Page 47 of Claimed By a Savage Scot
He slapped the stallion’s neck. “On this one? Aye, I’m certain of it. Matilda’s a fine horse, but Warrior’s bigger and more powerful.”
“Maybe so. Let’s race and find out, shall we?”
Catriona knew she was good horsewoman, and though he was undoubtedly right about Warrior being more powerful than Matilda, she was determined to put up a good show, even if she lost in the end.
“Shall we race tae that big old elm over there?” She nodded to a point about half a mile distant, near the edge of some woods, where the broken, blackened fingers of an elm blasted by lightening raked the sky.
He nodded. “All right, ye’re on. Ye can count us down.”
Catriona’s stomach tightened with excitement as they levelled up the horses.
“On three. One, two, three!” she cried eagerly, getting off to a flying start. Beside her, Malcolm leaped away, the muscles in Warrior’s powerful flanks rippling as he powered ahead. Keeping low in the saddle, Catriona urged Matilda to go faster, the mare’s hooves thundering across the grass as they flew over the ground towards the broken tree.
Malcolm, having the advantage, soon took the lead, his laughter trailing after him. But Catriona was not dismayed. To be racing was enough in itself, she felt like a young girl again, out on one of their daring adventures. She felt truly alive, all her worries snatched away by the breeze along with her own joyful laughter.
Beneath her, she could feel Matilda enjoying being given her head, the pair of them working in harmony to close the gap between them and their competitors.
Of course, Malcolm reached the elm first. But it was only a few seconds later that she reined Matilda in next to him. The horses panted and snorted happily as they jostled and danced about each other.
“A brave effort, Matilda, me beauty,” Catriona murmured, unable to stop smiling as she patted the horse’s neck in gratitude for giving her such a thrilling ride.
“I told ye we’d win,” Malcolm said, looking heart-stoppingly handsome with his face flushed, hair blown back, a triumphant grin on his face.
“Aye, but only because Warrior is more powerful. Ye said so yourself,” she replied, shocked by the teasing note in her voice. Reigning in her excitement, she tried to sound more light-hearted when she said, “Matilda did a grand job. A sugar lump and extra oats fer ye at dinner today, me chestnut lass,” she told the mare.
“Shall we take a ride through the woods? There’s a nice trail that goes through the middle,” Malcolm suggested, turning Warrior in that direction.
“Och, I’d love tae,” Catriona replied, wheeling Matilda about as well. They set off at a canter, riding side by side, towards the woods.
After a few minutes, she said, “This route feels familiar. I’m sure we used tae come this way before.”
“Aye, we did, many times. There’s a pretty spot in the woods with a burn and a wee stone bridge where we used tae stop quite often. D’ye ye recall?”
Catriona felt a warm glow of recognition in her breast. “Aye, I dae! We’d take off our stockin’s and shoes and paddle in the water and build wee boats out of sticks and sail them under the bridge,” she declared as the memories flooded back. “Och, I cannae wait tae see it again, Malcolm. Let’s go there now.”
“I thought ye might like it. It’s where we’re headed.”
The glow in her breast expanded at the thought he wanted to please her. But as with so many things with Malcolm, the idea confused her as well. When she thought about it some more, she realized with some disappointment that he would have gone to the burn without her anyway and had not set out especially to please her. Any pleasure she derived from revisiting their old playground was naught but a happy coincidence because she happened to have forced her company on him.
The trail carved a broad path beneath the trees, wide enough for them to ride two abreast. They moved at a walking pace without talking for quite a while, the only sounds the soft, rhythmic thudding of the horses’ hooves on the damp, leaf-strewn ground, the jingling of their reins, and the myriad songs of the birds, who flitted amongst the branches as they passed. The air smelled leafy and fresh. It was idyllic.
Catriona heard the silvery, bubbling music of the burn even before they emerged on its banks, the familiarity of its song giving her a little shiver of pleasure.
“Och, it hasn’t changed,” she said, gazing around in wonder at the little clearing with its picturesque stone bridge. She looked up admiringly at the lush greenery surrounding them, and then down at the dark, peaty banks of the burn.
Malcolm slid from Warrior’s back to the ground, his boots thudding softly. Catriona was so caught up in nostalgia, she was startled to feel his hands spanning her waist and lifting her down to stand next to him. His touch kindled heat within her once more, but since nothing could come of it, she deliberately moved away a few steps.
Enchanted by the spot, she looked up at him, smiling. “’Tis so very pretty here, Malcolm. I’m truly glad tae see it again. Thank ye fer lettin’ me come here with ye.” She truly meant every word.
“Aye, ’tis a lovely spot. I come here sometimes on me own, tae think. The sound of the water calms me,” he replied.
Wondering what had prompted such an admission, she wanted to ask him why he needed calming but thought better of it. It too had the ring of flirtation she had already decided was best avoided.
They walked down to the edge of the strand and stood there, letting the small waves lap at their boots. The horses wandereddown too, standing alongside them, dipping their heads to drink their fill.
“I can see why ye come here,” she remarked, adding after a short pause, “’Tis funny, even in such a magical place as this, when ye’re a bairn all ye think of is fun and havin’ adventures,” she reflected. “But when ye grow up, ye come tae somewhere like this just for some peace.”
Malcolm nodded. He sat down on a flat rock. She sat on another, a foot or so away. The silence that fell over them then was companiable rather than tense. It was almost as though they had travelled back in time, to a past where they had been so happy together.
