Chapter 23 #2
“Jenna, we’ve already been over every inch of the inner courtyard. Let’s go into the stable. There’s something in here I’d like to show ye.”
When she didn’t budge, he tried grasping her hand and tugging. Still no movement. Jenna was not going into that stable. “I can’t go in there, Cormac. There are horses in there.”
“Jenna, ye’re always so brave, please trust me. I won’t let them harm ye,” Cormac said.
Jenna looked up at him with fear in her eyes.
“I promise,” he said.
“If anything happens to me, I’m going to be so angry with you,” she snarled.
“I’ll take my chances. Come.” He led her in to the darkened stable.
The smell of horses, sweet hay and leather assailed her nostrils.
It wasn’t a bad smell, just different. Adjusting to the lack of good lighting, she also noticed how quiet it was.
The only sounds she could hear were those of horses munching on hay.
She was surprised at the peaceful feeling that came over her.
“I know this is all new to ye, but Jenna I want to share the things from my world with ye. Just as ye did with me in San Francisco.”
“Okay. I get it,” Jenna said, relenting.
Cormac led her down the line of stalls. Each one they passed held a horse whose head bobbed up with a mouthful of hay as they passed.
They were curious to see who was in the barn.
As they approached the last few stalls, Saidear, popped up and nickered at Cormac.
She approached the horse with caution, holding out her hand for him to sniff.
“Hello, Saidear,” she whispered. “It’s good to see you again.
” The horse snuffled her hand and stuck his nose out further to sniff her hair.
She could feel the warmth of his breath on her face.
Feeling a bit braver, Jenna touched his soft nose and let her hand glide up to his forelock, which she fluffed with her fingers.
Cormac stood beside her not saying a word.
She knew he was letting her have this experience at her own pace.
Handing her an apple, he said, “For Saidear.”
Jenna looked questioningly at him. “You want me to feed it to him?”
“Aye. Put it in yer hand like this.” He showed her how to lay her palm out flat and place the apple on it. He then held her hand out in front of Saidear, who scooped the apple up and happily munched away.
Jenna giggled. “I did it. He didn’t bite me.”
“Jenna, come see this lovely mare over here.”
She turned to the stall across from Saidear. There stood a lovely little black horse. She had soft, licorice eyes and a sweet demeanor. Her ears were pricked forward in Jenna’s direction.
“What’s her name,” Jenna asked.
“Rose. Like the flower.”
“Hello Rose, like the flower.” Jenna held her hand out to the mare who gently sniffed it. “I’m sorry. I don’t have an apple for you. Saidear ate it all.”
“Here, love. I have one for her.” Cormac handed her an apple.
Rose was very dainty in her approach to the apple, unlike Saidear, she took her time and a single bite instead of the whole apple. Jenna looked at Cormac with wonder in her eyes. This wasn’t so bad. These horses were very sweet and kind.
Cormac put a halter on Rose and handed a lead rope to Jenna, who looked at him questioningly.
“Here you go. Let’s go for a walk with her.
” They walked out of the barn into the sunshine and Jenna had to blink to adjust to the brightness.
“This way,” Cormac said as he led them through the gate that led out of the castle.
“Where are we going?” Jenna asked, a tinge of apprehension in her voice.
“Don’t worry. We’re not going far and I’ll not have ye get on her today. Just get to know her for now. Ye must trust each other.”
Jenna smiled and breathed a sigh of relief.
She wasn’t going to ride today. Thank goodness.
She wasn’t prepared for that, but she could take Rose for a walk.
She felt comfortable enough to do that. As they walked, Cormac explained different things about Rose that Jenna needed to know.
He explained how a horse’s ears were a good way to tell what they were thinking.
Pricked straight forward they were paying attention to something ahead of them.
Pinned back and they were showing displeasure.
One ear forward and one ear back and they were listening to their rider and paying attention to what was in front of them.
He gave her lots of useful information and she realized what a wonderful, patient teacher he was with her.
She had not been quite as patient with him when their circumstances had been reversed.
She felt badly about that. “Cormac, I’m sorry for all the times back home when I was impatient with you.
You know, when you were asking me questions and I’d tell you to ask Dylan. I was rude and you don’t deserve that.”
“Lass, don’t trouble yerself. I ken ye thought I was playing a trick on ye. Now ye ken I wasn’t. Dinna fash. I have thick skin.” He gave her one of his blindingly brilliant smiles and Jenna knew all was forgiven.
“I like Rose,” Jenna said, surprising herself with the admission. “She’s very sweet.”
“I’m happy ye like her. Mayhap tomorrow ye’ll feel comfortable enough to get on her for a wee ride.”
“Maybe. We’ll see.” Jenna was softening her stance on the whole riding thing, feeling like she could do anything as long as Cormac was by her side.
They continued walking and Jenna was quite taken with the beauty of the surrounding area.
It was so picturesque. It was also very quiet.
She hadn’t realized just how much noise was constantly being made in her own time.
No cars, no planes. No cell phone either and she wasn’t missing it.
This truly was a new experience for her.
“I’m happy yer here, Jenna,” Cormac said. “I was hoping I would be able to show you Breaghacraig and I’m pleased to do so.”
“It’s beautiful, Cormac. Everything about it is …” Jenna struggled to find just the right words. When she couldn’t she said, “It’s so different. I like it.”
Cormac’s whole face lit up at that. He reached an arm out and pulled her to him, lifting her in the air and twirling around. Jenna shrieked and laughed at his antics. He put her back down and held her close, tipping her chin up so she was looking directly into his devastating blue eyes.
“Ye make me happy, Jenna.” And then he kissed her, sending her head spinning and her legs wobbling. She kissed him back with a heart full of passion.
Their lips parted and Jenna said, “You make me happy, too, Cormac.” She snuggled in closer to him, her head on his chest. Eyes closed and feeling at peace with her situation, Jenna was surprised to feel whiskers tickling here cheek, followed by soft warm horse breath in her ear.
“I think Rose is feeling a bit jealous,” Cormac laughed.
“I forgot all about her.” Jenna had dropped the lead rope without thinking when Cormac picked her up and Rose had been happy to graze the nearby grass. “I’m sorry Rose, I didn’t mean to ignore you,” Jenna apologized to the horse, who put her head back down and continued to graze.
“We should head back,” Cormac suggested. They had been out with Rose for quite a while, but Jenna was not at all bored. In fact, she wished this day could last forever.
“Do we have to?” she asked.
“I’m afraid so. I promised Ashley I wouldn’t keep ye out too long. She would like to spend some time with ye.”
“You don’t mind, do you?” Jenna wanted to be sure it was okay with him, because if he said he wanted to spend the rest of the day alone with her, she was more than ready.
“Nae. She is yer good friend and it has been a long time since ye’ve seen her. I have duties to attend to and I’ll see ye later at the evening meal.”
“Cormac. I have to ask you a question.”
“Anything, lass. I’ve told ye I’ll always answer ye truthfully.”
“I know. But you were less than truthful with me in San Francisco. You never told me about Ashley. I don’t understand why.”
“It may not make any sense to ye, but I didnae tell ye because I wanted ye to come back to Breaghacraig. I wanted to be the reason ye came. If I told ye that Ashley was here, ye would have returned with me, but for her, not for me.” He paused and waited for Jenna to speak.
When she didn’t he continued. “I hope ye can understand and forgive me for not telling ye the whole truth.”
“I probably wouldn’t have believed you anyway. I thought you and Dylan were playing some elaborate joke on me. And besides, it turned out to be the best surprise.”
“Aye. It was a surprise for the both of ye.”