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Angus studied her with a thoughtful gaze. “I was that surprised to hear he took a tumble. That boy sits a horse better than anyone here, even with his game leg. Do ye ken what happened?”
She grimaced. “He got distracted because he thoughtI’dtaken a tumble.”
“That sounds daft. Why would he think that?”
“I’d found a nice, sheltered spot by the stream, farther up the glen.” She gave him a rueful smile. “I’d lain down for a bit and ended up falling asleep. When Royal saw me on the ground, he assumed the worst.”
Angus thoughtfully sucked on the stem of his unlit pipe. “Where did ye take yer snooze?”
“A few miles up the stream, just before the bend in the road takes you toward the woods. There’s a group of large rocks on the riverbank.”
Angus grimaced. “Ah, that explains it.”
She waited, but the old man had lapsed into a brown study.
“Explains what?” she prompted.
“Why the lad got so rattled.”
“Since I am not a mind reader, I would be grateful if you explained it to me.”
He warily eyed her.
“Angus,” she said, forcing patience, “surely you realize by now that I very much care for Royal. I would never knowingly hurt him.”
“It’s the unknowin’ bit that worries me.”
“Since you can’t get rid of me, you must learn to trust me, sir. Please understand that I have every intention of taking care of Royal as best I can, just as he takes care of me.”
“Royal wants to take care of everyone. That’s who he is.”
She gave him a rueful smile. “Why do you think I asked him to marry me?”
“And a good day that was for ye, lassie.”
“I do know that.”
“If ye have a brain in yer head, ye do.”
“Angus—”
“Ye ken his nickname, do ye?”
She frowned at the seeming non sequitur. “No.”
“It’s Loyal Royal.”
Ainsley couldn’t hold back another smile. “It certainly fits.”
“And dinna tell him I told ye, neither,” the old man added. “He says it makes him sound like a chub or a jolter-head.”
She had no idea what those things were but she did know that Royal, underneath his occasionally brash demeanor, was genuinely modest. He didn’t give a hang if anyone thought poorly of him. But try to pay him a compliment? He’d sooner snap your nose off than say thank you for it.
“There’s nothing worse than a nickname that rhymes,” she said. “My brothers used to call me Painsley Ainsley.”
Angus laughed. “Sounds right, lassie.”
“I won’t ask you which part I’m right about. Now, will you please tell me what happened down at the river? Apparently, Royal was upset about that particular spot?”
