Chapter 3: Young Love
Smiling, Gabby turned her attention back to the field before them. Knights lingered near their horses, making last minute adjustments to armor as their squires organized lances. In the far corner, she spotted her father, surrounded by Roland, Watt and Gareth. She caught her father's attention, waving wildly.
"You have raised a lovely young lady there, William," Chaucer said, adjusting one of the stirrups.
"That she is," Will murmured, smiling at his daughter. He couldn't have been more proud of the woman that Gabby had become. She had all the grace and beauty of her mother, but Will couldn't help admiring her spirit. He liked to think that he had something to do with that.
Gareth cocked a half smile when he saw Gabby and Abbi, his two best friends, laughing together near the fence. His attention was immediately pulled to Gabby, as it had been in recent days and he suddenly found it hard to breathe. Though her hair was pulled up on top of her head, a few stray blonde curls hung around her face, blowing in the breeze. The royal blue and silver dress that she wore fit her beautifully.
"Gareth, can you tighten that armor up for me?" Will asked, motioning to the metal plate that hung on his horse's head.
When Gareth didn't respond, Watt smacked him on the back of the head. "Son, do as Will asks ya."
Rubbing the back of his head, Gareth tore his attention from Gabby long enough to tend to the armor.
"I'd like to know where that boy's mind has been lately," Watt said, approaching his friends.
Chaucer cocked a smile. "I could wager a guess."
He nodded toward the girls standing by the fence. The men shifted the glances from the girls back to Gareth, who had finished with the armor and had returned his attention to Gabby.
"Ah, young love," Geoff mused.
Watt stared at his son. "Boy are we in trouble."