Page 52 of Betting on a Duke
Chapter Twenty
“Are the baronand baroness home?” Clarice asked, looking worried. “I don’t want to impose.”
“They informed me they would be gone all day, only returning at dinnertime. So you need not worry.”
“Then we have plenty of time.”
“Even if they return early, you are my guest. They will be happy to welcome you into their home again. Please don’t worry.”
“Fine. I won’t. If you say I am welcome, then I will believe you.”
The driver, a nice fellow named Kirkland whom Samuel met that day, opened the door and lowered the stairs. Samuel exited, leaning back in with his hand out. “My dear lady, are you prepared to fall in love with my equine family?”
She took his hand and stepped out of the carriage with more grace than anyone else he knew. “By all means. From the way you brag about them, I expect them to have wings and be able to fly.”
Chuckling, Samuel replied with a lightness in his heart, “Some days when they race, I believe they have invisible wings.” Still holding her hand and leading her away from the main house, he said, “This way. The property is huge. I don’t know how many acres, but the walk to my stable isn’t far. When you own valuable livestock, it’s best to keep them close to the main house. I’m glad to see you wore boots since I forgot to mention it.”
“Yes, well, I figured there would be walking involved, not to mention whatever’s on the floor of the barn.” She exaggerated a full-body shudder. “No pair of slippers of mine would survive such abuse.”
“Probably not.” He paused and cleared his throat to broach something they needed to discuss. “I spoke to you about getting a special license. Because I couldn’t leave Newmarket with the first race happening in two days’ time, I sent my valet to the archbishop with a note from me. He should arrive back in Newmarket sometime tomorrow night or the following morning if he rode straight through, only stopping to change his mount.”
“I see.”
Nerves, something he didn’t usually suffer from when in her company, appeared in the form of sweating. He removed his handkerchief from his riding jacket and wiped his brow. “If you wish, we can marry the day after the 2000 Guineas Stakes. I sent word to the local vicar, and he is looking forward to marrying us. We could keep it simple: Lady Rutherford, Greyson, his two sisters, and Hunter.” He exhaled. “However, we must invite the baron and baroness since I’m staying with them.” He wiped his forehead again as his nervousness intensified. “Please say something? If this isn’t what you want, I need to know before I keep rambling on, making an utter arse of myself.”
Her feet stopped. She turned and took his other hand in hers, her fingers rubbing across the tops of them. “I’m just now realizing how freeing it is to hold your hands without gloves as an impediment. To feel your warm hands. And even though you are a wealthy duke and could live a pampered life, never working or getting your hands dirty, you choose the opposite. You have the strong hands of a man who knows what he wants and sets out to get it. You are the furthest thing from a lazy, pompous aristocrat. You inherited this need and desire to accomplish something from your father, who I remember spent hours in his gardens. He also loved to get his hands dirty and become one with nature. His nature was the flora, and yours is the fauna.” Sheleaned up on tiptoes and kissed him soundly on the mouth, then lowered back to her normal height. “I’m sorry if my silence worried you. I was too in awe of you and how you think of everything when it comes to me. I love you so much, Samuel.” She wrapped her arms around his waist and rested her head against his heart, which she noticed was beating wildly. “Everything you said pertaining to our marriage is as I would wish it to be.”
“I’m not sure I heard much after you said, ‘I love you so much, Samuel.’” He wrapped his arms around her, too, and they stood there, their bodies swaying gently as if the wind moved them. After a moment, Samuel stepped back and again took her hand, and they kept walking toward the stable, which was not far from Ramsbury’s large main stable where he kept his prized thoroughbreds. Ramsbury’s horse, Thunder, was going to be Zeus’s toughest competitor. Samuel wished Ramsbury all the best and wanted him to win, but he wanted to win more. “Here we are.”
“I hear them. Do they recognize you, even from out here?”
“Yes.” No doubt his scent drifted their way with the main barn doors wide open. It was common to leave them open to give the horses, stablehands, his jockey, and horse trainer inside, fresh air and the all-important daylight. Lanterns and candles didn’t mix well with hay.
They entered the stable, and Samuel noticed the floors had been swept clean recently, and the scent of fresh hay filled the air, also mingling with leather and polish. “Prepare to fall in love,” he said, grinning—no doubt looking like a silly fool. He opened the tops of both stalls, which were side by side, and immediately Zeus and Clover made noises and shook their heads, seeking attention. “You need a stool.” He hurried to the corner, grabbed a three-legged stool, and helped Clarice stand on it in front of the animals. “Stay here.”
“Where would I go?” she said, laughing.
He brought back the pail that stored carrots and apples that weretoo bruised for the kitchen. He handed Clarice an apple. “Clover loves apples. She will be your best friend forever if you feed her one.”
Once again, Clarice laughed. “That is good to know.” Samuel watched as she held out her hand with the apple cradled in her open palm. Clover, using her lips, took it gently from Clarice’s hand. “Do you know that I’ve never had a horse of my own?”
“I don’t think I ever knew that. You ride well, that I do remember.”
“Yes. I trained on my mother’s mare, Goldie. She was more or less mine as Mother didn’t ride much.”
“Do you think she rode Goldie to meet my father for their tête-à-têtes?”
Clarice grabbed the wooden door as she wobbled on the stool, steadying herself before Samuel could react. “I’m sorry. That was insensitive of me.” He took a carrot from the bucket and fed it to Zeus. “It really doesn’t matter. What’s in the past is behind us. The future... our future is what matters.”
“You are right. There’s nothing we can do to change the past, but the future is wide open and ready for the taking.” Clover nickered and moved her head up and down as if she understood what she said and agreed. “You were right. I’m in love with this sweet filly.”
“Let’s switch so you can meet Zeus.”
Clarice hopped off the stool. Samuel moved it several feet to the right, and she stood back on it. As she petted Zeus, she said, “Shouldn’t they be on a special diet for the upcoming races?”
“Guilty, yes. But the one treat they get a day shouldn’t hurt.”
“You haven’t said anything about your silks and your colors. Are you keeping them a secret until the first race?”
