“Aye, the stables.” With those words, he left the noise and confusion behind and headed down the path to the stables, dodging more of Katie’s arriving clansmen.
About a half hour later, when he was about to go back to the castle and drag young Gavin out of his bedchamber where he was most likely hiding, the lad arrived. His eyes were as big as saucers, and he dragged his feet—’twas almost as if he were facing his executioner. Attempting to ease the lad, Evan knelt in front of him and put his hand out.
The lad stared at his hand until Evan said, “Put yer hand out and shake my hand. ’Tis what a mon does.”
“I’m not yet a man.” The whispered words barely reached Evan’s ears. His pinched face and flushed cheeks declared his nervousness. He seemed to be a bright boy, and his fine looks, delicate build, and timid manner were probably what appealed to the monster who wanted him.
“Aye, ’tis true ye are not yet a mon. How old are ye?”
He looked up, then back down again. “Ten years, my laird.”
“Well, ye won’t be a mon if you dinnae learn how to be one. Now, shake my hand.”
The boy took his hand, light as a feather, only giving him the tips of his fingers. “Nay, that’s not how ye do it, lad. Like this.” Evan shoved his hand into the boy’s and gave him a firm shake. “Ye ken?”
To Evan’s amazement, the lad smiled. “Aye. I ken.”
Evan stood and placed his hand on his head. “Do ye ride, Gavin?”
He shook his head. “Nay. Katie said she would teach me one day, but she was always busy.” He eyed the horses warily. “I’m not too keen on riding, my laird.”
“Would ye like to learn?”
He shuffled his feet for a bit, then said, “Aye.” His word lacked enthusiasm, which Evan found unusual in a lad. Most were anxious to jump on a horse. Gavin turned to look at the horses in the stalls behind them. “But they’re so big.”
“We can find ye one that isn’t so big.” He laid his hand on the lad’s shoulder. “Come, let’s take a look.”
They visited with a few horses until MacDuff led them to a smaller horse—an older, well-worn mare. Gavin was even able to pet the horse without shying back. “This is good, MacDuff, saddle it for the lad, and I’ll tack my own horse.”
Once the horses were ready, Evan showed Gavin how to hold the reins and walk the animal out of the stable. After a few awkward steps, the boy managed to bring the animal out into the light.
Evan looked up at the lass stomping down the pathway to the stables. Mistress Katie was all fire and righteous indignation. She held her skirts up so she could move as quickly as possible. She stopped not three feet from Evan.
“And who gave ye permission to teach my brother how to ride a horse?”
Chapter Thirteen
When Meggie told Katie that Evan had insisted Gavin be moved from her bedchamber to the one with all the other children, she was angry enough, but when she learned he had also taken it upon himself to teach him to ride, anger turned to fury.
She growled at Meggie, gathered up her skirts, and couldn’t run fast enough to the stables. The nerve of the man! She was Gavin’s only parent, and she would make all the decisions where he was concerned. When she saw her brother walking out, leading a horse, her heart dropped to her stomach. He’d always been petrified of the animals. Evan was smiling and chatting away like there was nothing wrong. She stopped right in front of them, attempting to catch her breath. “My brother is not fond of horses. He will need some time to get used to the idea.”
He waved her off like some pesky insect. “Ye smother the lad.”
“Nay. I dinnae.”
“Aye, ye do.”
“Nay, I dinnae.” Katie turned to Gavin. “We will be right back.” She grabbed Evan’s arm and dragged him to the back of the stable. “’Tis my right to decide how to raise the lad. I dinnae feel he is ready to ride yet.”
“Is that right?”
“Aye.”
“And how old were ye when you started riding?”
That stopped her cold. She began to count and realized she’d been younger than Gavin. Somehow she’d seemed older. She’d always felt older. First, because she’d been alone with her mum and da, and then when Gavin was born, and Mum had died within days, she’d taken over the entire keep as well as the raising of her brother.
“That dinnae matter, since I was older than Gavin when I was his age.”