go."
Rowan led her to the stables. The stable boy started to head into a stall which, she guessed, was to a very gentle horse. Sonya walked up & down the row greeting & petting all the horses. She loved horses. They had the softest noses & always tried to nibble you. After a look she stopped in front of a horse she recognized.
"This one," she stated.
Rowan said, "This one might be better to start with."
"Nope, I would like to ride this one. I like the spots." She was familiar with the Appaloosa. Her uncles had that type.
"The lady has spoken, lad. She will ride this one."
Rowan on the other hand, rode a medium brown horse with spirit to match his owner…untamed.
She took the reins from the young boy. "Thanks, I've got it."
"Yes, Milady."
Sonya got herself into the saddle as Rowan waited for her. They walked out into the field. "Where will we ride?" she asked.
"This way. There is some foliage, but I like it."
Sonya spurred the horse forward in the direction Rowan indicated. She hated trotting. She didn't expect any woman liked it too much. So, she made a clicking noise & the horse sped off. Oh, to ride a running horse had to be the next best thing to having wings!
Sonya emptied her head of everything but the exhilaration that filled her. The air blowing her hair back, the breath of the horse as he ran. Rowan matched her stride. The horses leaped a bit of brush & she stayed seated. She didn't always as a girl, but boy did she keep trying & kept jumping too. As they neared a lane with a row of beautiful trees on each side they slowed to a walk. Rowan smiled at her & she smiled back.
"Well?" she queried.
"Is there naught ye have to be taught?"
"I am sure there are a few things," she smiled. Rowan laughed.
As they reached a clearing, Rowan stopped. "I have always loved it here. We used to play here as children."
"You & Angus?"
"Aye & several other children as well."
Sonya looked over at him with narrowed eyes, trying to figure him out. He had a happy look as he reminisced. So, he wasn't all play. Rowan looked over at her & smiled.
"Ready to return?" he asked.
"Sure. It is nearly dinner, isn't it?"
"Aye, it is. We'll come again another day, when there is more time." They turned & rode back as fast as they had come. It was fun, it was freeing & Sonya truly enjoyed herself.
*
At dinner Sonya sat next to Rowan. She listened & smiled. There was never a boring conversation in this family! It reminded her of her own & she smiled again.
"Sonya," Angus said, "now will ye tell us how ye came here."
"Well, as we were just nearing...there was a wreck." That wasn't really lying, was it?
"And the others?"
"The ones that remained have settled into Ronin." Sonya didn't want to talk more about that.
"Tell us what your home is like," Anne said steering the conversation away from Duncan. Boy, did Sonya love that woman! Now, how the heck was she going to pull this one off?
"I lived down in the south in a place called New Mexico." They looked so riveted that she almost laughed. "It is very hot & dry there; the opposite of here really. It is a desert. I like to keep warm."
In a very low voice Rowan said, "We have ways of keeping one warm, lass." Sonya, choked & turned red. Angus looked at his brother who had a knack for looking innocent, even when you knew he wasn't!
"Anyway," Sonya cleared her throat. "It has beautiful skies & a very unusual place called White Sands. Which is just that, a place you can go & it is all white."
"Oh! That sounds so interesting," said Anne with wonder in her voice.
Sonya smiled. "It is."
"What other things do ye have there?" asked Angus with curiosity lighting his eyes. Let's see, I guess I will leave out the Air Force Base & the Space Center. Imagine!
"What is your dwelling like?" asked Anne.
"Well, it is like a cottage."
"Do ye have a horse?" asked Rowan.
"No, but my uncles did. I loved to ride when I was growing up. Every chance I could get, I rode."
"No kidding," Rowan said
Rowan led her to the stables. The stable boy started to head into a stall which, she guessed, was to a very gentle horse. Sonya walked up & down the row greeting & petting all the horses. She loved horses. They had the softest noses & always tried to nibble you. After a look she stopped in front of a horse she recognized.
"This one," she stated.
Rowan said, "This one might be better to start with."
"Nope, I would like to ride this one. I like the spots." She was familiar with the Appaloosa. Her uncles had that type.
"The lady has spoken, lad. She will ride this one."
Rowan on the other hand, rode a medium brown horse with spirit to match his owner…untamed.
She took the reins from the young boy. "Thanks, I've got it."
"Yes, Milady."
Sonya got herself into the saddle as Rowan waited for her. They walked out into the field. "Where will we ride?" she asked.
"This way. There is some foliage, but I like it."
Sonya spurred the horse forward in the direction Rowan indicated. She hated trotting. She didn't expect any woman liked it too much. So, she made a clicking noise & the horse sped off. Oh, to ride a running horse had to be the next best thing to having wings!
Sonya emptied her head of everything but the exhilaration that filled her. The air blowing her hair back, the breath of the horse as he ran. Rowan matched her stride. The horses leaped a bit of brush & she stayed seated. She didn't always as a girl, but boy did she keep trying & kept jumping too. As they neared a lane with a row of beautiful trees on each side they slowed to a walk. Rowan smiled at her & she smiled back.
"Well?" she queried.
"Is there naught ye have to be taught?"
"I am sure there are a few things," she smiled. Rowan laughed.
As they reached a clearing, Rowan stopped. "I have always loved it here. We used to play here as children."
"You & Angus?"
"Aye & several other children as well."
Sonya looked over at him with narrowed eyes, trying to figure him out. He had a happy look as he reminisced. So, he wasn't all play. Rowan looked over at her & smiled.
"Ready to return?" he asked.
"Sure. It is nearly dinner, isn't it?"
"Aye, it is. We'll come again another day, when there is more time." They turned & rode back as fast as they had come. It was fun, it was freeing & Sonya truly enjoyed herself.
*
At dinner Sonya sat next to Rowan. She listened & smiled. There was never a boring conversation in this family! It reminded her of her own & she smiled again.
"Sonya," Angus said, "now will ye tell us how ye came here."
"Well, as we were just nearing...there was a wreck." That wasn't really lying, was it?
"And the others?"
"The ones that remained have settled into Ronin." Sonya didn't want to talk more about that.
"Tell us what your home is like," Anne said steering the conversation away from Duncan. Boy, did Sonya love that woman! Now, how the heck was she going to pull this one off?
"I lived down in the south in a place called New Mexico." They looked so riveted that she almost laughed. "It is very hot & dry there; the opposite of here really. It is a desert. I like to keep warm."
In a very low voice Rowan said, "We have ways of keeping one warm, lass." Sonya, choked & turned red. Angus looked at his brother who had a knack for looking innocent, even when you knew he wasn't!
"Anyway," Sonya cleared her throat. "It has beautiful skies & a very unusual place called White Sands. Which is just that, a place you can go & it is all white."
"Oh! That sounds so interesting," said Anne with wonder in her voice.
Sonya smiled. "It is."
"What other things do ye have there?" asked Angus with curiosity lighting his eyes. Let's see, I guess I will leave out the Air Force Base & the Space Center. Imagine!
"What is your dwelling like?" asked Anne.
"Well, it is like a cottage."
"Do ye have a horse?" asked Rowan.
"No, but my uncles did. I loved to ride when I was growing up. Every chance I could get, I rode."
"No kidding," Rowan said
Similar Books
