#Chapter 79 – Enforcing the Contract

A few hours later, I’m leading Heathcliff back into the stables from our ride. We didn’t go in the ring today, but instead spent most of the early afternoon trotting around the property, admiring the scenery. It’s a beautiful landscape with beautiful vistas and as I rose I resented, a little, that I hadn’t been allowed to ride freely out here before. But then again, I’m not as interested in what I’m allowed to do as I used to be. The day is growing hot, and both Heathcliff and I have a light sheen of sweat on us as we walk into the stables. I wipe it from my forehead with the back of my arm, looking forward to wetting Heathcliff down with the hose and taking a nice long drink from it myself, when I see him. Just standing there, in the middle of the aisle that runs between the line of stable stalls. His arms crossed, his feet spread wide apart. Glaring at me. Heathcliff surprises me by checking his step a bit, apparently intimidated by the raw animal fury that we can both sens