Potter back on full time. Would John’s crazy idea really work? Or would she be thrown out on her arse?
John grabbed his hat and shoved to his feet. “Think about the position, Sam, and send word if you decide you want to do it.”
“Thank you,” she told him, standing up and hugging him impulsively. “I will think about it, and I really appreciate you thinking of me.”
She walked him out to the gate and then leaned against it, watching him ride away. If she accepted the post, it would give her the money she needed to pay Mrs. Potter and pay for household expenses. She could also give a bit to Tom for lending a hand.
John’s offer would help her stay afloat, but she wasn’t sure how she could handle it emotionally, being so close to Nico and watching him with another woman. She imagined a beautiful woman giggling at Nico’s every word and fawning over him. How could she bear it?
***
Nico entered his barn, harried and in a rush, noticing a young, red-haired lad in the stall with his sorrel. He had been anxious about one of the new horses that had been injured the previous day. “Are you the new groom?” he asked impatiently, closing the gap between them.
The lad turned around, guilt on…her…lovely face.
“Samantha,” he said, startled, and stopped mid-stride to stare at her.
She was dressed in the same britches he’d seen her in before, a white shirt and a deer skin vest. It looked like she had lost a bit of weight. Her hair was much shorter and fell just below her ears, giving her the look of a pixy.
Nico felt torn between wanting to embrace her and trying to look controlled. Was it obvious on his face that he had thought about her every day for the last three months?
“What are you doing here?” he ask ed.
“John offered me the job of the assistant groom. What do you think?” she asked sheepishly, obviously hoping he wouldn’t toss her out.
“I think you will be great at the job. I’m just surprised.” He wiped the hair out of his eyes , drinking in the sight of her.
“You're going to go around in costume every day?” His brow arched up.
“It is fine. I rather like the britches, as you know.”
He smiled and considered commenting on her britches but rejected the idea. Instead he welcomed her to the position and told her a little about the horse’s injury he was concerned about. They examined him together and Samantha gently rubbed a numbing ointment on his leg.
“I’ll make sure to rub more salve on his leg throughout the day. Not to worry, he should heal up shortly.” Samantha seemed grateful to have a temporary distraction.
“I heard your trip was successful,” she said, fishing for more details.
“Yes , it was. I learned a great deal and hopefully helped them.” Nico turned serious as he spoke about the institute..
“ I’m glad you’re back safely.” Samantha returned her gaze on the horse. “John tells me that you're escorting Lady Morgan to a lot of parties.” The words hung in the air uncomfortably.
“ Yes,” he said, feeling guilty.
“Since when do you like parties?”
“Since I need political connections in order to bring my discoveries into the English hospitals. Lady Morgan has a way of bringing people together for a cause and right now I am the cause.”
“Well, good for you,” she sa id. The mood between them was strained.
Nico asked about Samantha’s mother and they talked a few minutes about her condition before he excused himself to go back to work.
As Samantha watched him leave, her heart literally hurt. If felt like a weight sat upon her chest. Would she always be a spectator in life? On the outside looking in.
She pinched herself. “Come on. Stop it. He is happy in his world with his work and you need to be happy with this opportunity to keep things afloat. Stop being a spoiled brat.”
Sam threw herself into her work for the next week, hoping to prove to both John and Nico that she was the best assistant groom they could
John grabbed his hat and shoved to his feet. “Think about the position, Sam, and send word if you decide you want to do it.”
“Thank you,” she told him, standing up and hugging him impulsively. “I will think about it, and I really appreciate you thinking of me.”
She walked him out to the gate and then leaned against it, watching him ride away. If she accepted the post, it would give her the money she needed to pay Mrs. Potter and pay for household expenses. She could also give a bit to Tom for lending a hand.
John’s offer would help her stay afloat, but she wasn’t sure how she could handle it emotionally, being so close to Nico and watching him with another woman. She imagined a beautiful woman giggling at Nico’s every word and fawning over him. How could she bear it?
***
Nico entered his barn, harried and in a rush, noticing a young, red-haired lad in the stall with his sorrel. He had been anxious about one of the new horses that had been injured the previous day. “Are you the new groom?” he asked impatiently, closing the gap between them.
The lad turned around, guilt on…her…lovely face.
“Samantha,” he said, startled, and stopped mid-stride to stare at her.
She was dressed in the same britches he’d seen her in before, a white shirt and a deer skin vest. It looked like she had lost a bit of weight. Her hair was much shorter and fell just below her ears, giving her the look of a pixy.
Nico felt torn between wanting to embrace her and trying to look controlled. Was it obvious on his face that he had thought about her every day for the last three months?
“What are you doing here?” he ask ed.
“John offered me the job of the assistant groom. What do you think?” she asked sheepishly, obviously hoping he wouldn’t toss her out.
“I think you will be great at the job. I’m just surprised.” He wiped the hair out of his eyes , drinking in the sight of her.
“You're going to go around in costume every day?” His brow arched up.
“It is fine. I rather like the britches, as you know.”
He smiled and considered commenting on her britches but rejected the idea. Instead he welcomed her to the position and told her a little about the horse’s injury he was concerned about. They examined him together and Samantha gently rubbed a numbing ointment on his leg.
“I’ll make sure to rub more salve on his leg throughout the day. Not to worry, he should heal up shortly.” Samantha seemed grateful to have a temporary distraction.
“I heard your trip was successful,” she said, fishing for more details.
“Yes , it was. I learned a great deal and hopefully helped them.” Nico turned serious as he spoke about the institute..
“ I’m glad you’re back safely.” Samantha returned her gaze on the horse. “John tells me that you're escorting Lady Morgan to a lot of parties.” The words hung in the air uncomfortably.
“ Yes,” he said, feeling guilty.
“Since when do you like parties?”
“Since I need political connections in order to bring my discoveries into the English hospitals. Lady Morgan has a way of bringing people together for a cause and right now I am the cause.”
“Well, good for you,” she sa id. The mood between them was strained.
Nico asked about Samantha’s mother and they talked a few minutes about her condition before he excused himself to go back to work.
As Samantha watched him leave, her heart literally hurt. If felt like a weight sat upon her chest. Would she always be a spectator in life? On the outside looking in.
She pinched herself. “Come on. Stop it. He is happy in his world with his work and you need to be happy with this opportunity to keep things afloat. Stop being a spoiled brat.”
Sam threw herself into her work for the next week, hoping to prove to both John and Nico that she was the best assistant groom they could
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