Page 27 of Highland Vows of Betrayal

“And ye think yesterday was my way? Ha! How strange, ye and I have a different recollection of the day we met.” Her humor tempted him to smile, but he fought it down.

“Ye wished tae ken me, did ye nae? Ye asked me tae have supper last night. Well, today ye shall learn about the real me. We shall go for a ride, and then I shall show ye the things I like tae do.” He strode across the hall, expecting her to keep up.

“Is this so I can learn who ye are, or so ye can show off?” she asked, hurrying to his side.

“The first.” He noticed that she didn’t totter on her toes or struggle with her heeled shoes today. When they strode down the front steps leading to the castle door, he saw the toes of her feet enough to see she was wearing boots.

Practical. I like it.

An image of pushing up her skirts and hitching that boot high filled his mind before he pushed it firmly away.

“Come on. I hope ye ken how to ride, as we dinnae have time for me tae instruct ye.” He thanked his staff for their work in preparing the horses, then turned, ready to take hold of his black horse. He suddenly stopped, his boots skidding on the courtyard cobbles beneath him, for Eloise had taken the horse first.

With alacrity, she put her foot in the stirrup and swung herself up. She didn’t ride sidesaddle, but properly astride. She had easily taken his horse, and surprisingly, the horse didn’t reject her.

Noah walked to face the horse and patted his nose.

“Ye?” he addressed the horse. “Ye usually throw everyone but me off yer back.” The black steed snorted as if in agreement.

“Well, perhaps he has a new favorite,” Eloise said and patted the horse’s neck, calming him. “I like him already; he has good taste in people.”

“I used tae be his favorite,” Noah reminded her.

“Well, his taste in people is evolving,” she teased him and flicked the reins.

“The audacity,” Noah murmured, uncertain what he felt more of; was it amusement that she had dared to keep the horse after he told her the black steed was his? Or was it anger at her boldness?

Casting off his doubts, Noah mounted the grey mare that was ready and waiting for him. Nodding to the stable boy, he hitched the reins and urged the horse to a gallop out of the courtyard. He left so swiftly that Eloise flinched in surprise.

“Keep up!” he called to her as he rode from the castle grounds.

He dashed across the drawbridge over the moat, across the great lawns, and toward the forest. He knew these paths like the back of his hand, having ridden them with his father and brother since he was a child. They rode along roads that ran parallel to the mountains, past the nearest lochs. Riding through his land gave him peace. It was the place he went whenever he had a problem to solve.

They rode far, fast, and thrillingly. They continued through the forest, bumpy with roots, until the town and castle vanished behind them.

She will struggle tae follow me. I’ll stop tae let her catch up.

It was his first attempt to frustrate her, to abandon her in fear and then return to save her. He was surprised to hear the galloping hooves of Eloise and her mount not far behind him as he pulled back on the reins to slow his steed.

She’d been raised in the saddle. Rather than riding sidesaddle like so many other ladies, she rode astride, bearing herself gracefully and easily.

Noah brought them to a stop. When Eloise arrived, the black stallion circled him, snorting repeatedly.

“Ye said tae keep up, and so I did. Why did ye stop?” she asked, a smirk playing on her lips.

“Yer smirk belies ye, lass. Ye ken well enough why.”

Scarlett tipped her head back, a victorious smile on her lips. “Ye didnae think I could keep up?”

“Nae one ever does.”

“Nae even yer maids?” she chided as his hands tightened on the reins. He never brought his mistresses here, not even once. “Ha! Look at ye, ready tae tear the reins from yer horse. Well, if ye wish tae test me, lead on.” She nodded to the forked path ahead.

Deciding to test her, he flicked the reins and sped down one of the paths. It descended low into a valley, but she followed with surprising ease. When they reached the bottom, he urged the horse to leap a fallen oak. He was certain she would be unable to follow, yet her mount sailed gracefully across the fallen tree. She landed on the other side laughing, and even the black steed snorted its approval.

Traitor. Noah decided to have a few words with the horse once he got back.

He pushed Eloise, making her follow him through deep thickets. This was a favorite ride he took frequently, and even Ian complained of its difficulty. When they climbed out of the valley toward a meadow, Noah slowed to look back at Eloise. He smirked knowing he had tested her mettle but found her grinning from ear to ear.