“Are you going to be okay? I’ve got a call with my editor this afternoon—she’s on vacation next week, and we have to iron some things out today. I can come back tonight.”

Kate nodded distractedly. “I’ll call you later.”

She wandered around the house after Blaire left. She’d become more withdrawn, more in her own head, which she knew was in part due to the Valium her doctor had prescribed. But she needed something to help calm her right now.

How long was she going to be a prisoner in her own home? She looked out the window. The sun was warm today; so far it had been a mild winter. She stood. “I’m going to change and go for a hike,” she said to Simon.

“I’ll be in my office. I need to make a call.”

“On a Saturday?”

“Just checking on a job.”

A likely story, Kate thought. She pulled on her hiking boots and went past Annabelle’s room before going downstairs. A couple of days ago, Kate had requested a guard to watch over Annabelle at all times, and she was glad to see Alan at attention just outside the child’s door. She worried about Annabelle’s isolation, but as long as someone was after her, Kate wanted her at home, even though it had become plain that there was no safe place.

The sun against her face felt wonderful, and she inhaled deeply as she walked through the field behind the house. She was grateful that Brian was the guard on duty today, as he always kept a discreet and silent distance. It was almost as if she were alone, birdsong and the crunching of broken twigs beneath her boots the only sounds. She walked for over an hour, stopping to look at a robin perched on a branch. Nature had always been her restorative.

As she approached the house, she saw Simon coming her way. “Enjoy your walk?”

“Yes. I think I really needed it.”

Simon smiled at her. “It’s so nice out. Why don’t we ride? Be good for the horses to get some exercise. What do you say?”

Kate hadn’t been back to the stables since Lily was killed. Riding had been one of their favorite pastimes, and when she was young they’d ridden together twice a week. Maybe it would be good for her to get back on a horse. She’d prefer not to have Simon along, but she was too tired to get into it with him.

“All right,” she said. “I’ll go change my boots.”

He waved his hand at her. “Don’t bother. You’ll be fine. We’ll take it easy.”

They walked down the hill to the stables and saddled up Napoleon and Rembrandt. The wind was beginning to kick up as they walked the horses to the large arena, mounted, and trotted around for a while.