“Yes, let’s.”
“All right. Let’s go get Begonia ready. Tricia, are you coming?”
“Yes, I’ll saddle Mary.”
Rose laughed. “You named your mare Mary?”
“It seemed…appropriate,” Tricia said, giggling.
“It’s adorable, actually. Is she the one you were riding the day that Kat got sick?”
“Yes.”
“Oh, she is a beauty.”
When the horses were ready, and Rose had Kat snuggled against her on her sidesaddle, they took a long ride around the Lybrook land with Tricia leading the way. The trees were lush and green, their newly sprouted leaves swaying gently in the afternoon breeze. Wildflowers were beginning to bloom, and the pinks and yellows decorated the lush vegetation. Squirrels and rabbits abounded. Kat laughed and pointed every time she saw another one running away from them.
“Lady Rose, they’re afraid of us. Why? We wouldn’t hurt them.”
“Yes, but they don’t know that, dear.”
“But I love all animals. I would never hurt one. How can I let them know that?”
“They won’t understand, I’m afraid. They’re from a different world. They’ll never understand that you mean them no harm.”
“That’s so sad,” Kat said. “I want only to be with them.”
“I know exactly what you mean, Kat,” Rose said softly. “Believe me, I know.”
* * * *
Cameron returned from his errands to find the Lybrook carriage still parked in front of his cottage. “Damn,” he said out loud.
He stabled Apollo. “Damn again.” Mary was gone. He stole quietly into the house.
“Where did they go, Mum?” he asked.
“They’re out riding.” Mrs. Price set down the quilt block she was stitching. “When are you going to tell me what is going on?”
“What do you mean?”
“I mean with you and Lady Rose. The last I heard, you loved her and you were going to marry her, and now you can’t seem to stand the sight of her.”
“She…she doesn’t want me, Mum,” Cameron lied. “Can you blame her?”
“You said she loved you.”
“Evidently I was mistaken.”
“You mean she didn’t say that she loved you?”
“I guess I read too much into her language.” He’d burn in hell for this.
“What exactly did she tell you, Cameron?”
“What does it matter? You were right. She and I have no future together.”
“My poor boy.” His mother patted the sofa. “Did she break your heart?”