’
    ‘But you couldn’t have, not without disobeying Magus.’
    ‘Aye, well maybe I should’ve done. Starving you like that wasdownright cruelty. ‘Tis not something I’d have believed of Magus, treating a Villager so bad. And as for that Alwyn … I tell you, if that man hadn’t been taken sick, I’d have done for him myself. All that bragging and boasting about what he done to you, every night down the pub. And I weren’t the only one to feel that way neither.’ Tom shook his grizzled head sadly. ‘No, I won’t forgive myself for not helping you, Yul. I could’ve got some food to you or something. Truth is, I were scared. And I’m ashamed of that.’
    ‘I never expected any help. Magus can’t be disobeyed.’
    ‘Aye, but if you’re ever in any trouble, you come to me, Yul. What the master did to you weren’t right and I feel I owe you. I won’t rest easy till I’ve made it up to you