Chapter Four
A cold wind slapped her face when Louisa exited the house and headed toward the stable yard. Surprise slowed her steps to a stop. Thornbrook stood inside the wagon, organizing the baskets himself and creating more room for the remaining items to be loaded. There was so much more to him than she had expected. It was rare for someone to surprise her, yet he was doing it with frequency.
“Good morning, my lady,” he called to her. “I hope you’ve dressed warmly. Winter has decided to grace us with its presence today.”
“So it would seem.” The sky was cloudless, the sun still making its way into position. “Perhaps the sun will favor us with its warmth once it has risen.”
He stood and placed a boot on the edge of the wagon, leaning his elbow on his knee. “I hope you don’t mind, but I took the liberty of asking James to saddle horses for us. I thought it would be infinitely more comfortable than riding in this bumpy cart, but since this is your operation, you are free to countermand my orders.”
She beamed at him. “Thank you, my lord. I prefer to ride.” The men in her family tended to be domineering, so his consideration for her wishes was a welcome surprise.
Her lady’s maid, Eliza, emerged from the house and made her way to Louisa. “Do you think you can manage riding in the wagon, or should I ask for a horse to be saddled for you?” Louisa asked.
“The wagon is fine, my lady.”
Thornbrook’s eyes widened and he shifted his gaze between her and Eliza. Belatedly, she remembered that they had not been introduced. It was a kindness on his part to want to meet her maid. It had been her experience that many gentlemen had no interest in learning the names of servants.
“My apologies, my lord. Lord Thornbrook, this is Miss Eliza Burton.”
“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Miss Burton.”
“Thank you, my lord. I am pleased to make your acquaintance.”
The sun finally cast its warmth upon them, counteracting the chill from the wind. James, the head groom, approached with their horses. Thornbrook finished arranging the baskets and jumped down from the wagon.
“May I help you mount?” he asked.
She nodded, and he placed his hands on her waist and lifted her effortlessly onto the saddle. Her stomach clenched, and heat rushed to her face. She busied herself settling her leg over the lower pommel and adjusting her skirts. When she looked up, he had already mounted his horse, and James and Eliza were situated on the seat at the front of the wagon.
“Have you planned your course?” Thornbrook asked.
“I think we should start our journey at the farthest point of the property. That way we’ll be closer to home when the sun begins to set.”
“An excellent plan.” He rode over to consult with James, then they were off. “Shall we let the horses stretch their legs, or do you prefer to stay with the wagon?”
“I suppose it won’t hurt to get ahead of the wagon.” With that, she pushed her mare into a slow canter. Though the sun was bright and warm, the brisk wind and barren trees left no doubt as to the season. Snow was rare, but she found herself wishing they might get a good storm once her parents and Edward returned from London and her younger brothers from school.
For now, she welcomed the warmth. Snowstorms were only fun when you were snug inside the house. She hazarded a glance at Thornbrook. He was behaving so differently than usual, as if he was finally revealing his real self to her. Regardless of his motivation, something between them had changed, something that made her question her decision not to marry and had her wondering if it would be possible to convince Papa to drop the requirement that she live at Walsley. No, Papa would not change his mind, and she truly wasn’t interested in marrying. It would be best for both of them if he found someone else to pursue.
A bird soared from a nearby tree and her mare shied away from it, picking up speed as she went. Once she was certain she had control, she allowed her to lengthen her stride. A glance over her shoulder confirmed that Thornbrook was keeping up with her. When the homes at the far edge of the property became visible, she slowed her mare to a trot, and then a walk. It would take a while for the wagon to catch up with them, and she wanted to have the baskets available before she interrupted the tenants and took them away from their work. If she was to become the mistress of Walsley, it was important that she presented herself as confident and trustworthy.
The first visit would be to the Richards family, who had four boys under the age of ten. Mrs. Richards would be on her own with the boys since her husband worked in their orangery.
Suddenly, Thornbrook was no longer nearby. Wondering where he had gone, she glanced over her shoulder and spotted him along the tree line. Now that she knew of his ornithological tendencies, she assumed he had stopped to get a closer look at a bird. Moments later, he was headed toward her.
“Did you locate an interesting specimen?”
“Nothing out of the ordinary.”
“What was it?”
“Just a starling. Actually, several of them.” He glanced behind them. “Ah, there’s the wagon.”
Thornbrook was much more attentive than she had expected, both with the preparations for their visits, and with his birding hobby. His true personality was emerging, and she had to admit she liked it very much.
She guided her horse closer to the cottage and started to dismount, but Thornbrook caught her and eased her descent.
“Be careful, my lady, I’d never forgive myself if you fell.”
She smiled. “Though I appreciate your assistance, your worry is unwarranted. I am capable of dismounting on my own.”
“Ah, but then you deny me the pleasure of assisting you.”
She bit her lip, momentarily surprised by his reversion back to his usual charming self. She preferred him unguarded, but it wasn’t reasonable for her to expect him to completely change his personality overnight.
With the help of Cook, she had made up a special basket for Mrs. Richards. The other baskets contained oranges, but since her family received those on a regular basis, Louisa had packed apples and pears instead. All she had to do was find it among all of the other baskets in the wagon.
“What are we looking for?” Thornbrook asked.
“The basket that does not contain oranges.”
“Ah.” Moving as efficiently as a cat, he climbed into the wagon and handed her the basket.
“How did you find it so quickly?”
“I noted that it was different from the others and made sure to set it aside so it would be easy to find when you wanted it.”
She’d never thought of Thornbrook as being particularly meticulous. It was as if there was a part of him that he’d never shared with her before and she didn’t know what to think now that he had. It was possible she didn’t really know him at all.
He lugged the basket toward the cottage. The door swung open and a gaggle of boys shot out, a dog at their heels. The lady of the house appeared behind them. Every family was dear to her, but she had a special connection with the Richards. When Louisa was twelve, she had accompanied her mother while she visited the tenants and had witnessed the birth of their oldest son. After that night, she made a point of going with her mother whenever she visited the tenants, and she made certain she knew the name of every person who lived on the estate. Ensuring their welfare was one of the many reasons she wanted to own Walsley.
“My lady, look at you. You’re the spitting image of your mother with those gorgeous eyes and auburn hair.” She glanced at Thornbrook and smiled.
“The duke and duchess are still in London, I’m afraid, but Lord Thornbrook was kind enough to accompany myself and Lady Kenworth to Walsley. We’ve brought you some treasures from the kitchen.” He handed her the basket. “We’re visiting all of the tenants today to ensure that you didn’t sustain any damage during the storm.”
“You are too kind, my lady. We did lose a few shingles, but Tom’s already fixed it. Would you do me the honor of joining me inside for a cup of tea?”
Before she could answer, a fight broke out among the boys and they were soon rolling about on the ground.
“Why don’t you ladies go inside and enjoy your tea. I’ll sort out this lot.” Thornbrook smiled at her and waved her toward the door, then turned back to the boys. “Who knows how to play Blindman’s Wand?”
A large part of her wanted to stay outside and see if Thornbrook, who was an only child, would survive with the boys, but she followed Mrs. Richards into the cottage, where she already had a kettle on the fire. They unloaded the basket while the tea steeped.
“You’ve been very generous, my lady. Thank you. The boys always fight over apples, and I’ll have to hide the gingerbread or it’ll be gone before the sun sets this evening.”
A loud moo sounded outside, followed by laughter. Mrs. Richards handed her a cup of tea. Moments later, a pig-like snort drifted through the window.
“Lord Thornbrook is a godsend. If he wasn’t entertaining them, they’d all be in here, tearing apart the basket and eating everything in sight.”
Never would she have guessed that Thornbrook was skilled at entertaining children. His previously unknown talents abounded. “He does have his uses.”
“Oh? If that’s the case, then don’t let him get away.”
Louisa blushed. “I think I may have given you the wrong impression.”
“I don’t.” She winked.
Loud barking sounded outside, but it hadn’t come from a dog. Louisa hazarded a glance out the window. The youngest of the boys clung to Thornbrook’s back, his arms wrapped tightly about his neck, while his brothers circled around them. One of the boys grabbed the stick and began to meow like a cat. Thornbrook called out, “That must be Penelope,” sending the boys into gales of laughter. Though he wore a blindfold that obscured half of his face, it was easy to see the pure joy in his expression as the boys danced around him. Their merrymaking was infectious and made her smile. Perhaps he was ready to settle down and start a family of his own. Watching him made her question whether she was making the right decision to follow Papa’s conditions for her to inherit Walsley. Would it be enough for her to tend to her nieces and nephews, or would she someday grow to regret choosing Walsley over having a husband and a family of her own? Thornbrook was making her want things she’d never thought she needed.