He had expected her to be nervous at the size of his stallion, but she smiled brightly and caressed the horse’s black mane. Dark Knight, enjoying the attention, leaned into her hand.
Adam stood there for an instant, watching the byplay. His horse was usually nervous around strangers, but he had easily taken to Olivia. He surmised it must be because of her time handling horses with the Indians.
Again, questions rose inside him to ask her but he pushed them away. There would be time for that later.
“I’ll help you up.” He cupped his hand, and she placed her foot on it, and he helped her swing across the horse’s back. He steadied the horse before he mounted the horse behind her.
Adam swallowed tautly as his hands went around her to hold the horse’s reins. He couldn’t remember the last time he was this close to a woman.
He steered the horse in the direction of where he was coming from.
“I apologize for any discomfort you might face,” Olivia suddenly said and startled him.
“Discomfort? What do you mean?”
“I… I haven’t had my bath in days.”
Adam couldn’t help the grin that crossed his face. She was worried about reeking whereas he was concerned about their proximity on the horse.
“I assure you that you don’t smell. I mean, badly that is. And you aren’t causing any form of discomfort to me.”
“Are you sure?”
“Positive.”
He heard her sigh of relief and smiled.
“Where are you taking me?”
Adam’s smile widened. Mayhap if he could keep her asking questions, then she wouldn’t mention anything about God throughout the journey. He could only hope as she still clutched her bible tightly.
“To the house of my foster parents.”
“Foster parents?”
“Yes. They raised me when my parents died ten years ago,” he answered shortly.
“Oh. I’m sorry to hear that. I lost my parents, too, eight years ago.”
“I’m sorry about that.”
She shrugged. “I miss them terribly, but I’m happy that they’re in a better place. And I’ll reunite with them when the time comes.”
Wary of the direction the conversation was heading, Adam quickly looked for what to change the topic with.
“Er… so how did you come to live with the Indians?”
He gritted his teeth when she remained silent. It was too soon to ask her about the story of her life. He should have left it till when she was rested.
“I’m sorry if the question brings back painful memories. Mayhap it’s not my place to ask.” His voice held regret.
She shook her head. “It’s fine. It brings back memories, but not necessarily painful ones. I’m just wondering where they all are.”
A knot the size of a rock formed in Adam’s chest at her sad words. He wished he hadn’t asked.
After a moment had passed, she replied. “They found me wandering in the forest after my parents died. They took me along with them when they were heading to their new settlement.”
Adam yearned to ask some more questions about how she came to be in the forest in the first place, but he didn’t. It would most likely rouse unwanted emotions He would even welcome her telling him about God than for her to recount memories that would hurt her.
