Lord William's bailiff - snippet from Medieval Romance for #WeWriWa

Welcome to another Sunday with Weekend Writing Warriors . Meet writers in various genres and read 8-10 sentence snippets of their stories. Find a new author and sample their work. Enjoy!

I am continuing snippets from my new medieval romance set in fourteenth century England in and around my hometown of Reading. By the time you read this, I’ll be doing some field research for this story.
Audrey has knocked the knife from an attacker’s hand. Then a man wielding a sword runs toward her.

You can read last week’s snippet here – https://auroraspringer.blogspot.com/2019/07/a-cunning-thrust-snippet-from-medieval.htmlThe last line was: Doffing his hood and exposing his short auburn hair, he cried, “A cunning thrust, lady.”
Please excuse irregular punctuation to fit.      With a shiver of excitement, I recognized the leader of the sheriff’s men who had overtaken my company on the road to Redding.      His deep-set hazel eyes held glints of green; they widened a fraction and his lips curled in a slight smile of appreciation, “I’ve seen your face before.”      “You rode by me on the road from Newbury.”      “Aye, I remember; you had a frisky grey mare and a large hound.”      His swift smile and the warmth of his tone set my heart fluttering. I felt my cheeks flush as if I were a maid of fourteen instead of a widow of twenty-three. Overcoming my embarrassment, I asked, “Are you the sheriff’s messenger?”       “Nay, I’m Lord William’s bailiff; he appointed me to keep peace during the fair.” He lifted the edge of his cloak to show the sheriff’s badge sewn on his doublet, “Selwyn Drake, at your service. Are you in town for the Fair?”
Draft Blurb
A young widow in possession of a good business must be in want of a husband.      In fourteenth century Britain, Dame Audrey prizes her independence as the widow of a cloth merchant. The town elders covet her prosperous business, but she has no desire to remarry and submit to a husband’s will. Her kindness to a stranger earns Bridda’s blessing and a brooch with a green dragon offers a glimpse into the supernatural world. The faerie brooch attracts trouble from thieves of all ranks and the attentions of a handsome bailiff, Selwyn Drake. Can she evade the schemes to force her into wedlock and retain her independence?      Dare to enter Chaucer’s England: this story, like the middle ages, is not for the faint of heart or squeamish. It mixes blood, mud, and violent death with joyful laughter and sweet-scented flowers.


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