“Nothin’,” Torcall lied. “Ye should run now lest ye be the one runnin’ up the hills.”
They both heard the first clash of swords at that moment, and Rannoch walked past Torcall. Torcall walked only a few paces when he felt something in his pocket. It was a necklace with a lavender flower. It was the necklace that he had given to Bridget before she had died. It was a memory that had always made him sad and one that he could not speak to anyone about.
He had only a few friends, and even Ceana, he could not tell. One never spoke about other women to a woman. It was one thing that he had learned from watching his uncle for years. He pulled the necklace out of his pocket, and without a second look, he threw it away.
“What was that?” Rannoch called out to Torcall, startling him. Torcall turned around to see his cousin far off but still nosy.
“It was a pebble,” Torcall lied and walked away.Does he have to know everythin’?Torcall thought to himself before heading back into the house. It bothered him little that his cousin had seen him throw the necklace away.
When Torcall was in his chamber, he gave a sigh and sat in his bed. Why had Rannoch come in at that moment? He didn’t doubt that Rannoch could go there to check what he had thrown. However, he knew that he had tossed it too far away. Rannoch would not find it.
Torcall wondered what he would do if Rannoch had indeed found it. He wondered what Rannoch would say and think. Knowing Rannoch, he would probably say nothing. However, Torcall didn’t know what he would think.
It didn’t matter, he said to himself, standing up. It was over. There was no memory, and the necklace was gone. He could move on and forget his mistakes.
He washed with some cool water and changed into clean clothes before heading out to the stables. His arms were still buzzing, but he had more work to do that morning lest the rest of the day turn awkward as well.Ceana —he decided then that he was going to take her for a ride. A ride into the hills would have done wonders to his mood, her mood and the tingling sensation in his arms.
Mounting his stead, he rode out to the market where he knew she would be.
Asking about the market, he found her. Those who did not know the little orphan named Jack attested to have seen a beautiful red-haired woman at the market that morning.
“Aye! Aye! I have seen her. Aye!” The man had said again with glee that had made Torcall slightly jealous. “Aye! I saw her walk past me shop. She turned to me with the most beautiful smile I had ever seen. She must be a fae or-”
“Thank ye,” Torcall had interrupted the aged man. “Might I ask what way she went?”
The old man had pointed him in the direction that he had followed to find her. He had stopped on his horse and had watched her play with the little boy and another. She was kind as she was beautiful, he realized. Seeing her with those boys was another side of her that he did not see so frequently, and it made it all the more fascinating.
“Horse,” Jack said, drawing her attention to him, and she turned to him. Her long hair swung off her face first, gracefully, before her brown eyes had been set on him, and then she had smiled for she recognized him.
“Good day to ye, stalker,” she said to him with her usual smile. She got up and walked towards him with Jack holding her hand. The little boy was so taken by the horse, and Torcall even could see it.
“Good day to ye, milady,” he replied. “And nay, I wasnae stalkin’ ye. I did come find yer company this early morn. I ken ye would be at the market with this handsome little fellow.”
Jack smiled and hid his face behind Ceana. It was obvious what he wanted.
“Give him here,” Torcall said to Ceana.
“Yer horse is too big. Jack might fall off it,” she said with concern.
“Nay, I would hold him steady. Do ye nae trust me?” He asked her.
Reluctantly, she lifted Jack and gave him to Torcall. Torcall put the boy in front of him and handed the reins of the horse to him. Jack whipped the horse with the reins hoping to make it move, but the beast did not. He was disappointed. Torcall smiled, and Ceana was relieved.
“How is Alina?” he asked her.
“She is nae getting’ any better. She stays in her room all day, and she barely joins the family for dinner. I’m afraid for him.”
Torcall realized that her mood had taken a dip because of his question. He lifted the bored boy off his horse and handed him back to her.
“I ken what would lift both our spirits,” he told her.
“What is that?”
“Come ride with me.”
Ceana scoffed. “If ye were tryin’ to impress me, ye have come short,” she told him. “I ride quite well, meself. When me and Alina were wee lasses, we used to race on our ponies. I race when I can sneak out of me house, too. I wouldnae be impressed with goin’ for a ride with ye.”
Torcall had a wicked smile on his face. “I am glad that ye have ridden before, so I wouldnae have to hold back.”
