Chapter Six The Promise
Chapter Six
The Promise
Evander saddled up four horses. A white gelding for Leopold, one he knew was handsome but well trained.
Keith’s black stallion, Ewan. A brown stallion, his own personal horse, Calum, he had raised from a foal.
Then, he picked out a soft chestnut mare for Alice.
The two-year-old filly was not like most of the horses he bred.
She wasn’t full of piss and vinegar, and he could not understand where this soft little horse had gotten her sweetness from.
But, she was an asset. An easy horse is always needed to train new hands.
Now, she would be used by his lady. Evander glanced toward the two horses Leopold and Alice had ridden up on.
Even after several days, the two of them were still resting.
The older horse had its head resting on the back of the younger one.
Evander walked over and petted their noses gently.
“Rest,” he murmured. “Ye will be needed to get yer master home tomorrow.”
The two horses snorted. He chuckled. He did not believe they knew his words, but he knew they understood his spirit, his voice, his touch.
He stepped back and returned to the saddled up horses, leading them out into the stableyard.
Keith was stood with his arms folded as he waited for Evander to arrive.
Leopold was glaring at Keith. Alice was to the side, waiting patiently.
She lit up when she saw the chestnut filly and felt warmth in her heart seeing Evander treat the horses kindly.
“M’ lady, it appears the laird has chosen a bonny horse for ye,” Keith chuckled.
“Oh, she is wonderful,” she said as Evander handed her the reigns.
“She is sweet, but might need a gentle hand to steer her away from the flowers she likes to eat,” Evander chuckled.
“I will be vigilant,” Alice nodded. Evander smirked and turned to Leopold, handing him the reigns of the white horse. Leopold and the horse watched each other for a moment, both seeming to size up the other.
“He will do,” Leopold scoffed.
“I am sure he will,” Evander said as he handed Keith the reins to his horse.
Evander then pulled himself onto the brown horse.
He glanced over toward Alice. She was standing close to the horse, her palm flat.
She had taken a crabapple from a nearby tree and had broken some off for the filly, who leaned down and munched on it happily. Evander couldn’t help but grin.
“She is nae supposed to have such treats,” he said, making Alice startle slightly.
“I-I am sorry—” she started.
“But,” he interrupted. “I suppose just once will be fine.”
Alice’s shoulders relaxed and she nodded.
“Just once,” she promised. She hadn’t noticed the filly reaching her head down toward the rest of the apple in her hand until the horse crunched into it. Alice gasped. “Naughty!”
Evander smirked.
“I told ye, that one needs a firm hand,” he said.
“You did,” she said with a slight laugh.
“Are we going to ride or are we going to feed horses all day?” Leopold finally snapped. Evander rolled his eyes.
“Hush yer mouth, we are going,” Evander scoffed.
Alice winced and went to pull herself up onto her horse, sitting on it side-saddled.
She held the reins in one hand, not watching her brother.
She hated when he shouted like that. Like she had done something wrong, or he was going to harm her.
Before she could think on this for too long, Evander had taken the reins from her and was beginning to move her and the filly down the road.
“Wh–wait!” Leopold called out.
“Are we riding or feeding the horses apples?” Evander called over his shoulder.
Keith burst into laughter, following after the pair of them.
Alice’s eyes widened and she had to cover her mouth so she did not laugh.
She could hear Leopold behind them, spitting and angry.
Suddenly, his threats did not feel nearly so dangerous.
Eventually, Evander and Leopold pulled ahead of her, discussing business.
She was content to watch the scenery, occasionally tugging on her horse’s reins when they got too interested in some flowers or a crabapple on a tree.
Keith rode with her. She had not seen much of the man outside of the polite smile he had given her the night before.
“You seem tae like ye flowers, my lady,” Keith said. She looked up at him.
“I-yes, I do,” she stuttered.
“Good,” Keith nodded. “They bloom well this time of year. Are ye settling in well?”
“Yes,” she nodded. “The keep is lovely, and—”
“Lass,” Keith chuckled. “Ye dinnae need tae be sweet with me. I am sure ye ‘ave complaints.”
“N-no! I don’t!” Alice gasped.
“But it isnae like yer home in England, is it?” Keith asked. She opened her mouth to retaliate and then closed it again.
“No,” she whispered. “I suppose not.”
“Ye are missing England, are ye nae?” he asked.
“I am,” she admitted. She looked at Keith, waiting for him to look or sound angry. When he didn’t, she kept going. “Yorkshire is where I grew up. It is where I learned to walk and talk and sew, but…” She took a deep breath. “I know Scotland is where I will live for the rest of my life.”
“That doesnae mean that you cannae miss it,” he said.
“That is true,” she nodded. Her heart warmed in her chest. She had not realized how much she had missed her home, or how desperate she had been to talk to someone about it.
“I think I will miss it for a time. I enjoyed walking around the moors, the trips to London, the summer fair we held each year. I do not know if I will get to experience many of those things again. But I am trying to think of the new things I will be able to do here.”
“That is a verra wise way of thinking, my lady,” Keith said with a smile. “You’ll get tae try proper shortbread, meet a Highland coo, maybe even swim in the loch. I know Evander takes verra rare trips tae London, but we do ‘ave our own festivities here. It will be like ye home, just… Nae.”
“I suppose,” she said with a half-laugh. “But I know others around here may not exactly want me to be a part of said festivities.”
“Whatever do ye mean?” Keith asked.
“I mean I am aware that an English girl likely was not most people’s preferred choice for a laird’s wife.
I know while people were kind to me last night, that may be because they were at the wedding and did not wish to displease Evander.
People might treat me with suspicion. Or worse,” she sighed.
She looked up, watching Evander and Leopold riding ahead, Leopold bickering, and Evander giving short replies.
Her heart sank at the idea that she could be a problem for Evander.
“People will need time,” Keith said.
“There are some things that time cannot fix,” she replied.
“True,” Keith nodded. “But I dinnae believe that this is one of those things,” he said warmly.
Evander glanced over his shoulders, looking at the two of them.
“And I think there are other things that will need time as well. So dinnae fret if things arenae perfect immediately. Once you are settled, then ye will find that it all settles into place,” Keith finished with a knowing smile.
Alice looked at him, confused. Keith just kept his smile on his face as Evander glanced at them both again. Evander frowned and slowed his horse so Leopold went ahead, but Alice caught up.
“Is he bothering ye?” Evander asked softly.
“No, not at all,” Alice shook her head.
“Good,” Evander huffed. “We’ll be coming tae the main area o’ the estate soon. Do yer best to smile, aye?”
“I- yes,” she stuttered. She started to slip the practiced smile into place and Evander frowned.
“Not that one,” he said.
“Pardon?” Alice asked, confused.
“I dinnae like practiced smiles,” he said. Alice blinked at him, her mouth opening and closing, not quite able to make words. “Och, nevermind.”
“But—” before she could say anything else, Evander had pulled forward slightly. Keith shook his head.
“Och, what an eejit,” he grumbled under his breath as he went to catch up with the laird.
The estate soon came into view. Alice looked around at the collection of houses.
The roofs were thatched, the walls made of simple white stones.
Some of them had moss or grasses climbing up the sides of them.
Children watched as they passed, wide-eyed and auburn-haired.
Around the path they were trotting down, heather was starting to sprout at the edges.
Alice had been aware of Yorkshire’s charm, but she had never seen anywhere quite as quaint and sweet as this.
“Good mornin’!” a lady called out to the group.
“The Laird and Lady have arrived!” someone else shouted.
“Good mornin’ to you both!” a child shouted from their mother’s side.
Alice’s eyes widened as she took in all the people greeting them. Her chest warmed and she felt her cheeks go pink again. Evander pulled next to her again, occasionally waving at people who greeted them.
“They are greeting us,” she whispered.
“Aye, they are,” he replied.
“Is this normal?” she asked.
“Aye,” he said. “They appreciate the work I do, and they are glad that I have found a wife.”
“I-I see…” Alice stuttered.
“Ye dinnae need t’ be wary of them,” he said gently.
“I know but—”
“Ken,” he corrected.
“Ken?” she asked.
“Ye say know, we say ken,” he said. She blinked and felt her ears turn pink.
“Are you really correcting me?” she squeaked.
“Well,” he said. “I did promise we would make you speak properly, did I nae?”
“You did…” she said, something like a laugh escaping her lips. “I did not think now would be the time for it.”
“Well,” he said. “Why nae now, so you can understand the people who rely on us?”