The door shut behind Eve without a sound and he stopped washing the plate. Lying it in the water, he took a deep breath and closed his eyes. Some kind of jolt had run through his hand and up his arm when he had touched her. It left him stunned and then their eyes had met. She seemed to be just as surprised but hid it almost as well as him. He had pushed the questions out of his head and told her he would take care of these dishes. He forced himself not to allow his eyes to follow her departure but he needed to get control over his thoughts. With her gone, he felt the after effects of that jolt slipping away. "You're awfully quiet." He picked up the dish and continued scrubbing it. He didn't need to answer the old man's curiosity and didn't want to. All he wanted to do was finish these dishes and retreat to somewhere private. Oric cleared his throat but he kept his back to the man. He rinsed off the plate and put it in the strainer. As he drained the sink, he grabbed a towel and began drying the dishes from the breakfast he had shared in silence with that blonde woman. Just thinking about her brought the new sensation back and a little scowl captured his mouth. He put the dishes away and hung the towel up. Finally he turned around and found Oric staring at him with a stern look on his face. "It's about time." He leaned back against the sink counter and waited for the man to begin another pointless lecture on respecting his elders. "Don't even start tuning me out. I'm worried about what occurred a few minutes ago." One eyebrow went up and he crossed his arms across his chest. The man took a seat on the other side of the counter and studied him. "You two were too quiet when she left. Normally one of you makes at least some kind of noise." He fought back the grunt and heard "I saw the contact between you two. It stirred something, didn't it?" "Does it matter?" Oric watched his guarded reaction and sighed. The man wasn't going to help clarify what happened. "Yes. It matters when it concerns the man I serve food to everyday and the woman that is assisting me in bettering my career as a cook." "You're already world known for you skills." The man smirked at the remark and rubbed his chin. True he was a great cook but Eve's sense of taste allowed him to push himself past his normal limit. The woman had brought a lot already to this place and if something occurred between the two young people he had to know what before it ruined this new atmosphere. "All I know is you touched her hand and then your eyes met. Something that never happens between the two of you." Johnathan looked out a window and said "I don't know what happened." "What did you feel?" "What makes you think I felt anything?" Oric chuckled and said "Your hand lingered until she pulled away after holding your gaze a little longer than normal." His scowl deepened and he looked back the cook. The man was right. He had let the surprise slip past his guarded facade and anyone could've noticed. "A jolt." "What kind of a jolt?" "An electric jolt. Something hot." The man started laughing and he rolled his eyes. He knew even trying to explain what he felt would come off sounding primitive. Oric caught his sides and tried catching his breath. "Oh my boy. That is a good one." His eyes narrowed and he walked around the counter. Oric watched him approach the door and push it open. The door swung up and shut behind him. His boots fell softly on the floor and he made his way through the dining hall. He heard the footsteps descending the stairwell above and glanced upward. He found his cousin Grace walking downstairs in her riding outfit and Abigail with her. "I assure you I would be there if I could." Grace laughed and said "I know otherwise. You never were big on horses." The woman smiled and said "That doesn't matter." The brunette shook her head with a smile and said "I honestly don't mind. Besides, I haven't spoken much with Eve since she woke up. She's been busy it seems." Abigail nodded and said "That I noticed." They both laughed as they stepped off the stairs and approached the door. Abigail opened the door for Grace and the woman looked back at her. She met his brown gaze over the woman's shoulder and offered him a smile. "Care to join us on our afternoon ride?" He disappeared into the parlor and she shook her head. "He seems more annoyed than normal." Abigail sighed and said "I've given up trying to figure out why." Grace laughed and said "I'll be back for dinner." She turned away and walked down the steps. The afternoon sun welcomed her and she walked through the bright courtyard. Stopping outside the gate, she glanced up at the two lions and felt a chill slip up her spine. They always made her feel like something dark was about to happen. Shaking off the dreary thoughts, she walked down the gravel road to the stable. As she approached, she caught sight of the stable boy William guiding out her chestnut mare Eleanor. The mare stood twitching her tail as the boy dressed her for the ride. Quietly Grace came up to the pair and the mare gave a soft call. She smiled and ran her hand over the mare's soft face. "How is this one doing?" William looked up at her and said "She has been ready all morning for this trip, my Lady." Smiling, she kissed Eleanor's nose and heard hooves coming out of the stable. Looking past the mare, she found Eve guiding out a black mare. The mare met Grace's brown gaze and snorted. She had heard that this mare was very temperamental. Eve slid her hand along the mare's face and whispered something to her. The black horse nudged her face and she offered her a smile. Grace couldn't help but smile at the exchange of affection and pulled herself into the saddle. She grabbed her reins and watched Eve swing up onto the horse. "Ready?" Grace met her blue gaze and asked "How did you manage to convince her to let you ride?" She ran her hand along the black neck and said "Carina just needed to know I wasn't going to hurt her." Grace smiled and William came up to Eve. He patted Carina's leg and looked up at the blonde woman. "Shall I let him out now?" She smiled and said "Please do." William laughed and asked "Do you think he'll be able to keep up?" "I imagine he'll try." The boy disappeared into the barn and Grace waited for this "he" to appear. A tan blur ran past her and over to Carina. She looked again and found a young puppy standing next to the mare's leg. "Who is this?" Eve glanced back at her and said "This is Tanner. Some children gave him to me to care for. He was abandoned and beaten when we found him yesterday." "So this is where you've been?" She nodded and looked back ahead. Taking a deep breath, she dug her knees into Carina's sides and the mare took off in a trot. Tanner ran along side silently and Grace let Eleanor follow. They moved away from the castle and toward the large green hills. The afternoon sun bathed them with warmth and a gentle breeze brushed across their faces. The two mares and puppy ran through the hills, enjoying the afternoon jaunt. They raced to the top hill overlooking the valley and came to a stop. Eve glanced over at Grace and found the woman catching her breath with a smile. "I haven't ridden like that in ages." "Too fast for you?" The brunette shook her head with a laugh and said "Far from it. I hope Carina can keep up the pace on the way back." Eve smirked and said "I'm sure she's up to the challenge." She patted the mare's neck and glanced down at Tanner. He sat patiently by the mare's leg and she shook her head. At least she didn't have to worry about him taking off and she knew why. He didn't trust anyone else but her and Carina, even though he is starting to warm up to William and has a strange fascination for the Lord himself. Thinking of that man made her palm itch. Something connected them, something powerful. She couldn't see how it was related to her mother but maybe she was just over thinking the entire incident. "Ready to head back, Eve?" She pulled herself out of her thoughts and looked back at Grace. The woman turned her mare away from the valley and she let Carina follow. Tanner trotted beside them and they began galloping back toward the stable.