At camp, he’d watched her take care of herself and Sophie. For the first time, his younger sister hadn’t needed him because she had Kat. That had made him feel useless. Not an unusual feeling when he’d been the “spare” heir back then, but he hadn’t expected to feel that way an ocean and a continent away from home due to a girl with a pocketknife.
He hadn’t liked that.
And by default, that meant he hadn’t liked her.
He still didn’t like Kat.
For other reasons now.
Kat peered into a stall as if she was joining in the hunt. She seemed to make a habit of getting involved where she wasn’t needed.
“What kind of dog?” she asked.
“A Brittany.”
“They are loyal, intelligent, and energetic dogs.”
Those adjectives described Maximillian perfectly. “You know dog breeds.”
“I’m a vet, and I was also in 4-H through high school.” She walked to the next stall. The horse inside neighed. “We learned everything from anatomy to obedience and were required to know the various breeds.”
Alistonia didn’t have a program like that for their youth. Based on her smile, she seemed to have liked 4-H. Maybe that was something he should look into for the kids in his country.
“Maximillian enjoys duck hunting, but Sophie’s asked us not to do that anymore. You’ve turned her into an animal advocate.”
“Not me,” Kat countered. “I’d say your sister’s social work is the cause. She’s an advocate for the underdogs.”
“That is not how I’d describe a duck.”
“You might if you were a duck.”
“Point taken.”
She went to another stall. “Does your dog run away often?”
“He doesn’t run away.” Gill didn’t appreciate the way she made his purebred dog sound like a mutt. “Maximillian is from a line of champion bloodstock.”
“Breeding doesn’t curb the tendency to roam.” She peeked into another stall. “One of our clients has a champion Saluki who takes off the minute she’s off-leash.”
“Maximillian only recently began his…excursions.”
Walking to the next stall, she glanced over her shoulder at him. “Is that what you call his disappearing acts?”
Gill remembered his promise to Sophie and gritted his teeth so he wouldn’t say anything that might be considered unfriendly. “You don’t have to look for the dog.”
“I don’t mind.”
He did. “Maximillian is likely far away from here.”
“Looking for him will keep me awake. He could be sleeping.”
Gill had thought of the same thing.
Kat checked inside another empty stall. “Behavior changes can be related to something that’s happened to the dog himself, his environment, or even his diet.”
He didn’t need her playing doctor with him. “A few outbuildings and landscape features have been added over the years. This stable is the newest addition, but otherwise, the castle grounds have remained the same for centuries. Maximillian’s diet hasn’t changed since he outgrew the puppy stage.”
“He doesn’t seem to be in any of the stalls.”
