All of a sudden, as she gazed into the impenetrable nets of shadow under the fir trees, Caitlyn saw the last thing she expected: a horse, trotting towards them, whinnying in greeting to their own horses. It was a beautiful creature, pinkish-brown in color with a long creamy mane and tail and cream-colored socks.
“It’s Pinky,” Alastair said in wonder, dismounting from Rory. “Ava’s Pinky.” He ran an expert hand over her as she trotted up to him and noted that she was thin, dirty, and covered in pine needles, foliage, and grass. He was now glowering with anger as he noticed the ragged length of rope around her neck, and a scar where it had chafed her.
“They must have tied her up, intending to come back for her and for some reason did not return. I have no idea how she got free but thank God she did. Grrrr...I loathe people who ill-treat animals!”
Caitlyn looked at his thunderous face and was glad she was not that person.
Alastair mounted Rory again and they went slowly back to the castle at walking pace. He would not put a halter on Pinky because of her neck, but she moved, docile and calm, between the other horses, and soon they were back at Mullach Castle.
The stable hands were overjoyed to see her. “Mistress Pinky!” William, the head groom, rejoiced. “But whit a state ye’re in, hen. Ye need a good feed an’ a rub doon." He shook his head and clicked his tongue. “M’Laird, wis she tied up?”
“I think so, William, and God only knows how she got away. I think she must have rubbed the rope against the tree she was tied to till it broke. She has been out in the open since my sister was robbed.” His voice was a low rumble of anger. “If I ever get a hold of the swine who did this I will make him wish he had never been born!”
No one said anything. It was obvious to the staff that it was better to let Alastair work it out of his system in his own time—they knew it from bitter experience.
Caitlyn smiled ruefully at one of the other grooms, a handsome fellow called Andy MacKay, whose blond hair and light gray eyes made many of the young maids almost swoon with desire. He had endearing dimples when he smiled, and was almost as tall and well-built as Alastair. She shrugged as if to sayYou cannot do anything with him in a mood like this.
Andy laughed and dimples popped out, then he winked at her and turned away, shaking his head. He had seen many of the Laird’s rages over his time in the castle. Unbeknownst to Caitlyn, Alastair had seen the little exchange, and now a mountain of jealousy piled itself onto his rage about Pinky’s ill-treatment.
His fury was evident in every line of his powerful body, and now he rounded on Andy, his fists clenched.
“What was that about?” he demanded.
“Whit, M’Laird?” Andy asked, backing away from Alastair and wondering what he had done wrong.
“Flirting with Milady at a time like this!” Alastair growled, his brows drawn down into a scowl. He stepped up to Andy, who backed away from him and bumped into the horse trough, very nearly landing in it. “Look at that horse over there! Do you not see the state she is in?” He pointed a finger at Pinky, who was now gobbling up oats as though her life depended upon it. “Now get to work cleaning her instead of flirting with Lady Brodie!”
“Sorry, M’Laird,” Andy said, his handsome face a picture of penitence. “I didnae mean onythin’ bye it!”
“I am glad to hear it!” Alastair snapped, and as he strode away even his back looked angry.
The two men watched him, and Andy scratched his head. “My God, Wullie, I’ve seen him mad before, but no’ like that! Whit’s got intae him?”
William smiled wickedly. “I wid guess Lady Brodie,” he suggested, and the two men roared with laughter. “Mind, she’s gey bonnie, enough tae turn ony man’s heid!”
“A wummin!” Andy said, shaking his head. “Aye, that’ll dae it every time!”
Caitlyn had begun walking back inside, making herself scarce while Alastair cooled down a little. She decided to go and tell Ava about Pinky, but just as she was about to go to her friend’s room she heard the sound of heavy footsteps behind her.
“I was just going to tell Ava that we found Pinky,” she said, smiling as she turned around. Her smile faded as she looked at his furious scowl.
He strode up to her and stopped too close for her comfort, but she did not step back. She did not want to back down and show weakness to this difficult, mercurial man who seemed to have so many sides to his nature that she could not count them. She did not show her uneasiness as he stood so close to her that his chest was almost touching her breasts, but stared unflinchingly into his dark eyes.
“Why were you flirting with the stable hands?” he demanded.
She gave an indignant, disbelieving laugh. “What are you talking about? I was doing no such thing!”
“I saw you smiling at Andy MacKay, and I saw him winking at you!” Alastair growled.
Caitlyn put her hands on her hips and frowned at him, still with a suspicion of a smile around her lips. “You are jealous!” she said incredulously.
“No!” The word was like the crack of a whip. “I simply do not appreciate you fraternizing with my staff, especially that peacock Andy MacKay. He thinks he is God’s gift to women!”
“And you do not like that,” she snapped, poking him in the chest with a forefinger, “because you thinkyoushould be!”
They stared at each other furiously.
“Do not flirt with my staff,” he said again, trying to control himself.
