“What, not even if you had children?”
“I should try to do both for as long as I could. And why should I nae? Men daenae drop their occupations and hobbies when they get married.”
“But—”
“This sister of yers,” Kat interrupted. “The one who married Laird MacLeon. Do ye reckon she dropped all the things she loved doin’, simply because she’d exchanged vows?”
“Well, of course not. Victoria would never do such a thing.”
“There ye are, then. If she wouldnae do it, nor should ye. Besides, our laird isnae like that. He’s nae overbearin’, and he’d never force his wife to give up the things she loved.”
Melody cleared her throat, staring down at her hands.
“That’s all well and good, but I don’t believe that he wants me here, Kat.”
There was a silence after this. She glanced up to find Kat staring at her, a faint line between her brows.
“Oh,” she said simply.
“He’s… determined about certain things. About the course he wants his life to take,” Melody continued. “He’s hard on himself, and I can’t understand why. Do you know?”
Kat opened her mouth to reply, but before she could say a word, a deep, amused voice came from the doorway behind them.
“Ye shouldnae ask these questions to anyone but me, lassie.”
Melody nearly jumped out of her skin, spilling tea-water over her hand. Thankfully, it had cooled enough not to burn.
Both women twisted around, and sure enough, there stood Callum in the doorway. Melody’s face began to redden.
“I… I didn’t know you were there,” she stammered. “I didn’t mean?—”
“Never mind,” he interrupted. “Finish yer business here with Kat, then when ye are ready, join me down at the stables. I have somethin’ for ye.”
He paused only to throw a nod of greeting toward Kat, then disappeared, striding away down the hall.
“Well,” Kat said at last. “Ye heard the man. Off ye go. And when ye get back, tell me what it is he has for ye. I am curious.”
Melody poked her head warily into the stables. It seemed deserted, and the only movement came from the horses in their stalls. The floor was ankle-deep in fresh, sweet-smelling hay, mingling with the familiar musk of horses.
“Callum?” she ventured, stepping inside.
A familiar horse’s head popped over the door of the farthest stall. She smiled, moving toward it.
“Thunder. I hope you’ve recovered from having to carry us both all the way here.”
The horse snorted, ducking his head.
“There ye are,” came Callum’s voice. He appeared beside the horse and let himself out of the stall. “I was startin’ to think ye wouldnae come.”
“Kat made me finish the herbal tea before I left.”
“Very wise. She’s a healer to the bone.”
Melody bit her lip, glancing away. Was it her imagination, or was there a sort of awkwardness between them?
Only on my side, I think. Callum doesn’t seem awkward at all.
“Today,” he announced, striding toward one particular stall and beckoning for her to follow. “We are goin’ for a ride. Outside the keep.”
