Stoppin’ the two of them would put me too close to Katherine.
“When I leave, I’d like ye to keep an eye on me daughter and Lady Katherine,” he said, cutting off the groom’s report about the feed stores. “I daenae believe that Agnes is old enough to be taught to ride without proper oversight.”
“Aye, Me Laird,” the groom said, unfazed by the sudden request.
Liam gave a stiff nod before turning away and leaving the building. If Katherine was going to be occupied with Brimstone in the pasture, he figured he had time to move through the castle without worrying about running into her. Still, he wasn’t proud of avoiding the woman.
But I must stay away.
* * *
“Ye’ll let me ride on me own today, aye?” Agnes asked, seeming not to pick up on the tension that lingered in Katherine’s shoulders.
Liam had been ignoring her. She wasn’t foolish. She knew that when he walked into a room and saw her there, he’d turn around and claim that he had business in another part of the castle.
I am surprised he didnae leave the stables when he saw me. Perhaps it is because Agnes spoke to him directly. Fine. I daenae need him to acknowledge me.
“Nay,” Katherine said, clearing her throat and putting a smile she didn’t quite feel on her face. “I already told ye that ye’re still a wee bit too small to ride a horse as big as Brimstone. Perhaps when the stableboy finishes breakin’ the pony, ye’ll be able to ride it.”
Agnes sighed, but she didn’t argue any further. Instead, she waited patiently as Katherine helped her into the saddle. Then, Katherine climbed into the saddle behind her. Brimstone shifted, digging his hooves into the soft ground in anticipation.
As Katherine urged Brimstone forward, Agnes asked, “Can we go faster this time?”
“The pasture is much too small for us to go much faster,” Katherine said, pushing the horse to pick up his pace.
“Can we nae ride somewhereotherthan the pasture?” Agnes pressed, turning in the saddle to make eye contact. “We could ride through the hills.”
“I daenae think that yer father would be pleased with me if I took ye any further than here,” Katherine said, urging Agnes to face forward again. “Did ye nae see how he was lookin’ at the two of us? I am surprised he didnae stop us from goin’ out.”
“It’s because he’s been tryin’ nae to speak with ye,” Agnes said with a sigh. “He is stubborn, but it means that we get to go on rides with Brimstone.”
Katherine didn’t know how to respond to the observation. The girl shouldn’t concern herself with adult problems, yet she seemed to understand them better than the grown-ups around her. Katherine would not extrapolate it.
“Well, then I willnae give him a reason to come speak with me,” Katherine replied, sure that this was the only way to protect her heart and keep Agnes from feeling that she had to pay attention to adults’ issues. “I wouldnae want to force him to speak with me if he doesnae want to.”
“Ye may have to,” Agnes said, tilting her head back to let the wind run through her hair. “Or perhaps nae. There is somethin’ goin’ on with him.”
“There’s somethin’ goin’ on with all of us,” Katherine countered, earning herself a scoff from the child. “Especially now. But he’s doin’ his best for ye. He’s doin’ his best for all of us.”
He may have rejected me, but I ken he is nae a cruel man. He cares about Agnes most of all.
Agnes fell silent then contemplative. She put her small hands on Brimstone’s neck, scratching his hair as they went in slow, lazy circles around the fenced area. The stableboy was working with the young mare.
“Look,” Agnes said when they turned toward the castle. “Father is goin’ back to the castle.”
“He is,” Katherine confirmed. Then, she realized that Agnes wasn’t pointing it out to make conversation. “Ye still want me to take ye out so we can go faster, do ye nae?”
“It’s nae like he will ken,” Agnes countered. “And we daenae have to go far. I just want to feel what it’s like.”
Katherine considered the request. There was truth to what she’d said, and it wasn’t as if they were running the risk of him coming back outside.
Abruptly, she pulled up on Brimstone’s reins. Before she could think too hard about what she was about to do, she turned him, so they had the length of the pasture before them. Then, she dug her heel into his side, using her riding cane on the other side to urge him to go as fast as possible.
“Whoa!” Agnes giggled, holding on tighter as they darted toward the fence.
Just before they ran into the wooden posts, Brimstone jumped. Agnes giggled, more carefree than Katherine had ever heard her,and when Brimstone expertly landed on the other side of the fence, Katherine pushed him to keep going.
Another delighted peal of laughter left Agnes’s lips as they continued to pick up speed. Katherine didn’t leave the grounds, mindful of the fact that they were doing something that Liam wouldn’t approve of, but this was the first time Agnes had ever asked for anything reckless. Katherine couldn’t bring herself to deny the request.
