Father's smile was genuine this time.'Go and find your man,' he said.'Maybe you can get some sense into him.God knows that nobody else has been able to.I have something to tidy up.'
Robert was in the stables, helping a groom rub down his horse.As was common in the Lethan Valley, the men rode stallions or geldings and left the mares for women.
'You can go now.'I dismissed the groom.'We won't be needing you for the next hour or so.'
Handing his curry comb to Robert, the groom left at once.
'They are nearly as scared of you as they are of your mother,' Robert said.
'I am not scary,' I said.
'You can be.'Robert knelt down to inspect the legs of his horse.He glanced at me over his shoulder.'The servants are scared of you.'
I knelt at his side.'Are you?'
'I'm not scared of anything!'There was that boastful Robert again, so false and so different from the caring Robert looking after his horse.I much preferred his caring side.
I put a hand on his shoulder.'Thank you for coming to search for me,' I said.
He shied away from my touch before relaxing.'I'm glad you are unhurt,' he said.'You said that you escaped with a man.Who was he?'
'Just another prisoner of the Armstrongs.'I dismissed Hugh with a casual shrug.'We got out together.Why did you not want to talk to me in the great hall?'
Robert looked back at his horse.'I was with the lads,' he said.'I did not want to look soft by talking to a girl.They laugh at me.'
I took a deep breath, fighting my temper.That was the sort of reply I would have expected when he was twelve years old.'That was an honest answer,' I said.'I'll remember not to approach you when you are with them.'
I resolved to talk to his friends one by one.If the servants thought I was scary then so help me I would put the fear of God into these little boys who sought to keep Robert and me apart by mocking him.That was for the future.
'Robert.'I inched closer so my thigh touched his.He continued to examine the horse.'Robert!'
He looked around.
'Can you leave that blasted horse for a moment and talk to me?'
Robert looked comically surprised.'I am talking to you, Jeannie.Do you think this tendon is a trifle weak?I have to ride him soon and I don't want to damage him.'
'No, you don't want a lame horse,' I agreed.'I will leave you two alone together.'
I walked away and sent the groom back in.Once again, I felt like crying.I had known Robert all my life, my visions told me that he would be my man, and yet I seemed unable to communicate with him.We remained friends and nothing else.I felt as if I was running out of time.
Chapter Thirteen
LETHAN VALLEY
OCTOBER 1585
My mother, of course, noticed the difference in me since I returned from Tarras Moss.She allowed me a week to think things over, a week in which we lost three cattle to a Veitch raid and the Yorling got to know the men of the valley.A young servant gave me the message that Mother wished to see me.
'Her Ladyship was insistent,' the girl said.
'She always is,' I told her, sighed, and made my way to my mother's chamber.
Mother sat by her spinning wheel.She looked deep into my eyes.'You are a woman now,' she said.
About to deny it, I knew that would be pointless.'I am,' I said.
'So now you know.'Mother bent her head to her spinning.'Was it the Tweedie Passion?'
