Barbara lingered as she carried her milk bucket past the stables, hoping to catch more of the stable boys’ conversation. It seemed Uncle Ferrier would be putting his prize stallion on display. She’d heard him speak of the beast, but had yet to see which one it was.
“Hurry up, Barbara, or the milk will sour before we reach the kitchen.” Marian laughed at Barbara’s expression, a sign she’d only been teasing about the last, but from the lack of others crossing the yard, she’d been serious about the hurrying.
The chance that she’d be allowed to watch offered enough to speed her steps. She need only find Uncle Ferrier before Charlotte declared their next task.
As she stepped through the door, though, Barbara discovered she would not have to search for her uncle after all.
“There you are. We’ve been waiting for you,” Uncle Ferrier said.
“Oh? I had hoped to speak with you as well.”
His eyebrow rose, and whatever he’d meant to share, he nodded for her to speak first.
Under his close attention, especially with the disaster of the previous day, she found herself reluctant to ask. The enthusiasm she’d felt outside had drained away.
But she’d already spoken, and if she didn’t ask a question, he’d be sure to suspect her of something far worse than wanting to watch his horse.
“The stable boys were talking about how you’d planned to run your favorite through his paces. Would you mind if I were to watch?”
Uncle Ferrier started shaking his head even before she got to the question, and only determination kept her going.
“I am sorry about yesterday,” she added, her voice soft. Clearly he’d held on to more of his anger than she’d thought.
Again he shook his head, but this time his eyes softened. “It’s not yesterday on my mind, but today. I’d come to tell Charlotte to take you all to the forest. Grannie mentioned she’s low on some of her herbs.”
Charlotte’s brow furrowed. “She said none of this to me yesterday. I’ll go check with her to see what she needs.”
Uncle Ferrier put out a hand to bar her way. “Grannie’s off helping a birth. Just do a general gather. There’s never enough, and she can dry the extra for the winter. Besides, it would do your cousin good to know her way around the simple remedies. I have little doubt such was neglected in all her preparations for London society.”
“But Father, wouldn’t it be better to know what Grannie needed so much that you want us gone on the task right now?”
Father and daughter exchanged a look full of meaning if only Barbara knew more about this Grannie and her herb lore. From the nod Charlotte gave and the end to her protests, though, her cousin understood his intent.
A light blush heated Barbara’s cheeks as she wondered if the reason had little to do with not knowing and more to do with the types of herbs they had been sent after. She’d heard some stories from the other girls in London regarding the impact of certain herbs, but surely her uncle wouldn’t send Charlotte and the rest of them on such an errand.
As she considered the possible meanings, Uncle Ferrier announced they would leave this very moment. The cousins clearly knew his tone because they left the milk for Cook to deal with and gathered their things.
Barbara accepted both the basket and shawl thrust into her hands when she saw Sarah do the same.
“It can get cold under the trees,” Marian said as she released the cloth. “Come on now. We wouldn’t want Father to learn we’d dawdled.”
When they stepped into the yard, Charlotte and the others turned away from the stables, but Barbara could see a magnificent young male being led out. “Can we not just pass by the stable yard,” she asked.
Charlotte followed her gaze to see the horse then met the pleading look Barbara gave her cousin with a shrug. “I suppose there’s little harm in it, though the stables are out of our way.”
“Must we truly?” Georgiana said. “It’s far enough to the forest.”
Marian gave her sister a shove. “No purpose in whining. Our cousin sickens to the same bug that our father suffers. Let her get an eyeful and then we’ll be on our way without her dragging her feet.” She turned to Barbara to add, “Only we’d best make it a quick glimpse what with Father specifically making this task the more important one.”
Barbara didn’t wait to be told twice, Sarah not much further behind her. The cousins put no speed in their steps, most likely because they’d grown up alongside these horses, and Georgiana at least had little interest.
AUBREY WAS SUITABLY IMPRESSED WITH the horse as Ferrier ran through its gaits. Perfectly executed high stepping and controlled turns that would be ideal in a carriage horse. Had he been a twin birth or raised alongside another with equal skill, the horse would have made half of a wonderful pair. Even now, he could be trained to work with another, though the bond would be less.
For all that the horse proved to be everything Jasper had described and more, Aubrey struggled to stay focused what with the possibility he’d catch sight of Barbara.
A chorus of laughter rewarded his vigilance just then.
He turned to see a group approaching with their arms full of baskets, his country girl in the lead.
Ferrier followed his gaze, and out of the corner of his eye, Aubrey thought he saw a scowl. When he twisted to see more fully though, the farmer laughed. “It’s hard to think on horses when pretty young women are about.”
THEY NEARED THE FENCE WHEN Barbara caught sight of a well-set figure and stumbled, almost taking Sarah to the ground when her friend collided with her back.
Barbara steadied Sarah but turned her in the other direction. “Perhaps Georgie is right after all. Surely Uncle Ferrier will let me watch next time, and I wouldn’t want to anger him again.”
The cousins sent her confused looks until Marian glanced past and clearly had the same realization.
“You cannot avoid him forever,” her cousin said with a glance to Charlotte, “but somehow Father’s efforts to rush us about now make more sense. I suspect he’d be angered for a different reason should we continue.”
Barbara linked arms with Marian and tugged her the way they’d come. “All the more reason to get on with the chore he set for us. You can teach me all about nature’s bounty.”
Marian shook off the hold with a laugh, her sisters joining in. “For that you need Charlotte. She’s the one with the herb lore. We gather what she points us to and don’t nibble on anything we don’t know as well as our own names.”
Charlotte fell into step with Barbara and Sarah both as they crossed the fields. “It’s an important warning, what Marian said. There are herbs and fungus we collect that can aid in a healing if prepared the right way, but nibbled in the wild can kill you as dead as any toss from a fevered stallion.”
TURNING HIS ATTENTION BACK TO the girls, Aubrey found the group had changed direction and were now crossing the first field on the farthest side.
Ferrier clapped him on the shoulder. “I remember what it’s like to be young, and my daughters make for a good distraction, but my horse deserves your attention.”
About to agree to be polite, the middle of the man’s statement caught Aubrey. “They’re all your daughters?” he asked, stunned at the sheer number.
“No, only the prettiest four.”
Ferrier shifted to look at the horse again, and Aubrey followed suit, but his mind was not on the feats before him. He didn’t share the farmer’s fatherly eye judging from the various stages of wear on the girls’ clothing each time he’d seen them together. The most arresting of the group was the least well dressed, but that did little to diminish her appeal.
He wanted nothing more than to stride after them right then, before they could get out of sight. Without realizing it, he’d twisted once again to mark their path.
“Now that is a thing of beauty,” Jasper said in a reverent whisper. “When you’re ready, assuming you plan to sell the beast, let me give you a hand in finding the right buyer. I’d take him on myself, but I have no space in my stables at the moment. He should bring you enough to manage the larger stables and training area you’ve been mentioning over the past year,” he continued, facing Ferrier.
Aubrey realized the two must have spoken on many an occasion, further complicating his situation with the servant girl. He no more wanted to ruin Jasper’s friendships than his reputation. At least she wasn’t the man’s daughter, though a landholder’s daughter would likely be somewhat educated and more capable of taking on a life in London than a servant girl.
He smothered a groan at how his desire chose so poor a focus, though if it turned out to be simple lust or frustration, better the object prove unsuitable than that he raise expectations only to dismiss them out of hand.
With more effort than the situation warranted, he forced his thoughts to the horse as Ferrier launched into an explanation of the bloodline and his breeding choices. Aubrey would have enjoyed this opportunity on any other day. With thoughts of Barbara crowding their way into his mind no matter what he tried, he could not find more than a faint sense of wishing he were somewhere else. At least Jasper was capable of holding up their end of the discussion.
“I’m enjoying our conversation,” Ferrier said at last, “And I could keep going all day given the chance, just ask my daughters. But as much as I am, I have other tasks to see to, as I’m sure you do as well.”
Jasper laughed. “True enough. My lady wife will be wondering just what became of me.”
Aubrey stirred himself enough to add, “I doubt that. She most likely anticipated what would occur and won’t send runners out until dark falls.”
The statement drew a chuckle from the farmer even as he shook his head. “You’re lucky to still have your wife with you and should treasure this time, not squander it on horseflesh. I’ll consider your offer of assisting in the sale. I’ve yet to decide if I’m willing to part with him. I have a bit of a bond with the beast, and if he breeds true…”
“Or if he would have and you had him gelded. I see your quandary. He’s a magnificent beast.”
“You’re welcome to come view him again some other day,” Ferrier said with a smile. “I appreciate time spent with a man who knows his horseflesh.”
Jasper accepted the compliment with a nod. “But we’ve taken up enough of your day. Until later.”
They strode to where their horses were tethered and headed to the manor in silence, Jasper most likely thinking on the horse while Aubrey’s thoughts unerringly returned to his country girl.
“Jasper, I’m weary of standing around for so long, and the thought of sitting holds little appeal. Would you object to my going off for a canter?”
His friend gave him a long look, one eyebrow raised. “And this sudden desire has nothing to do with the gathering of young women, I suppose? You plan to ride out to the mill?” He waved in the opposite direction.
Aubrey shrugged. “Perhaps I have some thought to encountering them as I ride, true.”
Jasper laughed. “I’d join you if only to see just what this servant girl has to distract you so much, but as I said, Daphne will be waiting to hear about the horse and our visit. She must be something for sure to make even such a prime example of horseflesh lose your interest. Be careful or you’ll find yourself well and truly caught.”
“Little chance of that. A servant girl does not fit into my vision of the future, and I’d no sooner torment myself with the struggle than I would any young woman who caught my eye.”
“So you’ve said. It would seem you feel the need of repetition, a habit more revealing than any other.” Waving Aubrey off rather than continue their exchange, Jasper called after him, “If we were in White’s, I’d lay odds against you in this.”
Aubrey kneed his horse around and set off across a pasture in the general direction he’d seen the girls headed. Jasper’s comment lingered, bringing a smile to his lips that had more to do with daydreams of a miracle proving the man right than collecting his winnings.