“We’re going to jump rope.”
There were blank looks all around. Ashley took one of the lengths of rope.
“Back up.”
She gave it a couple of twirls, and after a few false starts—she wasn’t used to jumping rope wearing a long dress—she got the hang of it. Like riding a bike. She threw in a few twists and crosses as the little girls cheered. When she stopped she was panting, sweat dripping down her ribcage.
“Would you like to learn?”
“Aye,” they all said.
“Then this is what we shall do.”
The next morning,Ashley and the girls were the first ones up. They’d eaten and hurried out to the lists. She had them practicesome more, and hoped they’d at least get a few turns before the men came out to practice. She knew jump ropes had been found in ancient Egypt, Australia, and China. She didn’t think it had hit Europe until somewhere around the 1600s or so, but she wasn’t really sure. In the overall history of the world, what was a few hundred years? It wasn’t like she was going to start a jump rope craze.
She and the girls had tied the leftover ribbons around the ends of the rope so it wouldn’t chafe their hands as they jumped.
“Remember, elbows close to your sides and make small circles when you turn the rope, like I showed you yesterday.” She demonstrated with her wrists.
The girls practiced making circles with their hands and the rope, but not jumping yet.
“Good. Now make sure you’re looking straight ahead, and don’t jump really high, just enough for the rope to go under your feet. It should hit the ground as it goes under. Ready?”
Ashley thought she saw white-blond hair at the window above, but when she looked again the face was gone. Refusing to think about the impending nuptials, she showed the girls how to add a cross.
By the time the men appeared in the lists to practice, they were all jumping and laughing. Some men gaping, others cursing, and one went running, obviously to get the lord of the castle. Ashley ignored them and kept jumping. She hoped he would show up soon, because she thought she was going to have a heart attack. Whew, she was out of shape.
“Bloody hell, what is the meaning of this foolishness?”
Ashley turned to him. “Chrissy-poo, I’m showing the girls how to jump rope. Want to join us?”
He blinked. “What is Chrissy-poo?”
She smiled sweetly at him. “You are. Christian is Chrissy-poo. Isn’t it sweet?”
Several of the men coughed and laughed. The grins disappeared when Christian scowled at them.
“All of you will pay for laughing.”
A few of the men paled. Christian whirled back around, a scowl on his face.
“Nay, ’tis not sweet. ’Tis dreadful. The men needs train. You will move.”
“No.” Ashley shook her head. “This is the most open space. We will be done soon. It’s very good exercise. Perhaps some of the men would like to try?”
Bryce stepped forward, the yellow ribbon already grubby on his sword. Christian let loose a string of curses. Ashley was glad she wasn’t fluent in Norman French.
“Cover your ears,” she said to the girls, their eyes huge.
The guard stepped back, hanging his head.
“Nay, none of the men will do this jump rope. Begone,” Christian thundered.
“You shouldn’t swear so much in front of the girls.” She coiled the rope around her arm. “Girls, come along. We’ll find another place to practice. Let mean ole Chrissy-poo steal our fun.”
As she turned away, Ashley bit her cheek to keep from laughing. She thought her plan was working. He looked incredibly annoyed with her.
“Mistress, you shouldn’t vex him so. ’Tis not wise.”
