“He rides alone, mistress.”
“Not tonight he doesn’t.”
The boy yawned again but did as she asked. Ashley was a little unsure. Usually Christian was with her when she went riding. She leaned over and stroked the horse’s silky gray ears.
“We need to find Christian. We can do this together.”
She rode out of the courtyard, and when she got to the gate, the guard stopped her.
“’Tis late, my lady.”
“I find I need to ride tonight. Open the gates.”
The guard hesitated, and Ashley smiled sweetly at him. “Lord Winterforth knows I’m coming.”
The guard nodded, blushing in the light from the torch. Great, he probably thought they were going to some secret rendezvous. Let him think what he wanted—she was more concerned with finding out what Christian was up to.
She was grateful the moon cast enough light for her to see the way. Her eyes quickly adjusted as she followed the path. As she rode into the village, she saw his horse, so she stopped and waited, watching. He went to the door of the home, opened it, and put something inside.
She was adjusting her dress when he rode past her.
“It is you.”
Christian almost fell off his horse. It pleased her to catch him off guard.
“What are you doing out here? You could have been set upon by thieves.”
“I heard you ride out and I knew it was you. But why keep it a secret? You’re doing great things. I heard about the widow. And the girl you helped make a good marriage.”
“Come, I will tell you as we ride home.”
On the way, he told her all he had done.
“Can you understand?”
“You want something of your own. Not as a Thornton or Lord Winterforth, but as Christian. I think it’s wonderful.”
“I would ask you to keep my secret. Will you?”
“I will,” she said as she reached across the distance between them and touched his arm. “I understand what it is to have secrets.”
“Aye, many women do.”
Her plan to be mean to him disintegrated to dust. He was a good man. Would whoever came up with the whole Robin Hood idea get it from the things Christian had done?
They rode in silence until he cleared his throat.
“There is much I must tell you. I am no longer betrothed.”
“What do you mean you’re not betrothed? I just talked with Helen today.”
He chuckled. “I came upon her in the chapel with her love. Instead of running him through, I’m going to apprentice him to a cousin. He’ll be a carpenter. And I gave them gold to start their life together.”
“Why did she seek you out?” She told him of her conversation with Helen.
“You wished her to wed me?”
Instead of answering, she said, “I meant every word I said about you. So what now?”
