He’d learned early that owning a successful business required more than the owning of it, and the dream. He could be grateful Boyle and Connor handled the day-to-day demands—and all the paperwork, time, and decision-making on the spot that engendered. But it didn’t leave him off the hook.
Even when he traveled, he stayed keyed in—via phone or Skype or email. But when he was home, he felt obliged to get his hands dirty. That held the pleasure of grooming horses as he prized that physical contact and mental bond. More than using a currycomb or hoof pick, the grooming or feeding or exercising gave him an insight into each horse.
Nor did he mind cleaning up for the birds at the school or spending time carefully drying wet feathers. He’d gained a great deal of satisfaction in having a hand training the younger ones, and had found himself bonding particularly with a female they’d named Sassy—as she was.
Though the days grew slowly longer, there rarely seemed enough hours in them to do all he wanted or needed to do. But he knew where he wanted to be, and that was home.
Nearly a year now, he thought as he stood with Connor in the school enclosure, kicking a blue ball for Romeo, their office manager’s very enthusiastic spaniel. The longest straight stretch for him since he’d been twenty.
Business and curiosity and the need for answers would call him away again, but no more, he hoped, for months at a time. For the first time since the mark had come on him, he felt home again.
“I’m thinking the winter, and the slower demand, makes the best time to experiment with the hawk rides we talked of before.”
“We’d offer something more than special to those who come here for some adventure.” Connor gave the ball a kick, sent the dog racing. “I’ve worked out the pricing on it, should we give it a go, and Boyle grumbled as he does so it seemed in line.”
“As do I. It’ll require a different waiver, and some adjustment on the insurance end of things, and I’ll see to that.”
“Happy not to pick up that torch.”
Fin took his turn to boot the ball. “The other end is scheduling, which I’ll leave to you and Boyle to coordinate. We’ve got Meara and yourself as experienced riders and hawkers, and Iona’s done well with the hawking.”
“And none better on a horse. So that gives us three who could take the point on a combination. You’d be four.”
Fin glanced over as Connor grinned at him. “I haven’t run a guided since... not since the first few months Boyle and I were getting it all off the ground.”
“Sure you could go out anytime, I’m certain, with one of the others, as a kind of apprentice.”
Connor set to kick, and for the hell of it Fin blocked, took the ball himself, added some footwork remembered from boyhood before he sent it flying.
“After a match then?” Connor asked.
“I’ll take you on when I’ve time, and that’ll be after I’ve done a draft of a new brochure for you and Boyle to have a look at. Meanwhile, you should have another who can hawk and ride and handle a small group—as I think we’d keep this combination, at least at the start to groups of six and under. Who strikes you?”
“I’ve some with more hawking experience, but I’d say our Brian. He’s the most eager to learn the new, try the different.”
“Then you’ll speak to him, and if he’s keen on it, he can start training, see how it all goes. We’ll want to try it a few times, with just staff or friends. Ifthatall goes well, we’ll begin to offer the package in March, we’ll say. By the equinox, as a goal.”
“A good time to work out any kinks in the wire.”
“And now, I’m after taking Sassy out for a bit. I’ll go to the stables, get a mount, and we’ll see how she does with a horse and rider. Merlin will come along as he’ll keep her in line. And I want to see how they get on. I think to breed them.”
Connor grinned. “I was going to speak to you about just that. It’s the right match, to my mind. They’re well suited—his dignity and her sassiness. I think they’d produce a grand clutch for us.”
“We’ll let them decide.”
Fin got a baiting pouch as the female still looked for the reward, and pulling on a glove, fixed Sassy’s jesses. She preened a bit, pleased to be chosen, and cocked her head, eyeing him with a look he could only deem flirtatious.
“Sure you’re a fetching one, aren’t you now?” He walked out the gates with her, and turning toward the stables, called for Merlin.
His hawk soared overhead, then went into a long, graceful swoop Fin could only deem a bit of showing off. On his arm, Sassy spread her wings.
“Want to join him, do you? Then I’ll trust you to behave and go where I lead you.” He loosened the jesses, lifted his arm, and watched her lift into the sky.
They circled together, added a few playful loops, and he thought, yes, he and Connor had the right of it. They matched well.
He enjoyed the walk, the familiar trees, the turn of the path, the scents in the air. Though he’d hoped he would, he felt nothing of Cabhan, and traveled from school to stables with only the hawks for company.
He thought the stables made a picture, spread as they were with the paddock, the lorries and cars, and Caesar’s majestic head lifted out the open stall window. The horse sent Fin a whinny of greeting so he went directly over to stroke and rub, have a short conversation before going inside.
