Page 24 of Reviving Her Highland Spirit

Maggie swallowed back outrage. “I know, I know. Well, thank ye for your input, Amilia. It’s given me something tae think about. Now, if I were ye, I’d go back tae bed. Ye can get in a few more hours of sleep before the day begins in earnest.”

Amilia’s face fell. “Ye are still going out riding with him?”

“We made an arrangement, and he’s waiting for me,” Maggie said briskly, tucking an escaped tendril of hair behind her ear. The rest of her hair was tied back in a long, thick braid, curled up into a heavy bun at the base of her neck. “Excuse me, Amilia. I’m already late.”

Amilia stepped aside to let Maggie go past. Maggie moved out into the hallway resolutely, not looking back. Amilia didn’t say anything, and didn’t come after her.

* * *

It was a misty morning. Fog hung heavily over the fields, sinking low to the freezing ground. It swirled around Maggie’s legs like water.

She could see Callum in the distance, in their usual spot. Stardust was saddled up and ready, and he was smoothing her glossy neck, whispering to her, and feeding her slices of apple.

Stardust looked better now. It was as if she had missed her old rider, and was relieved to have Maggie on her back again. Maggie had often felt guilty over leaving Stardust to languish alone in the stables. The grooms didn’t have time to exercise every horse every day, and she knew that Stardust wasn’t taken out for a run anywhere near as often as she should be.

It had just been another layer of guilt and misery to work through. Now, however, everything was different. Better.

She approached the horse and the man, taking a moment to appreciate how gentle and careful Callum was with Stardust, smiling softly up at her. His face was relaxed and open in a way that Maggie rarely saw when he was around other people.

Callum must have heard her coming, because he glanced over his shoulder, smiling when Maggie stepped out of the mist.

“Hello, Lady Maggie. I was wondering where ye were. Thought perhaps I’d gotten the day wrong.”

“No, nothing like that. My cousin came to talk tae me before I left.”

“Ah,” Callum nodded, smile fading when he took in Maggie’s face. “Ye don’t look happy. I’m guessing that it wasn’t an ordinary family chat. Ye look upset, if ye don’t mind me speaking frankly.”

Maggie chuckled. “Ye always speak frankly, Callum.”

He grinned. “So I do. Hold on a moment, let me do my last checks.”

As Maggie watched, Callum checked over the buckles and straps of the saddle and bridle. As far as she could tell, he’d been saddling up horses to ride since he was a child, but he was always extra careful and serious when they rode out together. She appreciated him taking extra care. As she watched him work, it struck Maggie that her anxiety and anger from earlier had entirely melted away, the tense knot in her stomach dissolved and gone.

Just from seeing Callum.

There was something about him that made Maggie feel safe. Not just on the back of a horse, but with her thoughts, too.

Maggie wasn’t sure if she should tell him about what Amilia had said. Would he take offence? Would he be angry? No, she didn’t think so. That wasn’t the sort of man Callum was. He glanced back at her with a smile, and Maggie felt herself smiling back.

She didn’t care what Amilia said, or Aunt Lyla, or her mother, or anyone. Maggie wasn’t about to give up these early morning rides, not for anyone.

10

She had a face like thunder. Even if he didn’t know Lady Maggie well enough by now to read her moods, Callum would have been able to tell immediately that she was angry.

She’d come striding across the icy field towards him, emerging from the mist like a vengeful angel. Her white-blonde hair was already fighting its way free of the knot she’d braided it into, and she looked ethereal and beautiful.

Not that Callum should be thinking anything like that about her. For more reasons than one.

Remember your purpose, he told himself. Ye are here tae gather information. Take something tangible back tae Rufus. Show him ye are the right man for the job. Show him he was right tae take ye in, tae trust ye. This is your chance.

He turned back to Stardust, finding her looking at him with liquid brown eyes. She had a knowing look about her, that horse. It often left Callum feeling as if the horse could somehow see everything he was thinking.

Silly, of course. Still, Callum knew a lot about horses, and he knew how intelligent and intuitive they could be. He cleared his throat, collecting his thoughts.

“Are ye going tae tell me what’s wrong, then?” he said, as casually as possible.

Lady Maggie sighed. “Maybe. Shall we get on, then?”