"Nay, I do not enjoy watching my husband get hurt. Walk with me. Kevin is not sure it is safe and you might need to protect me."
Rachel grinned and curtseyed. "I will do my best, my lady." She giggled when Anna rolled her eyes. She was happy to spend time with her sister and glad to walk with her. Anna knew all sorts of things she didn't know and they never seemed to be alone together for long. "Have you slain my nephews yet?"
Anna laughed. "Not yet. Sween has gone fishing with Donny. At the age of ten, he thinks he is already a man and displays far too much pride. Perhaps you might throw him sometime where his father can see."
"He is nearly as big as I am, it would be a fair fight."
"Fair? My dear little sister, you are a girl. He will be shamed and he deserves it."
Rachel pushed a tree limb out of their way. "And Neil? Do you think to kill him too?"
"He is a loving child. Sometimes I think he is too loving."
"He is only six; won't he grow out of that?"
"I worry he is too timid. Perhaps you could teach him a few skills."
Rachel stopped to glare at her sister. "Kevin wants me to stay inside the wall."
Anna winked. "I told him you would not be so easily tricked."
"Perhaps I should throw Kevin instead."
"That, I would like to see. Try not to hurt him too badly." She smiled and sat down on a log.
Rachel meant to join her sister on the log, but a beam of sunlight through the trees illuminated Anna's long, dark hair and she was suddenly mesmerized. It was as though she was seeing her hair for the first time and she had a strange urge to touch it.
"What is it, Rachel? Does my hair displease you?"
"Nay, I just never noticed how pleasing it is before." She sat down on the log and started to smile, but wrinkled her brow instead. "Why do you have a lump on your nose?"
In thirteen years, it was the first time Rachel ever asked about any of her old injuries and a shiver ran down Anna's spine. She wanted her sister's heart to be at peace for as long as possible. The day might come when she would have to tell Rachel what happened all those years ago, but the memories were painful and she didn't intend to tell her unless Rachel demanded to know. Anna held her breath when she answered, "I broke it many years ago." She was relieved when Rachel changed the subject.