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“Steady, boy.” She spoke calmly, hoping she could win him over before her teeth began chattering. “I did not go through this wetting to have you abandon me here.”

The gray horse’s ears twitched, and he backed up a few paces.

“Mellten,” she called. He stopped moving, and she took a few steps toward him. “You may be as quick and unpredictable as lightning, but if you give me a chance, I believe we can be friends.”

She kept moving forward, and he shook his head nervously. When she was within a yard of him, she stopped and extended her arm. Mellten sniffed the air and snorted. Then he inched closer, finally lowering his head to nuzzle her hand.

The thrill of connecting with such a noble animal shot through her. “Oh, you are a very fine fellow.” She reached out with her other hand to stroke his neck. “No wonder Glyn was loath to lose you.”

Mellten snorted as though he agreed wholeheartedly, and Catrin gave a delighted laugh. “I do believe that you and Seren have much in common.” She patted his shoulder. “And if that is the case, when I mount, I expect you to behave as a gentleman. Is that understood?”

Catrin eyed the height of the stirrups. It would be a difficult mount without aid, but if Mellten cooperated, it would be possible. If he did not, she would be on the ground again. The stallion seemed to sense her intention and skittered sideways a few steps.

Catrin reached for his reins. “No. We’ve come this far. I will not have it end poorly.” She stroked his neck again. “And I refuse to wade through that water. I am wet enough already. You were the one who chose to cross the stream, so you may take me back.”

As though he reluctantly agreed, Mellten lowered his head. Catrin raised her leg and slid her foot into the stirrup. Grasping the saddle with an iron grip, she heaved herself onto the seat. The stallion’s muscles quivered beneath her. He raised his head and tossed it, dancing backward.

“Steady, Mellten. There’s no need to be cross.” Catrin took the reins and settled herself more securely in the saddle. “You’ve had your adventure and forced me to undergo another one. Now ’tis time to return to the stable and to your owner.”

She eyed the stream. The water was moving quickly, but it was no deeper at this point than anywhere else, so she urged Mellten forward. His hesitation was so fleeting Catrin wondered if she had imagined it, and within minutes, he was scrambling up the other bank and heading for the copse of trees where the two mares were waiting.

Not wanting to lose the ground she’d gained with her new mount, Catrin reached for the mares’ lead ropes without dismounting. As soon as they were untied, she gave them a gentle tug, and to her relief, the two chestnut horses fell into step behind the stallion.

Nerys was watching for her at the longhouse and came running out to greet her. “You found them!”

“I did.” Catrin smiled at her exuberance and slid out of the saddle. “Other than forcing me to cross the stream, Mellten was very well behaved, and I believe the two mares may have eaten their weight in grass.”

Nerys laughed. “Come. I will open the stable door for you.”

Grateful that she’d spent so many hours at the castle stables learning from Aldwin, Catrin led the horses inside. She removed Mellten’s saddle and started rubbing him down. Keeping her distance from Glyn’s restless horse, Nerys focused her attention on caring for the docile mares.

“What news of Bleddyn?” Catrin asked.

“He’s not fully woken,” Nerys said. “He moans every so often, and the lump on his head is turned dark purple. There’s no obvious sign of broken bones, but until he’s himself again, we cannot know if there are other injuries.” She paused in her brushing. “I fear you are once more without a guide.”

“Indeed.” Catrin gazed around the stable thoughtfully. “And the horses are without a stableboy.”

Nerys stared at her. “Catrin, you cannot even think of it. You are highborn and not meant for animal husbandry. Marshal Rhys would not stand for it.”

Grateful that, beyond the Tudors, no one at the camp truly grasped her social standing, Catrin waved away Nerys’s objections. “I am doing that very thing as we speak.”

“But this must not happen again.” Nerys was beginning to look quite panicked. “Truly. The marshals would never forgive us for allowing such a thing.”

“They would not wish the horses neglected, and until the men return, there is no one else who can care for them.”

“I should be the one to do it.” Mellten chose that moment to shift restlessly, and Nerys gave him a terrified glance. “Mayhap I could watch over all but Glyn’s horse.”

Catrin shook her head. “I would be glad of your help, but let me do this. Whereas I am useless in the kitchen, I am comfortable in the stable. And I cannot stay at the camp without contributing in some way.” She offered Nerys an apologetic look. “Enid would make sure of that.”

“I believe you may find her attitude somewhat changed.”

Catrin’s hand on the grooming brush stilled. “Did you speak to her about your feelings?”

Nerys’s vigorous rubbing could not fully account for the color in her cheeks. “I did not need to. Your willingness to go after the horses may have been sufficient to sway her, but she also claims to have seen something in Glyn’s expression when he spoke with me.” She shook her head. “It may have been nothing; she was likely mistaken. But it has changed her perspective nonetheless.”

Catrin reached out and squeezed Nerys’s hand. “You have no need to doubt. It was most certainly something.”

Her new friend gave her a grateful smile. “My grandmother seems pleased.”