She was about to tell him what she thought of his orders, but Misty was standing perfectly still, so maybe she shouldn’t spoil a good thing. “Go ahead.”
He tapped his heels on his gelding’s flank and demonstrated, then circled around. “Once ye get the feel of the rhythm, ye willna have to actually raise and lower. Ye will become one with the movement.” He pointed to her reins. “Now unwrap those and try.”
Juliana did so rather gingerly, realizing now, that after her brave talk, she’d really not had any control over this mare. Would the horse try to unseat her? Rory was watching, though, and she was not about to admit any fear in front of him. Cautiously, she nudged Misty forward as she’d seen Rory do. To her surprise, after a few wobbling attempts at standing and sitting, she was actually able to anticipate the mare’s gait. And also to her surprise, Rory let her keep her reins as they rode on.
But she was sore when they finally arrived at the coaching inn at Spean and he helped her dismount. For a moment, she leaned against the horse while he steadied her. She managed to straighten.
“I am fine.”
He nodded. “Why do ye nae go inside and wait while I see to the horses? Tell the innkeeper I will be along in a few minutes.”
“I will.” The idea of finally sitting in a chair that didn’t move was really appealing. So was the thought of a good meal, a hot bath, and a soft bed.
A mail coach pulled up as Rory walked away with the horses. Several people got out, probably to stretch their legs and use the necessary. The man sitting on the bench hopped down and went inside the inn, while the driver started unhitching the horses to replace them. Juliana gave the first man a thoughtful look, then followed and watched as he picked up a leather satchel full of mail.
“Where are you headed, sir?”
The man looked her over. “Fort William, lady.”
“If I give you a letter, can you make sure it gets to Strae Castle near Dalmally?”
“Aye.” He looked offended. “’Tis me job.”
“Thank you. I will just be a minute.” She turned to the clerk behind the counter. “May I borrow some paper?” Then she added, “Can you tell me how far it is to Invergarry Castle?”
“About fifteen miles.”
“Thank you.” Hastily, she scribbled a note to her sisters telling them Rory had rescued her and they were headed to Invergarry to take a circuitous route home and not to worry. She folded the paper, put it in an envelope the clerk provided, and wrote the address on it. Then she handed it to the man along with an extra shilling—luckily she had change left over from her purchases—for his troubles.
“Thank you,” she said as the man nodded, put the letter in the sack, and walked out. She breathed a sigh of relief.
Rory might not agree, but she knew her sisters were worried. Now they would know that she was safe.
Chapter Seven
The warm scents of hay, horses, and leather enveloped Rory as he led the tired animals into the stable behind the inn.
“I need a stall for each and a portion of oats along with hay,” he told the stable master.
The man shook his head. “I can do the food, but there’s nae a stall available. Your nags will have to stay in the paddock.”
He resisted an urge to inform the man his mounts were not nags, but coaching inns tended to treat horses as commodities because they leased and traded them on a regular basis. Nor was he about to leave them outside. The weather had already grown considerably colder while they’d ridden this afternoon, and he wasn’t about to subject the animals to sleet or snow if he could help it.
He looked around, then pointed to an area filled with old harnesses and other discarded tack. “What about that corner over there? Can it be cleaned out?”
The man looked at him as though he’d requested tea service on china. “My two lads have all they can do to see to the four coaching horses that just came in.”
Stifling a comment that the stable master himself appeared to have two usable hands, Rory produced a guinea and saw the man’s eyes light. “Would this pay for the effort?”
The stable master grabbed the coin and pocketed it. “I can have it cleaned in a thrice.”
Rory nodded and dropped the reins to both horses. He knew Baron would not move and he doubted the mare would, either, since she seemed to be comfortable following the gelding’s lead. His mouth quirked as he went to examine the freshness of the hay. Too bad a certain other female was not inclined to follow a man’s lead.
It probably was just as well to spend a bit of time in the stables, getting the horses settled. It would give him time to sort out the day or, more importantly, the company he had kept.
Riding pillion this morning to Fort William had been pure torture with Juliana bouncing her arse up and down against his groin. That arse had become more delectable and desirable as his cock had hardened. He wondered how she had not noticed. Surely even a virgin would recognize something that thick and hard… He shook his head. As poor a rider as she was, it was possible she had not. She hadn’t mentioned it, and if there was one thing he could depend on her for, it was voicing her opinion.
The afternoon ride hadn’t gone much better, he thought as he checked the quality of the oats in the bin. Once he’d relinquished her reins, she’d ridden alongside him instead of trailing behind, giving him a very nice view of her partially exposed leg since she’d hiked up her dress to ride astride. It was a nicely curved calf, not thin or chunky, and he’d had a sudden desire to know if her thigh was equally well portioned.
