It tore at his heart to know she had firsthand knowledge of this. He finished applying the balm as gently as he could, placed the clean towel on her back, and retied the linen strips. “Thank you,” she said quietly. She slipped her arms back into her garments and made to step away.
He put his hand on her shoulder, holding her where she stood. He refastened her laces before turning her to him. He had a powerful urge to taste her sweet lips again and, lifting her chin, kissed her gently. Surprised, but pleased by her response, he kissed her more deeply as she leaned into him.
With a pang of regret, he forced himself to break the kiss, knowing if he didn’t, they would never leave. Pulling away slightly, but leaving his hand on her chin, he said firmly, but gently, “Don’t ever hide anything from me again. Promise me.” She didn’t answer for a moment. “Promise me,” he said again, more gruffly this time.
“I won’t hide anything from you,” she said. “I promise.”
It only took a few more minutes to be ready to leave. Niall insisted she eat something before they left while his men readied the horses. When Niall had his horse saddled, he motioned for Katherine to come to him, lifted her into the saddle, and mounted behind her. Niall stopped her before she turned forward, pulling her onto his lap. “If ye ride like this and put your left arm around me, twill be easier on your back and ye won’t be jarred as much.”
Katherine did as he suggested. Her shoulder fit snuggly under his right arm while her cheek rested on his chest with her head under his chin.
“Better?” he asked.
“Aye,” she agreed.
“Ye will tell me if ye need to rest?”
“Niall, I am stronger than you think.”
“That’s not an answer. Can I trust ye to tell me if ye need to rest?”
“Aye. I will tell you if I need to rest.”
“See that ye do.”
They set out at swift pace, though still much slower than they had ridden the day before. In the middle of the day, they crossed a river before stopping to water the horses and give them a rest. They finished the remainder of the food Moyna had sent. Katherine ate sitting under a tree slightly apart from the group of men. Once she finished she pulled her knees to her chest and rested her head on them. Niall came to sit beside her. “Are ye all right? I wanted to head out again in a few minutes, but if ye need to rest longer...”
“Nay, I’m fine,” she said. He arched an eyebrow at her in doubt. “Really. I told you, I’m stronger than you think.” she assured him.
He nodded, but he didn’t stand up to leave. He dreaded what he had to tell her. He had no patience for tears and pleading.
“Katherine, there is something else. I told ye yesterday we would be passing near the holding of one of my allies, Laird Carr.” She nodded grimly. “It will be somewhat out of our way for all of us to ride to his keep and we are already going slower than I had planned. I have asked Keith to take Stormy to Laird Carr, and join back with us this evening. He is ready to leave.” Niall braced himself for the tantrum he anticipated, but it didn’t come.
Katherine nodded. Standing up, she walked over to Stormy, put her arms around her pet’s neck, and leaned her head against it. She didn’t cry or plead, but after a few moments, she simply whispered her goodbye. Untethering Stormy, she walked the mare to where Keith waited, giving him the reins. He appeared at a loss for what to say. He just clicked to his horse and rode away.
Tomas came to her, his brow knitted. “Where is he taking your Stormy?”
Niall remembered Tomas hadn’t been at Cotharach as they left yesterday so he didn’t understand what was happening now. He watched as she knelt down beside Tomas, put an arm around him, and said, “Stormy has to go and live somewhere else now.”
“But why?” he asked, his lip trembling.
“Tomas, have you noticed the land around us is hillier and rougher than it was at Cotharach?” He nodded. “As we get closer to Duncurra, it will get even more rugged. It would be very hard for Stormy because she isn’t used to it.”
“Why isn’t it hard for the other horses?” he asked, still looking as if he might cry.
“Well, look at them,” Katherine said, “they are all a lot bigger and stronger than Stormy is. Besides, this is their home. They are used to it.”
“But ye love Stormy,” he said. Katherine bit her lower lip, appearing to blink back her own tears.
“Aye, I do,” she said finally. “I love her so much, I don’t want her to get hurt. That is why I didn’t leave her at Cotharach, and why I am giving her to someone else now who will love her.”