“Thank you, Your Majesty. I look forward to it.” Catherine dropped into another deep curtsy before glancing at Andrew, who shrugged. She caught Evina’s gaze, then Sileas. Both women mirrored Andrew’s shrug, both knowing they would remain by the queen’s side.
“I’m looking forward to hunting, but my bluidy uncle wants me to catch a husband rather than a doe,” Catriona grumbled as she maneuvered her horse beside Catherine’s. “Thank the saints you’re coming too.”
Catherine and Catriona grinned at one another. They’d both ridden out on royal hunts together and gladly accepted one another’s company. They were both experienced horsewomen, both having ridden between their clans’ territories and Stirling countless times over their years of service. Catherine grew up with Andrew, who was much more like an older brother than a cousin. Catriona had four brothers of her own, two older and two younger. The two ladies-in-waiting, accustomed to male posturing, merely remained quiet during most hunts. When they tired of watching the men enjoy themselves while they remained at the back, they would surprise men new to court, and annoy the experienced courtiers, when they often bagged the most prey.
It wasn’t long before Catherine had her bow slung over her shoulder and her quiver fastened to her saddle. The women rode toward the back of the pack, in the middle, flanked by family and allies. Catherine watched as Rab maneuvered himself toward the outskirts of the group, as far from Andrew as he could. It pained Catherine that she couldn’t ride alongside Rab, as she had during various gatherings. Their clans might be at odds, but she missed the man. As though it were a sixth sense, she was aware of him throughout the morning, and she suspected it was the same for him. Their eyes locked more than once when the party stopped for hunters to claim their bounties.
By early afternoon, it bored Catherine and Catriona to allow the men to ride ahead of them. Neither had fired an arrow yet, and they wished for their own entertainment. The queen enjoyed the excitement of the hunt but rarely took part. It made both ladies wonder why the queen instructed them to bring their bows if they couldn’t separate from the royal. Catherine and Catriona were more adventurous than the staider Evina and Sileas, who were content to observe.
Sensing their impatience, Queen Elizabeth nodded to young women. Grinning at one another once more, Catherine and Catriona spurred their horses on. The pounding hooves of the large hunting party flushed a covey of pheasants from grass. The ladies nocked their arrows and let loose a quick succession, bringing down one bird after another before most of the men could fire their first shot.
“Well done, Lady Catriona and Lady Catherine,” King Robert boomed. “Ride at the head of the group.”
Catherine shot a quick glance toward Andrew, but her gaze traveled beyond him to Rab, who shifted in his saddle as he eyed the men toward the front. When their eyes locked, Catherine watched the nearly imperceptible nod, feeling assured that Rab encouraged her. She finally looked at Andrew, whose narrowed eyes told her he’d watched the pair. He offered her a more noticeable, albeit tight-lipped, nod. She turned toward Catriona and noticed she had the same silent conversation with one of her uncles and an older brother.
Andrew and the two Douglases nudged their horses to follow Catherine’s and Catriona’s as they jostled their way forward. Catherine once more cast her eyes toward Rab but could no longer catch sight of him. She supposed he kept his distance, but a wave of disappointment crashed over her yet again. Only a few moments passed before Catherine focused her concentration on leading the hunters. No longer could she trust Timber following the beasts in front of her. As the horses and their riders barreled across a meadow, Catherine leaned forward, squinting against the afternoon sun.
“Catriona,” Catherine whispered barely loud enough for the other lady to hear her over the sounds of the hooves. “To your right, through the tall grass before the loch.”
“I spy them. But so will everyone else the moment we pull ahead. The stallions and destriers will beat our mares.”
“Do you see the outcropping?”
“Aye,” Catriona nodded.
“If we can get ahead before we pass the boulders, we can swing our horses around and shoot. But we must be quick, or the deer will flee. They’ll bolt as soon as they feel the ground rumble.”
“Are you ready?” Catriona pulled an arrow from her quiver, her bow already resting in her lap. Catherine followed suit. Both women demonstrated their experience, riding with the reins in one hand. Their mares were just as experienced and followed silent commands nearly as well as any warhorse.
“Aye,” Catherine laughed. She’d dreaded coming on the hunt, fearful that it would bore her to tears. Then she’d been anxious when she whispered with Rab, wishing their conversation could carry on forever, but apprehensive someone might watch them. Above all, she’d felt reassured that Rab was among the men riding with her. She finally enjoyed herself as she plotted with Catriona.
The pair of ladies-in-waiting leaned low over their horses’ withers as they squeezed their mounts’ flanks, urging them on. As planned, they pulled ahead of the men and dashed toward the outcropping. They ignored the grumbles and the calls for them to fall back into the larger group. They even caught curses that they were ruining the hunt. Neither woman cared. As they passed the cluster of four boulders, their horses scrambled over the uneven terrain as the women drew back their bowstrings. With near synchronicity, their arrows imbedded themselves in the necks of two stags. It was only a moment later that they felled two does. The bucks staggered several feet in opposite directions, but the does landed where they were shot.
“Bluidy hell, Catriona,” bellowed her uncle, Maxwell Douglas. “You might have given us some warning.”
“So you could claim our prizes? I think not, Uncle.” Catriona cocked a challenging eyebrow at the older man, a smugness that no other person dared with the savvy politician and renowned warrior. “If you don’t wish for me to hunt, you never should have taught me.” Catriona held up her bow. “And you never should have given me this.”
“Lass,” Maxwell warned. Catriona offered him a beguiling smile before dismounting near the loch. She and Catherine led their horses to the water and let them drink as they walked toward their kills. They perfectly aimed both arrows, causing neither doe to suffer. They looked around as men went in search of the stags they also shot.
“Your daredevil ways are still as strong as ever.” Andrew came to stand beside Catherine. “He might have been proud of you, but I’m waiting for you to break your bluidy neck.”
Catherine darted a glance to where she noticed Rab stood with his horse, surprised to see Maxwell Douglas approaching him.
“Aye. He watched you like a hawk, and when I wasn’t doing the same, I watched him.”
“Do you fear he’s going to do something to one of us?” Catherine doubted Andrew believed that, but she didn’t understand what he was trying to say. She’d stopped watching Rab when she pulled ahead of him. Andrew couldn’t be blaming her for Rab’s attention, even if she secretly appreciated knowing he watched over her.
“No. But I fear someone else will kill him. It’s no secret that I’m here to find you a husband. You come with a hefty dowry for the size of our clan, Catherine. You know that. Between his clan’s reputation and your hand still being available, it would take little for someone to read his attention for what it is. If you don’t want him dead to be out of the way, you’d do well to keep your distance.”
“And you suddenly care? Yesterday, you wanted him to be held responsible for it all. You wanted the Bruce’s anger to rain down on him.”
“I care because if you’re with him, you might wind up dead too. At best, a ruined reputation and a spinster.”
Catherine snorted. “How reassuring. And why would I be with him for anyone to find us together?”
“Because it doesn’t take much to recognize the attraction between you two. I don’t know who I wish more hadn’t come on this hunt.” Andrew mumbled his last thought to himself.
“Well, we’re both here, and there is naught any of us can do.”
