Page 29

He would no doubt be wearing a scowl, just like the night before. Would he have smiled at her, spoken with her again in that silly dialect of his had her consulting position been kept a secret from him?

The horse trotted past her, and Matthew made no sign that he had seen her at all as he headed for the top of the tilt.

“Here we have our first knight,” Mr. Fogg said, the mic popping. “Dressed in red and black, Sir Hu—…cl⁠—…”

Winnie looked to the announcer. That wasn’t a good sign.

“Next, in b—…er…Si⁠—”

Winnie shook her head. That speaker was certainly going to put a damper on things. Mr. Fogg wasn’t insanely entertaining or anything, but having him explain what was going on had to be essential to watching a jousting tournament, right?

“Cl—…er.”

“What’s he saying, Mummy?” a little voice spoke from nearby.

“I don’t know, love.”

Winnie became frustrated on their behalf. Surely the guests deserved better than what they were receiving.

Better sound system

More excitement from announcer

She looked up from her tablet as the knights finished their circling—Matthew in his blue and gold, and the other three in black and white, red and purple, and green and yellow.

“And finally S—” Mr. Fogg paused, tapped on the mic twice, shook his head, then lowered the microphone to the table, the speakers squeaking loudly before they turned off altogether.

Mr. Fogg merely continued speaking, though his voice could no longer be heard.

When the announcer finished, Matthew and the black and white checkered knight went to one end of the tilt, while the remaining two went to the other side.

Winnie watched with anticipation, wishing she could hear what was going on. But as five minutes passed by with nothing happening, then ten minutes and soon fifteen, she pulled in her lips with frustration. Was this what all the hubbub was about, announcing the knights only to have them do absolutely nothing?

During the wait, two more families left the event, and soon, Winnie was one of the only ones remaining, still scribbling down the conversations she overheard from the others until movement caught her attention from the list.

A woman dressed in a long gown with dark blue sleeves and braided hair down to her waist ran out into the arena. She screamed dramatically and swooned to the ground before the knight in green and yellow stole her away. The other knights chased after her next in what Winnie could only assume was a horrible attempt at creating drama.

Clearly, they were implying the woman was a damsel in distress, and the knights were now commissioned to rescue her via the jousting competition.

Winnie shook her head. This was the twenty-first century. It was time they stepped into it.

Absolutely no damsel in distress

Once the woman was carried from the arena, the knights returned to their places on the field. Matthew sat astride his horse at one end, while the red and purple knight faced him at the far side of the list. Their lances were handed up to them as Mr. Fogg spoke silently across the grounds.

Winnie watched the knights expectantly. Was she finally going to witness the jousting?

Sure enough, a moment later, the knights raised their lances as a salute to those few still watching, then urged their horses forward.

Winnie’s heart skipped a beat, excitement widening her eyes as Matthew barreled down the tilt. The horse’s hooves rumbled against the ground, ears pinned back and air blasting from his nose in puffs of white steam. Matthew appeared to float atop the black gelding, effortlessly riding even with his clanking armor as he secured his lance between his arm and side, focusing straight ahead.

She could only imagine his blue eyes unwavering from their target, his grip on the lance secure as he drew closer and closer to the other knight until…

CRACK!

Matthew’s lance made contact with the opposing knight’s armor, splintering into more than a dozen pieces that flew out on both sides of the tilt, splaying into the air like wooden fireworks.

Now this was exciting.