Dragon Warrior (Midnight Bay) (10 page)

“Nay, Gabby merely found her voice. And her backbone. And a vocabulary that would put yours to shame,” he added with a chuckle.

“So why did your dad decide not to cut her hair off?” Sarah asked.

“Gabby told our mother about the children teasing her.”

“And did your mother make them stop?” William glanced over his shoulder in time to see Sarah frown up at Maddy. “I-I don’t want you to talk to them, because then they’ll think I’m a sissy for tattling.”

“Our mother didn’t do anything,” William said. “Gabby did it herself.”

Sarah blinked at him. “She did? How?”

“Once Mama explained why the children were teasing her and suggest how she could make them stop, Gabby put a stop to it.”

“What did your mama tell her?”

“That the other boys and girls were jealous.”

“Jealous? Of what?”

“My sister was quite an accomplished young lass, and could ride a horse better than the boys could, and hit a target with her slingshot from over twenty paces away.” He smiled at both of them. “And boys being boys, they didn’t like knowing a lassie could outride them, so they tried to discourage her with their teasing.”

“And the girls?” Sarah asked.

“My sister was quite pretty, with long dark hair and a smile that would make even a curmudgeon break into a grin.” He nodded to her. “Just like you, Sarah. And girls being girls, they would start teasing Gabby about any little thing they could find, hoping to make her feel bad about herself so they’d feel good about themselves.

“You think I’m pretty, just like your sister?”

“Nay, lass, I think you’re beautiful just like your mother. Ye have your mama’s beautiful brown eyes, and when ye smile, it’s like the sun just peeked from behind a cloud and the whole world lights up.”

Sarah turned to look up at her mother. “He said we’re beautiful,” she whispered. “And that we have beautiful eyes.”

Maddy hugged her daughter and kissed the top of her head. “Should we believe Mr. Killkenny, or do you think he’s just shining us on?”

“You’re beautiful,” Sarah whispered. She nodded. “So I guess we can believe him.” She looked at William. “What did Gabby do to make them stop teasing her?”

“She practiced the art of misdirection.”

“What’s misdirection? Is it something . . . I can learn?”

Since he’d run out of driveway, William started leading Rose on another turn around the yard. “Misdirection is really quite simple. When a person says something ye don’t like, you ask them a question.”

“I don’t get it. How does that stop them from teasing?”

“If ye ask the person about something he or she might find fascinating, they will forget all about what
they
said to talk about what
you
said.” He stopped and looked at her. “Take for instance that you’re on the bus tomorrow, and one of the boys says something to you that ye don’t like. You just ask him if he’s ever ridden a warhorse. And when he says no, ye tell him that
you
have.”

“But I haven’t.”

William gestured at Rose. “Aye, but ye have, lass. You’ve been riding a warhorse for the last twenty minutes.”

“Rose isn’t a warhorse; she’s a big old plow horse.”

“This mare has never pulled a plow or been put in a harness. She’s descended from the great warhorses of highland warriors. In fact, she’s won prizes at the Scottish summer games down on the Maine coast six years running, before her son, Kenzie’s powerful stallion, Curaidh, stole the honor from her.”

“But I’m not
really
riding her, so I’d be fibbing. I’m just sitting on Rose while you lead her around.”

William tossed the reins over the mare’s head, then reached up, captured Maddy by the waist, and slid her to the ground—leaving Sarah sitting on the horse all by herself. “Pick up the reins,” he told the girl, taking hold of Maddy’s wrist when she started to reach for her daughter. “Sarah’s okay; she’s a big, smart, brave lass who can command a warhorse to do her bidding.”

“I-I can?” Sarah whispered, looking skeptical even as she picked up the reins.

Threading his fingers through Maddy’s, William started walking down the driveway again. “Gently pull on the right rein, Sarah, to tell Rose ye wish to follow us.”

“Don’t kick her sides,” Maddy added, craning her neck to watch. She glared at William as she tried to wiggle free. “Honest to God, Killkenny, if that horse so much as burps and she falls off, I am going to kill you,” she hissed softly.

“Rose has been letting little girls boss her around all her life,” he quietly assured her. “Sarah is safer on that horse than on one of those big yellow buses.” He stopped walking to face Sarah. “That’s good, lass. Now, turn her around and head back toward the house.”

The girl pulled the left rein out as far as her arm would reach, and Rose obediently turned and ambled toward the house. “Look, Mom! I’m riding a
warhorse
! I can’t wait to tell everyone tomorrow. They’re going to be so jealous!”

Maddy blew out a heavy sigh, and William felt her fingers relax in his. “I’m a little jealous myself,” she said, one side of her mouth lifting crookedly. “I only got to sit on Rose and be led around.”

He squeezed her hand. “You and Sarah could come to Eve’s tomorrow when ye get off work, and the three of us could take a ride after dinner. And you could have a warhorse all to yourself.”

She looked down at her hand in his; her breath sort of hitched like it had before, and she looked up and studied his face for the longest time. “You know, I think I
would
like to go for a ride tomorrow evening.”

He let go of her hand to lift Sarah off the mare and set her on the porch step. “The sun’s set,” he told her, “so that must mean it’s your bedtime.”

“I go to bed at nine.”

“That gives ye seventeen minutes to climb the stairs, scrub your face clean, and put on your pajamas,” he said, holding up his watch to show her the exact time.

“Oh, no, you don’t,” she countered, waggling her little finger at him. “You’re not tricking me into thinking it’s a race.” She reached out and patted the mare’s large nose. “Good night, Rose.” The girl suddenly gasped. “Wait right here!” she instructed, spinning around and running into the house. “Gram! Bring your camera! I need you to take a picture of me on a
warhorse
.”

She ran back out onto the porch and held her arms out to William. “Can you lift me up on her again, please, Mr. Killkenny? I need a picture to show them on the bus tomorrow, because they’ll never believe I really rode a warhorse if I don’t have proof.”

William looked at Maddy, and when she nodded, he picked the girl up and set her on Rose’s back. Sarah immediately picked up the reins again. “How do I make her back up, so no one will be in the picture but me and Rose?”

“Just give a gentle tug on both reins, and make a soft clicking sound with your tongue. When ye want her to stop backing up, relax the reins.”

“Oh, my God,” Patricia said, stepping onto the porch just as Sarah started backing up the mare. She clutched her chest, turning horrified eyes on her daughter. “Maddy, she’s just a baby.”

“No, Mom, she’s a big, smart, brave lass,” Maddy said, holding her hand out for the camera. “And she’s going to show everyone at summer rec
tomorrow
that she rode a warhorse.”

Still looking more worried than impressed, Patricia handed the camera to her daughter. Maddy stepped away, held the little box up and peered at a tiny screen on it, then pushed a button several times. The camera gave several sudden flashes of light, and William flinched every time.

He had no idea what in hell a camera was, although he guessed that if Sarah was asking for a picture, it must capture her image somehow. He sighed to himself; he’d have to ask Mabel about it tomorrow, during their morning walk.

And then maybe he’d ask Janice to order one for him.

Maddy slid the camera into her pocket and helped her daughter off the mare. “Remember what Mr. Killkenny told you about the art of misdirection, Sarah. Timing is important. I’ll print out the pictures for you tonight, but you don’t show them to anyone until someone says something you don’t like. Then you ask if they’ve ever ridden a warhorse, and
then
you whip out the photos.” She gave Sarah a hug and nudged her toward the house with a laugh. “That will certainly misdirect the little snots.”

“Gram, I’m going to the state park tomorrow, and we’re going to study the mud flats,” Sarah said as she led her grandmother back into the house. “We gotta find my rubber boots. And I need a plastic pail and old spoon, so I can dig up some clams,” she continued, her voice trailing off as she dragged Patricia deeper into the house.

“Thank you,” Maddy said, turning to smile at William.

“For?”

“For bolstering Sarah’s confidence and giving her some ammunition against their teasing tomorrow. That was very sweet of you.”

“There ye go again, thinking I’m sweet and thoughtful. Have ye not considered that I might have a more selfish motive?”

“Like what?”

“Like maybe if ye feel kindly toward me, you’d reconsider using my truck instead of Eve’s car, so Elbridge can take me driving.” He lifted his hand holding Rose’s reins. “The mare’s fine for getting around town, but it’s hard to strap pieces of lumber to her back for the house I’m building. I need my driver’s license.”

Maddy stared at his hand holding the reins for several seconds, but then her shoulders suddenly slumped. “Okay, I’ll use your truck.”

“No, I’ve changed my mind,” William snapped, grabbing Rose’s mane and swinging himself onto her back. He turned the mare and started riding away. “I’ve decided I don’t like feeling beholden any more than you do.”

“Look, I told you I’d use the truck, and I will,” Maddy snapped back, following him down the driveway.

He pulled Rose to a halt and looked down at her.

“I’m not doing it for you; I’m doing it for Elbridge,” she continued, her glare as fierce as a battle-hardened warrior. “And Sarah and I will be at Eve’s tomorrow after work, and I want my horse to be wearing a saddle,” she finished, pivoting around and storming back to the house.

He started down the driveway again.

“And William?” she called out.

He turned to find her smiling at him—rather sinisterly—from the porch.

“You’re not the only one who can have an ulterior motive,” she said, spinning away and disappearing into the house.

Chapter Seven

W
illiam balanced the saddle over the stall door, but then stilled when the sun shining through the barn window flashed off the face of his watch. “Have ye ever thought of wearing a timepiece, Gregor?” he asked Kenzie, who was in Curaidh’s stall, brushing the stallion.

“What for? I just have to look at the sun or stars to know what time it is.”

“Aye,” William agreed, turning his wrist to study the watch. “But I wonder if men in this century don’t wear them for some reason other than telling time.”

Kenzie stopped brushing. “Ye mean like jewelry?” He grinned. “Have you taken a fancy to adorning yourself like a woman, Killkenny?”

William opened Rose’s stall door with a snort and began brushing the mare. “Did ye happen to notice how Maddy kept staring at my arm all through dinner? She told me she didn’t mind that I let Janice at the nursing home order the watch for me, but I’ve caught her eyes straying to it quite often. And the ladies at the home seemed quite adamant that I needed it to go with my new look. I just wondered if watches have some sort of appeal to modern women.”

“Eve wears a watch. And she bought Mabel one with a large dial that’s easier to see.” Kenzie looked across the aisle and shrugged. “They have no appeal to me.”

William rolled the cuffs up on his sleeves another turn, deciding he’d ask Mabel what was so special about watches. “I’m afraid we have a bit of a problem with our spoiled little harbor seal friend,” he said, leading Rose out of her stall. “Ye know the rumor going around that a mermaid was spotted out on the Gulf? Well, Maddy’s cousin Trace Huntsman told me last night that he’s the one who inadvertently started it.”

Kenzie set his arms over Curaidh’s stall door, his face darkened with concern. “But the magic should be shielding the pup’s true nature, and all anyone should see is a common harbor seal.
We
can’t even see past her mask, so how in hell could Maddy’s cousin know she’s really a woman?”

“That’s the gist of our problem, I’m afraid. And apparently the pup has realized he can see her, because she gave him a coin.”

Kenzie stiffened. “Did she also
speak
to him, or tell him her name or where she’s from? Or what century?”

“I don’t know what sort of exchange went on between them. I didn’t ask too many questions or let on that I knew anything about her.” William picked up the saddle, settled it on Rose’s broad back, and tightened the cinch. “When Huntsman showed me the coin, I told him only enough to encourage him to confide in me in the future.”

“Did you recognize the coin?”

“Only what was on the front, which was the mark of a strong arm.” He scowled across Rose’s back at Kenzie. “It was the same symbol I found on a large stone on my property that eventually led me through time to you.”