Page 32 of Time To Learn

“Gan-Gan?”

“Oh, that’s Grandma Wenn,” she explains.

“Ah, I see. So, how did she savehim?”

We spend the next couple of minutes talking about the whole operation. I’m impressed a girl of her age is so knowledgeable about it, and as I find myself intrigued to learn more against my will, Wenn and Lise walk outside. I look up at them when they stop in front ofus.

I smile at myaunt.

“Found your horse yet?” I askher.

She beams at me, but Wenn answers my question.

“We think so. I’m just about to show Lise one of our older mares, Daffodil. I think they’ll be a good match, but you can’t really know that until theymeet.”

“I have to go inside and have lunch with Mummy,” Ailith pipes up. As she stands, she reaches her hand out to me. Careful not to squish her small fingers, I shakeit.

“It was nice to see you,” she says as she grins at me. “I hope we’ll meet again.”

I glance up at Lise who’s fidgeting on the spot, clearly anxious to see her horse, before I wink at Ailith.

“I have a feeling we’ll come visit you often.”

She nods, satisfied with my answer, it would seem. Then she turns and runs in the direction of the house.

Even if her mother keeps turning me down, I’ll just have to be persistent. Now that fate has thrown me in Laura’s path, and I’ve had the chance to talk with her, I’m even more determined to get to know her. I want to see where those flickering sparks of attraction between us could leadto.

I’m a stubborn man, so I’ll get through to her in theend.

I’m sure ofit.

“Kristian, do you want to come with us?” Lise asks, pulling me out of my thoughts.

My phone rings just as I’m about to answer her, but when it says, Unknown Caller, I push the red button, silencingit.

“Sure.” I get up from the bench and follow the two women around the corner, behind the stables, where there’s another paddock with horses grazing. As we stop at the fence Wenn lets out a whistle, and a golden horse with a white mane and tail raises itshead.

“That’s Daffodil.” Wenn points to the horse as Lise and I stop on either side of her. “She used to be a steeplechase race horse, but had to be retired due to the strain on her legs. She’s only ten years old, though, and she’s got lots of years left inher.”

“She’s beautiful,” Lise whispers, clearly awestruck.

I have to agree, sheis.

“Want to meet her?” Wenn nudges Lise’s shoulder, grinning ather.

“Yes, please.”

“I’ll stay here,” I tell them as Wenn opens the gate. She purses her lips atme.

“I take it you’re not that into horses?” sheasks.

I shrug. “It’s not that I don’t like them. I just feel kind of like Sherlock Holmes—that they’re dangerous at both ends and crafty in the middle.”

Both Wenn and Lise grin at me and I shake my head at their amusement.

“Okay, then. Lise, come with me, please.”

As they walk inside, I lean on the fence. The fact that I don’t feel anxious to get back to the city should probably worry me, but it’s like I told Ailith—this place has a peaceful air to it. As if we’re stopped in time, and all the worries in the world canwait.