“Well, he seems to be a nice gentleman,” she managed, swallowing thickly. “But I had better get indoors. I’m not sure that he likes my presence, anyway.”
Callum frowned faintly. “Ye really are afraid of horses, are ye nae?”
She reddened. “I am notafraid. I am not a coward.”
“I daenae believe that I called ye one. Come, Thunder’s a sweet boy. Touch his nose.”
“N-No, thank you. I haven’t ridden for years. Papa never made me, not once I’d learned, and I…” she gave a squeak of alarmas Thunder huffed again, banging one of his hooves against the stall door, making the wood shiver.
“He’s interested in ye,” Callum found himself saying.
“H-How can you tell?”
“He’s looking at ye so intently. And his ears arenae back. They’re forward, which means that he’s curious.”
Melody glanced up at him, the tip of her tongue darting nervously out to touch her lower lip. Taking a step forward, she lifted her hand tentatively, poised to flee.
Thunder nudged forward curiously, and Melody let out a slow breath. She touched her fingertips to his nose, a quick, sliding touch, then darted back with a gasp. Had she been holding her breath?
“There,” she said, giving a taut, quick smile. “I did it.”
“Aye,” he murmured, watching her thoughtfully. “Ye did. Tell me, if ye are so afraid of horses, how do ye manage with all yer coaches and carriages in London?”
Melody bit her lip. “I… I sleep.”
“What?”
“I sleep whenever I can. I get into the carriage without looking at the horses, and I try to nap. If we’re covering a long distance, it suits me well.”
He gave a short, incredulous laugh. “Ye are jokin’.”
“No, I am not. I have since I watched my sister fall from a horse once.”
“And that works? How can ye make yerself sleep if ye are so afraid?”
She shrugged. “I am notparalyzedwith fear. Generally, I close my eyes and force myself to stay very still. It’s almost impossible not to fall asleep like that, not if you can get comfortable enough.”
“Hmph. I’ll bear that in mind.”
She turned to go, then hesitated, glancing back at him.
“I would like to go to the festival,” she said at last, meeting his eye. “I know you do not want to go, so I shan’t complain about that. Perhaps I can convince Sophie to come, and I’m sure Kat will go. I… I would like to go, as I said, but since you are Laird MacDean, I will do nothing without your permission.”
Well. That was a surprise. Callum blinked, leaning backward. His throat tightened for some reason he could not quitedecipher. Her eyes were wide and very intent in the darkness, almost as soft as Thunder’s.
“Of course ye can go, if ye wish it,” he managed at last. “I told ye that ye are free to do so. Be safe, that’s all. Ye daenae have to ask.”
She gave a small, inscrutable smile. “I see. Thank you, Callum.”
Then she pattered away, disappearing through the gloom of the stables. She paused in the doorway, silhouetted against the iron-gray light pouring in from outside. Just for a moment, then she was gone, and he was alone.
Thunder snorted.
Notquitealone,he reminded himself.
16
“Ye ought to go with her.”
