Chapter 16
Duke shook his head. “I’m sorry. I didn’t know.”
“Didn’t know what?” Bryson asked, feigning confusion. “About my lameness?” He accentuated the word, drawing it out and making far more out of it than it needed to be. He even ignored the sharp look his mother gave him. “Tell me, Duke. Would you advocate for my execution as well?”
Duke’s jaw tightened. He looked down at his feet. “You aren’t a horse.”
“Lucky for me.”
Mandy stopped either of them from continuing. “All right now. As you said at the auction, Bryson, done is done. What’s been said is said, and Duke is sorry, and so are you, and you will both get over it. At the end of the day, Beau needs to be looked after. So, here we are. I’ve managed to navigate Duke into a position here as stable assistant—”
“Stable hand,” Rebecca and Duke corrected, speaking at the same time.
“Yes.” Mandy smiled. “That. But also as Beau’s personal, on-site handler.”