Page 26 of Markets & Mooncakes

"Thank you," Nate says.

"I believe I should be the one saying thank you, if you make me mooncakes. The festival we normally eat them for was while we were travelling and I did not get to have them like usual." What I think is a sad expression crosses her face, and I can understand why. Not being able to observe a tradition like normal is something that makes life uncomfortable.

Even if I don't know Lady Sun Jinglan, I'm glad that Nate and I might be able to bring her some measure of comfort, especially if it comes in the form of something that we can bake.

Chapter 11

The weather is thankfully not too bad when I get down to the courtyard to mount my horse. I'm not sure why Mama is insisting on me being here. Veronica could manage well enough with giving Lady Sun Jinglan a tour of the grounds, and I doubt she'll say anything untoward. But despite my personal reservations, I find myself outdoors in the winter astride a horse following my sister and the ambassador's daughter down the track that leads to the stables.

Lady Sun Jinglan looks more comfortable than I do atop her horse, though she's still wearing her delicate-looking silk dress, just with a jacket over the top and a wide-brimmed hat with a veil that looks a lot more comfortable than the jaunty hat Betsy has pinned to my hair. For one, it actually looks like it might keep things out of her face, whereas mine seems to be more for fashion than anything else.

The worst thing about the insistence on me coming on this ride is that I don't seem to be needed. The two of them are talking away to one another happily, while I follow behind.

I let out a sigh. I could be doing so many things right now. Maybe I could have even gone down to the kitchens. Not to do any baking, I know that I can't do that at this time. But to see Nate. Just to kiss him and hear his voice.

"These are the royal stables," Veronica says, gesturing around her at the buildings which house my family's horses. "The stables for visiting nobility and for visitors are on the other side of the castle." Her words are barely audible over the sound of the wind, but I don't need to hear them, I know where things are in our own castle.

"I believe that our horses are stabled there," Lady Sun Jinglan says. "I am glad that my horse could be brought to your courtyard for this ride." She leans forward and pats her mount's neck.

"Of course. Though if it had been a problem, then you would have been able to borrow one of the royal horses," Veronica says.

My mind drifts away as I look around, holding the reins comfortably in one hand. I may have no real love of riding, but I don't even remember taking my first lesson, so it's not something that I struggle with. I'm certainly not like my younger brother, who would spend all of his time in the stables if he could.

A lone man leaves the stables, walking in a way that almost seems familiar to me.

Until it becomes clear that it is.

"Nate?" I pull on the reins so that I can take my horse over to one of the mounting blocks, getting off quickly and handing control over to one of the grooms so I can hurry over to him.

He looks up, surprise registering on his face as he realises I'm here, but it quickly changes to a wide smile.

"What are you doing here?" I ask as I look over him. "And I don't think I've ever seen you wear anything like this." I put my hand on his jacket, which is dark blue and seems like a much less practical fabric than he normally wears, which I know is because he doesn't have an extensive wardrobe.

"The Queen organised riding lessons for me," he says. "And the clothing. She said that it was necessary for when I was on one of the royal horses."

I frown. "Do you have a horse?"

He laughs. "No, of course not. But the stablemaster has been letting me ride Swiftfoot."

"I would say that's a good horse, but I know nothing about them," I admit. "I can ask Artie if the choice is a good one."

"I think Swiftfoot was the Prince's recommendation for me," Nate responds.

"Oh. Well, that would make sense. Artie knows a lot about horses. More than I do."

"I can't say I know much myself," he says. "But I'm learning."

His collar is slightly bent, and I can barely stop looking at it. I step forward and reach out to straighten it, resting my hand on his chest after I've done so. The scent of horses is all around us, but underneath it all is freshly baked bread and the smell that I only know as Nate.

"Do you like it?" I ask, meeting his gaze and hoping that he's not going to say that he hates it all, especially when I know that he's doing this for me, and if I weren't in his life, if I didn't love him, then he wouldn't be doing anything.

He puts his hand over mine, though I can only remember how it feels when neither of us is wearing gloves. "I do. I've always wondered what it would be like to ride, now I get to find out. It's freeing."

"Maybe we can ride together sometime."

He raises an eyebrow. "You don't like riding."

"I'm indifferent to riding. That's not the same as disliking it. And it would be with you, it would be different." Without me intending it to, my mind strays back to the moment in the kitchen before Mama interrupted. Maybe there'll be other things that I'm indifferent to that might be better with Nate too.