Honor and Desire (Gold Sky #3) - Rebel Carter Page 0,27

woman was able to put aside life’s hurts as if they never occurred.

A woman carried them with her for all of her days until she confronted them.

She prayed she would have the strength to carry hers with grace.

Seylah squinted out at the horizon and frowned when the noonday sun made her yank the brim of her hat lower so that she could see anything of use.

“How far down the line are you wanting to go?” August asked her.

“About a mile or so,” Seylah answered him, leaning back in her seat and pointing out towards the horizon. “Daddy said the fence was damaged out that way. Wanted us to take a look at it, maybe mend it while we were out on our ride.”

August hummed in answer and nodded. “Sounds good.”

Seylah waited for him to continue, but when her friend said nothing, she nudged her horse into motion. They were out for their weekly ride, a ride Seylah was quickly realizing would be a mostly one-sided affair in terms of conversation.

“How was your day?” She tried, but only received another grunt in place of words. Seylah blew out a deep breath, and the pair rode in silence for several minutes, until she tried again.

“Are you...upset?”

August frowned and looked at her. “Why would you think that?” His blue eyes were cool on her, and she hated how easy it was for the man to keep his emotions hidden. She was an open book, this she knew from the countless times August had teased her. Seylah was painfully aware that August could understand her by simply looking at her face, that her whole heart was to be found in her eyes when it came to him.

How was it so easily done by him when she couldn’t manage it in the least?

“You’re incredibly quiet,” she told him.

He raised an eyebrow at her. “That’s my way.”

She nodded at him, flicking her reins and working to stay relaxed in her seat. It would do no good for her to become agitated on the off chance that her horse would pick up on it. “You’re right. It is your way…when you’re upset,” she said, voice even and measured, but even so, August scoffed at her words.

“You seem to have something on your mind that you would like to discuss.”

“What makes you say that?” Seylah was proud that her voice was still cool, there was no drama to her tone, only calmness. Perhaps she had been too hasty in her estimation of being an open book for August’s perusal. It could be that she had grown some in her ability to conceal her emotions—

“It’s plain as day, Seylah,” August interrupted her, dashing any hopes that she had mastered the art of concealment, “you know I can tell what you’re thinking by just one look.” He gave her a smug smile that had her seeing red.

Just because the man could understand her easily did not mean he need be so assured in it, or at least not to her face.

“Plain as day is it?” She asked, flicking her reins again and urging her horse faster. “You say that as if I can’t tell when you’re upset from a mile off. Why I quite estimate that if I were standin’ at the broken fence,” she threw out her arm in front of them, and her horse sped up slightly as her speaking increased, “I could tell you’re in a sour mood today.”

“Oh, Seylah, don’t get fussy.”

“I am not fussy! You’re fussy,” she informed him, her horse now at a gallop. “And, you’re smug too. A smug fussy man if I ever did see one!”

“Seylah, slow down.”

“I’m fine with this speed thank you very much,” Seylah tossed back, enjoying the way her horse was now moving. She could see the fence that needed mending just up ahead, and this horse did enjoy a sprint from time to time, so why not indulge the poor creature? She leaned over the pommel, the reins in one hand as she trailed the other out alongside her, catching the wind in her fingers.

Here, like this, nothing could touch her. Not anything, not her misunderstandings with August or the man’s sour mood, nor her nervousness over her upcoming outing with Elliot, even the dramatics of her dress fittings could be left behind.

She was free like this. Her body relaxed and she sighed, closing her eyes for a moment as the horse continued on towards their destination. She could hear August yelling at her to slow down,

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