made the gesture punishable by death. Yet this man made the move seem natural.
‘I...you startled me and I just...dived for cover. I hadn’t realised someone else would be coming to check the horses. I’m so sorry to interrupt your work here. Please proceed with your duties.’
For a fleeting second an expression she couldn’t interpret crossed his face, and then he took the smallest of steps backwards, executed a bow.
‘Ma’am. There is no need for you to apologise. These horses are now yours and are yours to visit any time of day and night. I know they will appreciate your care.’
‘And I’m sure that they appreciated yours. Tell me, are you their...?’ She allowed her voice to question and he took another small step backwards.
‘I have been responsible for them. I stopped by tonight to ensure they have settled in, that they are not, as you say, “homesick”. Soon I will return to Aguilarez.’ He hesitated, studied her face. ‘If you like, before I go, we could take a moonlit ride; you could get to know Ferron and Arya better.’
Her turn to hesitate now; were royal princesses supposed to go on moonlit rides with strangers? Possibly not...but...her brain scrambled into overdrive, wanting, seeking reasons to justify her instinctive desire to say yes. This man wasn’t a stranger as such—he was part of the Aguilarez entourage. So this could be classed as a gesture of friendliness. Also he must love these horses and probably wanted a chance to have one last ride—it would be unkind to deny him that. And royalty often rode out accompanied by staff, and maybe she could use this as a fact-finding mission. Find out more about the Asturias family before the ball, especially Prince Cesar. And...dammit...she wanted to do this. Craved a ride on one of these magnificent animals in the company of this man.
‘Thank you. I’d like that. As long as you don’t have to be back...’
‘No. I do not need to leave yet.’ He gestured outside. ‘It is beautiful outside but cold—if it is not too presumptuous, I could lend you my coat.’
‘But then you’ll be cold.’
‘I am used to these temperatures, ma’am; I grew up here. My jumper will suffice.’ With a smile that rocked her backwards he hitched off his coat and handed it to her.
‘Thank you, though I suspect I’ll look ridiculous.’ Though perhaps no more ridiculous than she already did, with bits of her pyjamas protruding at wrist and ankle.
‘I’ll saddle them up,’ he said.
‘We’ll saddle them up,’ she corrected. ‘Which one would you prefer to ride? Ferron?’ After all, he’d gone to Ferron’s stall first—perhaps that was his preferred mount.
‘I would like that,’ he said.
Gabi couldn’t help but observe as he saddled the horse; his actions were deft and fluid as he tucked the stirrups under the saddle, manoeuvred the buckles of the girth—whatever his role he was familiar and comfortable around horses and Ferron seemed more than content. His murmured words and gentle touch demonstrated clearly that he was known to this horse and any minor doubts faded away.
Soon they had led the horses out and mounted.
‘Where to?’ he asked.
‘Through the woodlands,’ she suggested.
‘Sure.’ As he patted Ferron’s neck and they set off curiosity beset her. Now out in the moonlight she could see him more clearly, saw that his hands were smooth, his clothes definitely expensive.
‘So, have you worked for the royal family for long?’
‘All my life. You could say it is a family tradition.’ His voice was tinged with a low irony.
‘Do you regret it?’ she asked, and he frowned as if he wished he’d not given so much away.
‘Not at all, but it is sometimes hard to have your life preordained.’
‘I liked that about mine. My old life, I mean.’
‘You worked in a book store in Canada.’
‘I did more than that. My uncle and aunt owned the store and I inherited it on their death.’ Peter and Bea had passed away within months of each other and Gabi had grieved them deeply. She had loved them and would always be grateful to them for taking her in, for sacrificing their own dream for her. Without them, the knowledge she was alone in the world had been difficult.
But after a while her natural drive had come into force and she had thrown herself into her work. Kept up with her teaching schedule, where she taught children and adults with reading difficulties, whilst working all other hours to make a success of the bookshop. ‘It may seem like peanuts compared to ruling a kingdom but I loved my shop and it was thriving.’ She could only hope it still was—she’d hired a manager to run it, still called as often as she could.
‘And you had no idea of your heritage.’
‘None.’ She tried to keep bleakness from her tone, knew she hadn’t when he guided Ferron closer to her, as if his presence could offer comfort.
‘Then this must be hard,’ he stated.
Gabi turned to him, met the directness of his gaze. ‘You are one of the few people to have said that.’ And he was. Many believed that she should be thrilled at her ‘elevation’ to a position of fame, fortune and power.
‘Most people have a distorted view of royalty, that it is all about glamour and money and fame. That is part of it but there is a flip side to that coin.’
‘Yes...the rules, the...’ Gabi trailed off, suddenly aware that she mustn’t sound as if she were complaining; that would not be within the Princesses’ Behavioural Code either. ‘Differences are hard sometimes. It is an enormous adjustment.’ Change had come, huge, sweeping, terrifying change. Leaning down, she patted the horse’s neck, knew she needed to direct the questions away from her. Because for some reason this man was disconcertingly easy to talk to.
‘But what about you? You said you work for the royal family due to family tradition. Surely you’re not bound to them.’
For a moment discomfort touched his aquiline features, dappled and shadowed in the moonlight that filtered the leafy glade. ‘Tradition is important. My job pleases me...my life is a good one. I did not mean to sound as though I have regrets.’
Yet somehow she was sure he did and Gabi frowned, suddenly concerned. ‘You know that I won’t tell anyone about this conversation, or say that you have reservations about your work.’
Now he smiled, the smile warm and full of reassurance and it caused her tummy to flip as he reached out to touch her reins, careful, though, not to touch her and stupid regret coursed through her. ‘I thank you, ma’am, and I assure you too that this conversation is confidential. But I do not fear the Asturias family.’
‘Lucky you! I do...’ The words fell from her lips without her intent, meant to be light but she suspected they had wobbled with fear.
‘Why?’ Curiosity and a sharpness touched his voice. ‘What have they done?’
‘No...they’ve
