Chapter 14

 

“What are you doing?” a woman asked.

Nick spun around, careful not to startle Ovet, and let out a sigh. He had arrived home from his morning ride to check on tenants a good hour ago and, while he should have had the horse groomed by now, he continued brushing Ovet down. The horse seemed to like the attention.

Though lingering in the stables had more to do with his early morning activities than anything.

He glared at his little sister. “Kiki, do you not have houseguests who need your attention?”

“I do, but they are all still sleeping,” she replied, leaning on the adjoining stall. “You know I could never sleep very late.”

He smoothed the body brush over Ovet’s flank. “One of your greatest methods for learning the latest gossip. Even the maids complain about your early hours.”

She waved a hand in the air. “Only Alda does, because she does not like getting up early. Part of the reason I have quit having her help me get dressed.”

Nick sighed. “Is there something I can do for you, little girl?”

“I just wondered why you headed out so early this morning. The guard house said you left before the morning guard change.”

“And?”

“Bryan’s horse is still gone, too.” She glanced around the stables. “It has been over a week–”

He raised his eyebrow at his sister. “Bryan has been gone for six days.” Nick brushed the soft hair on Ovet’s neck, careful to mind her face. He patted the animal as he did and the horse shook her head at him, sniffing at his pocket. “Yes, there is a snack in there for you. When I am done,” he whispered. “Then you get your prize.”

The horse huffed indignantly.

“I think you love that horse more than you love your own sister,” Kiki muttered, arms crossed.

“The horse knows when to be quiet,” Nick replied. “And Ovet is not nosy. Unlike some sisters I know.”

She waggled her finger at him. “I know you, Nicolas. You are up to something.” She narrowed her eyes at him in a fair imitation of their mother. “I am bound and determined to find out what it is.”

He rolled his eyes at her. “Nothing you need fret about, dear sister. Now, run along and play or I will find something for you to do in here.”

She shook her head. “I can brush down a horse better than you can.”

He held out his brush. “Prove it.”

She ran her hand down the post of the stall before looking at him again. “You boys are up to something. Where is Bryan, anyway?”

“Why do you care?”

She shrugged. “I like to know where my enemies are. It does not look well when my guests are afraid another volley of arrows will fly into the room in which we are taking our tea.”

He snorted. “It was one arrow.”

“Regardless,” she said, taking a step closer. “Where did he go?”

Nick could not help being intrigued by his sister’s curiosity. “Which one of your little friends has a crush on Bryan?”

“None of them, now. Not after he shot arrows at us.” Female voices–giggles, more precisely–echoed in the courtyard and Kiki turned and glanced out the main entrance of the stables. “Drat,” she muttered. “You did not see me.” She slid past Ovet’s stall and headed for the opposite end.

Nick shook his head and, if he were anywhere but in the stables, he would have yelled his sister’s name just to draw the attention of her houseguests. Fortunately for her, Ovet and the other horses saved her this time. 

He continued his task, working in careful, practiced motions over Ovet’s body. And even though he could brush down the horse with his eyes closed if needed, he had to do something. He had been twitchy since he returned this morning.

Beyond being quite proud of the fact that he had hit Rapunzel’s windowsill on his first shot in the pre-dawn hours, he was also anxious about the present he had left her.

He already had two more in mind for her, and it took all his restraint to keep from returning to the tower to give those gifts. If he had learned one thing from Penn, it was to take things slowly, to drag it out when enticing a lady, for it made the anticipation even more intense. Though if Penn knew he was taking presents to Rapunzel to win her trust, he would never let him forget it.

Still, it seemed the only way. Nick did not want to scare her any more than he already had, yet he had to do something to convince her he did not mean her harm. His name, his noble rank, or even his title as a Charming Noble would do nothing to ingratiate him to her.

He had to get her out of the tower.

Nick had not heard from Bryan. He considered that a good thing, for Bryan would send word if he were returning. By now, he would have reached the border of Gruenewald province. If, of course, Rapunzel’s mother had not changed direction.

Penn was right. The woman could have been heading anywhere.

Which is what bothered Nick the most about the gifts. While they were a brilliant idea, they took time.

And he did not know how much time he had.

He would not leave her in that tower where she could be brutalized. That was not going to happen.

Not as long as he lived.