Word had come from Pemberton that young Master Robert was expected the next morning at ten o’clock for his first day of work as a jockey in training.

The household was excited. Even though the baking began at four o’clock this morning, the family took a break at eight-thirty to give a sendoff to Robert on his first day at his new job. Papa was to drive Robert to Pemberton in the borrowed neighbor’s wagon. Robert had been working all morning with Sally to train her as best he could on what his job had been.

Only Claudia stayed in the shop to help customers as the rest of the family piled outside to bid Robert good luck on his first day.

“I am only going to work for the day. I will be back this evening. I am not traveling around the world,” Robert said, as his mother squeezed him as though she was losing him forever.

Jenny handed him a cloth bag. “Here, I made you some lunch. No telling if they are planning to feed you or not.”

Robert seemed to be embarrassed by the fuss, and he hopped up on the wagon seat to get away from all of their attention, even though he secretly loved it.

“Papa, will you be picking me up this evening?” he asked his father.

“Aye, I shall, but I am going to see what I can do about finding you a horse. I cannot be driving you to and fro each day, lad.”

“But I can walk,” Robert insisted.

Papa shook his head. “Not practical. Winter is a comin’ on and no tellin’ what the weather will be. Best to get you settled with your own nag.”

“But where will we keep it?” he asked.

“I can make arrangements to board him with neighbor.”

“I will pay you back from my wages,” Robert insisted, feeling like a real adult for the first time.

“Up…” Papa said as he flicked the reins and the wagon started up, pulled away, and out of the village.

Thomas and Grandmamma were in the breakfast room when Prunella and Cordelia appeared dressed in casual dresses, befitting a stay in the country.

“Good morning, Miss Prunella… Miss Cordelia. I hope you spent your first night at Pemberton in comfortable repose,” Thomas said. “It looks to be a fine morning for walking or riding. Perhaps I can interest either or both of you in some morning exercise?”

Cordelia smiled brightly. “I should like that. And can I see the horses as well? Maybe I could ride one.”

“Not one of the thoroughbreds, but I have the perfect small horse that would suit you perfectly.”

“Very well,” she said and turned to Willoughby who was serving her tea. “Bacon, sausage, tomato, egg, and toast please.”

“Yes, Miss.”

“And you, Prunella? What strikes your fancy this morning?” he asked, turning to her as she spread her napkin across her lap.

“I shall have the same. Thank you, Willoughby.”

Thomas laughed. “No, I meant what would you like to do during the morning? Ride? Walk? Take a tour of the house? I am certain Grandmamma would be more than delighted to show you Pemberton.”

The scowl on Grandmamma’s face did not confirm her delight.

“And what are your plans, Thomas?” Prunella asked.

“I thought I might check on the work at the racecourse, and then confer with the trainer about our next training plans. And we have our new jockey reporting for his first day of training. A busy day, but you are welcome to accompany me. Or, if you prefer, I would be happy to take some time off and go riding with you, take you to the village, or even visit some of our neighbors.”

Prunella attended to the tea Willoughby was serving her and then said, “Mother is still abed. I should like to see what she would like to do, and then decide. Although, a quiet morning reading by the fire also has a great deal of appeal.”

He dearly hoped she would choose the latter, but said, “As you wish. I want you to do what pleases all of you.”

“Very well, I should like a tour of Pemberton,” Prunella spoke up. “However, I would like you to be the one to show me around. I know I will have many questions about the fine artwork—some of which I have glimpsed as I have passed through the various rooms.”

Thomas nodded, but quickly calculated the work time he would lose by spending time with her. But he reminded himself she was a guest and a valued investor. It was his duty, as host, to accommodate his guests. “Whenever you wish.”

“I shall confer with mother and let you know.”

Jenny had just received her first letter from Evan, but she waited to read it until she was finished with work and could retire to her bedroom to read it alone. It read:

Dearest Jenny,

I have done a terrible thing. At work, all I can think about is you. Day and night you are on my mind. I see you walking down the street—but it is not you. I dream of you and awake in a panic thinking I have lost you—but it is only a dream.

What am I to do? I must complete my training and become a printer. It is my life’s work. It is so that we can build a life together, and yet I am a negligent and a bad employee.

Jenny, only you can save me. I struggle with the thought that you do not love me as I love you. But what can I do about that? I can only be me, and hope and trust that you will one day love me as I love you.

I know I should be asking about your work—your day. But I am obsessed. Can you give me any hope? Can you grant me peace of mind and tell me that you truly love me?

In torturous AGONY,

Your ever loving and devoted,

Evan

Jenny put the letter in her lap and shed a few tears. So much heartfelt love and longing. And she was responsible. Dear Evan. She was, indeed, very fond of him. But the heartfelt love he was longing for she could not give—at least, not yet. He stirred her affections, but not her passions. There, she had finally admitted it. What was she to do? She must respond to this passionate letter, but she felt she could not give him the answer he longed for. She wished to be able to ease his pain but was unable to decide what to do. The only person she could turn to for advice was dear Helena—Claudia was too young and her mother too... well, one just did not confide in a parent about such matters.

“I am going to visit, Helena, Mama,” Jenny called out as she put on her coat, scarf, and hat. “Perhaps I shall stay to dinner. Do not be surprised if I am home late.”

Mother came out of her room, “Oh, very well, dear. Please give my regards to Helena. Oh, and I have something for you to take to her.” Mama rushed to the kitchen and returned with a parcel. “It is a piece of that cake she so loves.”

Jenny smiled. How dear her mother was. “I shall be happy to deliver it to her.” And she leaned in and gave her mother a kiss on the cheek when she handed Jenny the parcel.

A cold wind was coming off the slope of a hill as Jenny hurried along the road toward Springford Manor. She hoped Helena would be free to see her, as her visit was a spur of the moment impulse, and she had not had time to write her a note saying she was coming.

As she rounded a curve in the road, she saw a horseman coming toward her. Could he have been visiting the Comerfords?

Jenny pulled the collar of her coat up and rewound her scarf around her neck. The light was fading, dark clouds were forming, and it was getting colder. But the horseman was almost upon her before she recognized him to be Thomas.

It seemed he recognized her at the same time and pulled his horse to a stop as he reached her.

“Miss Jenny, out alone on an evening like this?”

Jenny was almost speechless with embarrassment, but managed to say, “On my way to see Helena, it is not too much further.”

Thomas pulled on the reins and the horse backed up and executed a full turn as Thomas tried to keep the horse from moving forward.

“Might I offer you a ride to Springford, Miss Jenny? It is no night to be out on foot.”

Now Jenny was totally in turmoil. She could not help but remember his last words to her and the searing pain he had caused her. But she was also shivering, and it seemed that a snowstorm might be approaching as she saw the first few flakes drifting down around her.

“But you have just come from there, Your Grace. I do not wish to take you out of your way. It is also no night for you to be out.” Jenny said weakly.

“I am more than happy to accommodate you, Miss Jenny. In fact, I had a further thought I wanted to share with George, who is with Miss Helena as we speak.”

“Very well then, if it will serve you as well, then I accept.”

Thomas extended his hand, grabbed hold of Jenny’s hand, and with a single tug, pulled her up onto the horse behind him. The parcel for Helena had a loop so Jenny slipped it over her hand, so she could carry it and take hold of Thomas’s waist.

“Are you comfortable and secure?” he asked.

“Most comfortable and secure.”

Thomas put his spurs to the horse and they turned and headed toward Springford.

Evan’s letter was tucked into the pocket of her coat and she was aching to respond, but for the moment, it was forgotten as she rested her head against Thomas’s back and held on to him as tightly as if it were a lover’s embrace—but it was not. It could not be.

By the time they arrived at Springford, it was snowing substantially. Thomas dismounted first and put his hands around Jenny’s waist, picked her off the horse, and gently stood her on the ground.

Then he offered her his hand and said softly, “Come, before it gets any colder,” and they ran up to the front door and knocked.

They were ushered into a parlor where Helena and George were seated by the fire conversing.

“It has begun to snow, and it looks like it might be a major storm,” Thomas said. “And I ran across this young lady on her way to see you, Helena. Not certain she would have made it if I had not given her a ride.”

Helena stood. “Come, both of you, sit by the fire. Your faces are as red as Christmas decorations.” She turned to the butler and said, “I think we need tea for these two wayfarers.”

“Yes, Miss,” Benton said, as he took their coats. Rubbing their hands, the two went to stand in front of the fire, but only after Jenny had given Helena the parcel from her mother.

“What ever brings you out on a night like this?” Helena asked, as she went over and rubbed up and down Jenny’s arms to help warm her.

This was neither the time nor the place to tell Helena about the letter, so she said, “I wanted to tell you about Robert’s new job.” She turned to Thomas and asked. “How was his first day, Your Grace? Do you think our Robert has what it takes to be a jockey?”

Thomas smiled at her. “Yes, I believe so. He was on the horses this morning after some basic instruction, and it looked like the horse and rider were one. Of course, this was in the practice ring, and there was not any actual racing yet. The lad must have a good deal of training before he will be ready for that.”

George stood, “So it went well? I am so glad to hear that. I forgot to ask you about him when you were here earlier.”

“I am not surprised with all your wedding planning. I felt like an intruder when I was here earlier. It almost seemed like you had forgotten about our business, George.”

George laughed. “Not at all. It is all Helena’s fault, hounding me day and night about the wedding plans.”

Helena went over and gave him a playful swat on the arm. “George Edgerton, you are vile. You want this as much as I do.”

“Yes, dear,” he said dutifully.

Thomas suddenly got down to business. “George, if I might have a private word with you. I must get back to my guests before I become snowed in here.”

Jenny suddenly felt alarmed. What if she got snowed in here? What would happen at the bakery without her tomorrow morning?

“Who would have thought this morning, that there might be such a storm by this afternoon?” Thomas said. “The Ladies Alderman and the young Miss Cordelia mercifully arrived before this storm started brewing.”

Jenny winced inwardly at the mention of Lady Alderman. So, she is here. And no doubt she would soon be the new Duchess of Pemberton she could not help but think.

“But George, I fear if this is a large storm it will delay our work on the course and keep the horses in the stable for a while,” Thomas added.

“But you have the delightful Lady Alderman to entertain you,” George teased.

Thomas grimaced slightly, “Come with me. I need to speak to you privately about that for a moment.”

That sent a stab of anguish through Jenny, as she surmised that things might have already progressed with the Lady to the point where Thomas had to speak to George privately about a pending engagement.

George and Thomas then left the room.

“Darling, Jenny, what brings you here? It cannot be just to tell me about Robert.”

Jenny said, “It is not. I received a most tortured letter from Evan and I wanted you to read it and help me figure out how to respond.”

“Did you bring it with you?”

“I did.” Jenny reached into her coat pocket and was about to take out the letter when Thomas and George reappeared.

“I really must leave right away, George,” Thomas said. “I just looked outside, and it is snowing heavily and sticking to the ground.” He then turned to Jenny. “Miss Jenny, what of you? There is no way you can walk home alone this evening. Might I offer you a ride?”

Jenny was dumbstruck. How very kind of him to offer. But she could not ask him to take her. It would be a terrible imposition when he needed to get back to his guests.

Mercifully, Helena spoke up. “Jenny can stay with us this evening, and we can send her home in our carriage later, if the storm lets up, or tomorrow morning if it does not.”

Thomas nodded. “Helena, Miss Jenny.” He then said to George, “If you can make it to Pemberton tomorrow, we can begin planning how to raise the rest of the investment. If not, I shall be stuck entertaining the Ladies Alderman—God help me.”

That struck Jenny as a very odd thing to say, considering they were most likely to be engaged soon.

“Good evening everyone. I am sorry I must rush off.” And with that, Thomas left, with George escorting him outside.

Helena and Jenny were finally alone—at least for a moment—and Helena asked, “Before Georgie comes back, might I see Evan’s letter?”

Jenny handed it to her.

“Oh, my…” Helena said after she finished reading. “The poor man is seriously in love with you. And how do you feel about him, Jenny?”

She was silent before replying. “I am very fond of him, but I certainly do not feel about him, the way he feels about me, and I have no idea how to respond to him. That is why I am seeking your advice.”

“Hmm.” Helena looked up at Jenny. “I think you must tell him that, Jenny. It is only fair. Men are strange creatures. They are full of passion in one moment, and then some shiny new spangle passes by, and they have completely forgotten what they were obsessing about just moments ago. You must free him and let him find his next shiny new object.”

“And your George, is he like that too?”

“I certainly hope not. So far, he has been steadfast and true. There are some men like that.”

Jenny asked shyly, “And Thomas? Is he such a man?”

Helena nodded. “Yes, I believe he is. But for him, it is more complicated. He had his days of seeking the shiny new objects, but his responsibilities have sobered him, and I believe, in his heart, he is as true a man as ever was.”

Jenny said softly, “Each day at the bakery, we get an order from Pemberton. And each day the order is different. I have made it my task to fill that order—always adding a few extra treats that I hope will be served to his Grace. I wrap the package especially nice, knowing that it will never be picked up or opened by the Duke, but it makes my heart warm to know that I can do something special, even if he does not know I am doing it for him.”

“Ah…” Helena said, “Now that is love.”