Eagerness soared through Tess. Six years…
"Apollo!" She fell to her knees on the ground, but the borzois ignored her and dashed past her to Galen to give him a frenzied welcome.
"Down." Galen held out his hand, and the borzois immediately froze, only their tails waving frantically. Galen's gaze narrowed on Tess's disappointed face, and he muttered a low curse. "Don't look like that. They're only dogs."
"I know." She smiled tremulously, blinking back the tears. "I shouldn't have expected them to remember me, but I used to think about them at the convent… They'll have to get to know me again."
"Time goes on, Tess," he said gently. "Nothing stands still."
She got to her feet and busily dusted off her habit. "They appear to have great affection for you. You must have treated them very well."
"For God's sake, I didn't set out to rob you of their affection."
"No, of course not. I knew them both as pups, and missed all the growing years." She smiled brightly. "I understand."
He muttered something beneath his breath. "But you're hurting," he said thickly. "I should have anticipated this."
"You're no seer. You couldn't be expected to know how dumb animals would react." She reached out and touched Daphne's silky coat with a loving hand. "I'm sure I was foolish to—" She broke off as the dogs suddenly tore away from them down the path toward the man approaching them from the house. "Who—?"
It was Kalim… but not the fierce, stern Kalim she had come to know. He laughed boyishly as the two dogs launched themselves at him in joyous delirium.
Tess stiffened. "What's he doing here?"
"He lives here. This is the house I gave him six years ago when I brought him down from the hills after his father's death."
"That boy was Kalim?" She was astonished at how affectionately he regarded the dogs. "I would never have guessed."
"He's very conscious of his responsibilities. He was forced to become a man before he stopped being a boy."
"You like him?"
He nodded. "And understand him. I was only in my seventeenth year when my father died and I became sheikh of the El Zalan." He strode down the path toward Kalim. "Coming here was a mistake. Let's give Kalim our greetings and be gone."
The smile lingered on Kalim's face as he lifted his head to look at Galen. "I thought it must be you. Apollo tore out of the house like a—" He broke off as he caught sight of Tess. His smile vanished, and he bowed formally. "Majira."
She felt a chill go through her. "How do you do, Kalim? I must thank you for being so kind to Apollo and Daphne."
"No kindness was necessary, Majira. I am fond of them." He turned back to Galen. "Will you be needing me for the next few days? If not, I thought I'd ride into the hills to visit my great-uncle."
"Go, but be careful. A messenger arrived this morning with news of more raids on the Said Ababa border."
"I'm always careful." A warm smile lit his face as he gave the dogs a final pat. "As you've taught me to be, Majiron. I'll bring you back a true report on the raids by the week's end." He bowed to each, then hurried up the path to the house.
Galen watched him with a worried frown. "I don't like him going alone."
"You're truly fond of him," Tess said, amazed as he took her arm and guided her through the garden toward the gate. "I have affection for Viane and Kalim and Sacha and many people of whom you have no knowledge."
"But Kalim seems…"—she substituted a word for the rude term she meant—"cold."
"He's not cold. You just don't understand him.''
"It's not likely that I will. He resents me."
"Yes."
She had expected him to deny the charge as Sacha had done. "Why? Because you wed me?"
"Partly." He opened the gate. "But principally because you're of the West."
"I don't understand."
"He's been out of Sedikhan on occasion, and he realizes what a pull the West exerts."
She frowned in puzzlement. "On you?"
"No, not on me." He lifted her onto the sidesaddle. "Before my stepmother died, she arranged a marriage between Kalim and Viane. Their marriage is to take place next summer."
"With Viane's consent?"
His lips tightened as he mounted Selik. "I would not have sanctioned it otherwise. You persist in thinking me a tyrant. Some of the old ways are best, but I would not cage Viane any more than I would Apollo or Daphne."
"Where are we going now?" she asked, trying to keep up with him.
"Back to the palace," he said curtly. "I made a mistake, but that doesn't mean I can't set it right."
The golden palomino mare in the stall stood fifteen hands high and shone creamy gold in the sunlight.
"Her name is Pavda." Galen patted the mare's nose. "She's been ridden only by the grooms to exercise her. At one time I thought to give her to Viane, but she's afraid of her."
"Afraid of this angel?" Tess moved forward to stand beside Galen. "But why? Look at her eyes. Anyone can see she's gentle as a lamb."
"Tell that to the groom who rides her every morning."
"She doesn't like being cooped up." She shot him a glance. "I can understand that."
"Did I feel a barb hit home?" He made a face. "If you're in such sympathy with her, then you obviously belong together. I take it you'll accept Pavda?"
She gazed wistfully at the mare. "I like Viane. I wouldn't steal this beauty from her."
"You can't steal what has never been given."
"I can't believe it. You're really giving her to me?" Tess's cheeks flushed with excitement as she ran a caressing hand over Pavda's muzzle. "She's going to be mine?"
"Wasn't that part of our bargain?"
"Yes, but my father—" She stopped. "I keep forgetting you don't like being compared to him." as I that not many men keep honor with women."
"That's because we feel helpless before some of their weapons. "
"Nonsense, it's the men who hold all the power in the world." She spoke absently, her gaze on Pavda. "She's mine? You won't take her back? "
"She is yours." He added softly, "And you won't have to fight for her affection. She's had no mistress but you, nor will she ever."
Warmth rippled through her. "Mine," she murmured. "May I ride her now?"
"Not now. Tomorrow is soon enough."
"But I want to—"
"Tomorrow," Galen said firmly. "I have things to do for the next few hours and have no time for lessons. "
"Lessons?" she asked indignantly. "I ride very well. Better than most men."
"Sidesaddle." He took her arm and pushed her gently toward the door of the stable. "From now on you ride astride."
She gazed at him, shocked. "Like a man?"
"My mother was killed riding sidesaddle. A horse fell and crushed her," Galen said grimly. "I'll not have you mounted on one of those death traps any longer than I can help it." He chuckled as he saw her expression. "Why do you look at me like that? I would have thought you'd like the freedom."
"I never—I was always told that a woman must ride—" Her eyes began to sparkle as she began possible."
"Many things are possible in Zalandan that aren't possible in the rest of the world." He smiled faintly into her radiant face. "You just have to cast off the old ways of thinking."