understand why Lord Damion should set up his back, but he had always felt the same antagonism for his elder cousin.
He heard Lord Damion’s deep voice, answered by Lady Victoria’s quieter tones. Evelyn smiled, a wicked light leaping into his blue eyes. “Won’t Margaret be in a passion, though,” he remarked aloud, and began to whistle cheerfully.
When Victoria joined Lord Damion in the hall, she was wearing a heavy woolen cloak and sturdy boots. A footman had fetched an overcoat and a low-crowned beaver for Lord Damion and it was not long before he inquired if she were ready. Victoria assented and together they left the hall by way of a narrow side passageway. As they reached an outside door that led onto the back of the manor, Lord Damion remarked that the old structure was something of a rabbit warren.
He and Victoria made their way across the muddy yard to the stables. Inside the well-built stone building, the stable master was waiting. He touched his forehead in respect. “I thought ye might come, m’lord,” he said with a thick country accent. He glanced at Victoria.
“John, this is Master Charles’s wife, Lady Victoria. Her ladyship’s father bred horses when she was a girl, and when I told her of our patient, she expressed an interest in coming,” said Lord Damion.
The stable master nodded. “The mare be this way, m’lord.” He showed them to a stall where a big-bellied mare with a drooping head stood. The horse raised her nose at their approach, blowing anxiously.
“Oh, you beauty!” Victoria reached out to scratch the mare’s white blaze. She crooned softly to the beast and after a moment’s hesitation the mare allowed her muzzle to settle near Victoria’s shoulder, her ears swiveling to catch the soft Portuguese endearments.
Lord Damion’s brows rose in surprise at Lady Victoria’s fluid Portuguese. She sounded almost like a native to his untutored ears. But it was her instant rapport with the mare that astonished him most. “You have made a conquest, Lady Victoria,” he said softly.
“Aye, that she has,” agreed John, grudging respect on his craggy face.
Lord Damion turned to the stable master to confer on the mare’s condition. As he listened to John’s assessment, he watched while Lady Victoria looked the mare over, even checking her mouth and legs. He was amazed by her attentiveness and her ease of manner with the animal. He was intrigued by her skill and for the first time wondered about her background, for it was patent that she had spent much time around horses. He could not help but think that she’d surely had an odd upbringing for a gentlewoman.
“Aye, m’lord. She’ll drop the foal late in the week, I expect,” said John.
Victoria, who had listened with only half an ear to the men’s conversation, said, “I think it will be sooner. And unless I miss my guess she will have difficulties, for there is something about her stance and the passive expression in her eyes that bothers me,” she said, dusting off her hands as she came out of the stall. She saw their surprise and skepticism and smiled. “Believe me, gentlemen, I’ve experience enough to know. My earliest memories are of the foaling season and I have never yet missed a spring.” The stable master looked sharply at her, then at the mare.
Though he remained skeptical, Lord Damion acknowledged her with a bow. “Then all the more reason to keep a close watch on Starfire. I shall want word at the first signs, John.”
“Aye, m’lord.” The stable master touched his forehead and watched as Lord Damion escorted the stranger from the stables. He turned to stare speculatively at the mare. “For all she’s a female, her ladyship looked a knowing one. Mayhap ye told her ladyship someit ye kept from me, heh?”
Chapter Eleven
As Lord Damion and Victoria left the stables, she said, “The mare is obviously bred for speed and her foals must surely reflect that. I should very much like to see the
He heard Lord Damion’s deep voice, answered by Lady Victoria’s quieter tones. Evelyn smiled, a wicked light leaping into his blue eyes. “Won’t Margaret be in a passion, though,” he remarked aloud, and began to whistle cheerfully.
When Victoria joined Lord Damion in the hall, she was wearing a heavy woolen cloak and sturdy boots. A footman had fetched an overcoat and a low-crowned beaver for Lord Damion and it was not long before he inquired if she were ready. Victoria assented and together they left the hall by way of a narrow side passageway. As they reached an outside door that led onto the back of the manor, Lord Damion remarked that the old structure was something of a rabbit warren.
He and Victoria made their way across the muddy yard to the stables. Inside the well-built stone building, the stable master was waiting. He touched his forehead in respect. “I thought ye might come, m’lord,” he said with a thick country accent. He glanced at Victoria.
“John, this is Master Charles’s wife, Lady Victoria. Her ladyship’s father bred horses when she was a girl, and when I told her of our patient, she expressed an interest in coming,” said Lord Damion.
The stable master nodded. “The mare be this way, m’lord.” He showed them to a stall where a big-bellied mare with a drooping head stood. The horse raised her nose at their approach, blowing anxiously.
“Oh, you beauty!” Victoria reached out to scratch the mare’s white blaze. She crooned softly to the beast and after a moment’s hesitation the mare allowed her muzzle to settle near Victoria’s shoulder, her ears swiveling to catch the soft Portuguese endearments.
Lord Damion’s brows rose in surprise at Lady Victoria’s fluid Portuguese. She sounded almost like a native to his untutored ears. But it was her instant rapport with the mare that astonished him most. “You have made a conquest, Lady Victoria,” he said softly.
“Aye, that she has,” agreed John, grudging respect on his craggy face.
Lord Damion turned to the stable master to confer on the mare’s condition. As he listened to John’s assessment, he watched while Lady Victoria looked the mare over, even checking her mouth and legs. He was amazed by her attentiveness and her ease of manner with the animal. He was intrigued by her skill and for the first time wondered about her background, for it was patent that she had spent much time around horses. He could not help but think that she’d surely had an odd upbringing for a gentlewoman.
“Aye, m’lord. She’ll drop the foal late in the week, I expect,” said John.
Victoria, who had listened with only half an ear to the men’s conversation, said, “I think it will be sooner. And unless I miss my guess she will have difficulties, for there is something about her stance and the passive expression in her eyes that bothers me,” she said, dusting off her hands as she came out of the stall. She saw their surprise and skepticism and smiled. “Believe me, gentlemen, I’ve experience enough to know. My earliest memories are of the foaling season and I have never yet missed a spring.” The stable master looked sharply at her, then at the mare.
Though he remained skeptical, Lord Damion acknowledged her with a bow. “Then all the more reason to keep a close watch on Starfire. I shall want word at the first signs, John.”
“Aye, m’lord.” The stable master touched his forehead and watched as Lord Damion escorted the stranger from the stables. He turned to stare speculatively at the mare. “For all she’s a female, her ladyship looked a knowing one. Mayhap ye told her ladyship someit ye kept from me, heh?”
Chapter Eleven
As Lord Damion and Victoria left the stables, she said, “The mare is obviously bred for speed and her foals must surely reflect that. I should very much like to see the
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