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“Shillin’ for yer thoughts?”
With wide eyes, she spun around to find Conner leaning against the threshold. A crooked grin played on his lips as she stared at him. He really was the most handsome man she had ever laid eyes on. The way his broad shoulders bore her weight as he carried her up the stairs last night stung her mind. Just the mere sight of him caused her heart to flutter as if a million birds took flight all at once.
“What are ye doin’ in here? I thought ye had business to attend to?”
“Aye, and I told ye I’d meet ye for an afternoon ride once that work was done.”
“And is it?” she asked as she meandered closer to him. He pushed off the wall and lifted his chin up. There was a sparkle in his eye that she hadn’t seen before. It was something unexpected and she was more than delighted to see it.
“Aye,” he answered as she curled her arms around his waist. “Tis done for now.”
“Mind tellin’ me what it was ye did that got ye in such a delightful mood?”
“I sent Damon out to find someone. I think I’ll finally get some answers about what happened that night,” he said as he brushed his hand over Olivia’s hair as if to tame the stray strands of her hair.
“And who is it Damon has gone to look for?”
“My maither’s chamber guard. A man by the name of Henry Dursely. He would have been present at the time.”
“I’m curious as to what happened to him afterward. Does he nae still reside here?”
Conner’s lips twitched as he dropped his eyes a moment. “There were a lot of servants that left that week. After all that happened, I think many thought this was nay longer a safe place to be. But I cannae blame them. I just hope Damon finds the man sooner rather than later.”
“I ken ye want answers,” Olivia said as she pressed her ear to his chest. The sound of Conner’s heart pounding in his chest made her smile. It was such a soothing sound and she wondered how long he would allow her to listen to it before he pulled her off him.
“Well, enough of that dreary topic. Are ye ready to ride wit’ me? There is a place I have in mind, I’d like to take ye.”
Olivia pulled back on her own accord and stared up at him. Her eyebrow arched as she flashed a mischievous smile. “I’ve already seen yer chambers.”
“Ye think ye could get a horse up those stairs?” Conner scoffed as he let out a small chuckle.
“Daenae see why nae. Ye have some bare horses in yer stables,” Olivia teased. “I’m certain ye could find one or two that would make it up the steps.”
“Let’s nae find out. The last thin’ I need is to find a horse in me chambers one day,” Conner teased as he slipped his hand down to grab hers. Olivia giggled as he led her out of the library. She followed him as they walked through the castle to the main entrance and stepped out into the fresh air.
“What is this?” she gasped, noticing the horses ready and waiting. Her eyes shifted to the white mare with the long flowing mane.
“Dae ye like her?” Conner asked with a smile.
“She’s lovely,” Olivia said as she slipped her hand out of Conner’s grasp and scrambled down the steps to the horse. The sunlight shimmered over the white hair.
“She’s yers,” Conner said, moving down the steps to join her. “I got her for ye a while ago as a weddin’ gift, I just never had the time to show her off to ye wit’ everythin’ goin’ on and such.”
“Are ye serious?” Olivia asked, “Ye ken I already have a horse, Garric. And I deanae think he’ll be too happy wit’ me ridin’ on another. He’s picky like that.”
“Then ye daenae want her?” Conner asked as Olivia noticed the rejection on his face. “I thought she would make a fine addition to the stables and seeing as how ye love to ride…”
Guilt pricked Olivia like a spear jabbing through her chest. “She seems tame, and she is very pretty.”
“That she is, and broken. I gave her a run in the field and she rides like the clouds in the sky.”
Olivia ran her hands over the horse’s neck and stared into its eye. “Suppose ye dae need a home now, daenae ye?”
“Dae ye wish to take her out?” Conner asked.
“A short ride,” she answered with a gleem in her eye. “But we must nae let Garric see her.”
Conner shook his head and chuckled.
