Lord Dalton was here, and the first meeting was over. He was so much the same and so much changed that he was able to surprise her out of countenance. But she was better prepared now and would no doubt see little of him during the remainder of his stay.
Therefore, it was quite a shock when she passed by the stables on her way back to the house and ran into him coming toward her.
“Miss Montgomery, this is a pleasant surprise.” He bowed then smiled.
“My lord!” she said, and curtsied. So much for only seeing him at tea! “Charity had no need of me, so I took a walk down to the lake.”
“I thought to get my first look at some of the horses, but could not locate Sir John.”
“I will be happy to send a servant to bring him to you.” She curtsied again and turned to go. His hand stayed her, and she looked up at him in surprise.
He laughed, and her brow furrowed in question, though it did not stop her from admiring his brown eyes. “You are too efficient, ma’am! I do not wish to disturb him, and I can easily look them over without him.” He surprised her again. “Will you join me?”
“You are too kind, my lord, but I will leave you to your inspections.”
“On the contrary, I would appreciate the company, and you know your way around better than I.” She started to speak again, and he cut her off with mischief in his eyes. “You did say Miss Charity had no need of you.”
She finally laughed as he intended. “You are quite persuasive, sir.”
“And ‘you cannot refuse a request from a guest’ is all that is needed to make me feel a complete cad!”
She did not realize how she had forgotten his wonderful banter. “Oh, no, I am not paid to entertain the guests!” He looked at her askance, and when she smiled, they both burst out laughing. Drat the man! How could he turn her back into a seventeen-year-old so easily? She must watch her step.
“I pronounce the penalty for your levity—you must accompany me with no more excuses.”
She began to lead the way. “Of course, my lord. I did not mean for you to think I did not wish to accompany you.”
“Splendid. I saw a beautiful chestnut down a few stalls when Merlin was taken in. I believe it is along the row to the right.”
“Merlin? What an excellent name for a horse. Is he a magician, then?”
“Absolutely, Miss Montgomery. He is fearless, as well. He carried me through many a battle I might not have survived without him. He is a great goer.”
“What an important thing about war I have just learned.” She was quite serious. “I think, as females, we are believed to need shielding from actual details of battle. I wish it were not so.” She came back to the present. “Of course, your mount would become your partner of sorts.”
“You are quite right, Miss Montgomery. Are you a rider yourself?”
Kathryn was thrust back in time, when her father taught her to ride astride in breeches, her hair tied back with only a ribbon. “I used to, my lord, but it has been many years now. I had such a wonderful horse. We grew to trust each other implicitly.”
“I do believe you actually understand. I have never heard it described quite like that, but that is exactly the word—trust.”
What in the world was she doing? How would a lowly companion know such things? Thank goodness she had not told him her horse’s name. With her luck he would have remembered it!
“Is this the chestnut you mentioned?”
“Yes, it is. She’s a beauty, in truth.” He went to the horse’s head to rub her jaw. The horse let Lord Dalton know she did not appreciate him taking liberties with her by pawing the ground and shaking her magnificent head. He slowly reached into his pocket and drew out a palm full of sugar cubes. He put them near enough for her to smell. She danced around the stall and blew great breaths out of her nose, her way of informing him she was not so easily bought, but while he never moved his hand, she slowly drew in closer. As she took the treats from him, she let him slide his hands down her neck and under her mane.
Kathryn began to laugh. He looked at her, as if believing she would soon share with him what was so amusing. “I am sorry, my lord,” she said, trying to catch her breath. “She is called Jezebel because she wants to control the men who come around her. Sir John will be devastated to know his Jezebel can be bought by a handsome man bearing sugar cubes!”
He laughed outright. “I get the feeling it is you and not Sir John who would love to see me bested by this beauty. Make no mistake, she will definitely be given the opportunity to try.”
“I shall be sorry to miss it! I am afraid I must go, my lord. No doubt Charity will soon be looking for me.” She was surprised when he once again stroked the horse and then turned to walk back with her.
“I have noticed that Miss Charity does not seem to get on with the younger children. Is it the age difference between them?”
Kathryn would have loved to warn him that Charity does not “get on with” anyone, but she would not so malign anyone in this family. “The age difference is quite a barrier, to be sure. I wish it were not so, because Lacey is at the age where she needs someone older to emulate, but I do not think it will be Charity at this phase in Charity’s life.”
“It appears to me that Lacey wishes to emulate you.”
“Me!” She laughed at him. “She needs to be loved, and that she gets from me, but I am not the role model for her, either.”
“I think you underestimate your relationship, but you know better than I. It is clear she seeks your approval, and you give it quite freely. A perfect companion.”
She laughed at him again. “And therein lies the rub. I am not Lacey’s companion!”
She had enjoyed herself immensely, but she must not get too close. She would never doubt his intense study of others or his well-honed instincts. She turned the conversation back to him. “My lord, I was very sorry to hear about the death of your brother.” He turned to her and stopped walking, looking at her oddly. She stopped, as well. “You mentioned it at tea as the reason you had to leave the army.” He relaxed, and she realized he wondered how she had known that. She had read it in the newspaper, but she never would have mentioned it had he not done so already. She definitely needed to heed her instincts and stay away from him and his personal life. “I can only imagine that the loss, along with having to completely uproot your life, must have been a great burden.” No, she did not need to imagine; she understood it all too well.
“I thank you, Miss Montgomery. It certainly changed my life, but I am...content for the moment. My mother is at home, and I am glad to be with her. She is a blessing to me in many ways, but especially in dealing with our tenants. She was adamant that she could take care of things and that I should go to London.”
“She sounds like the perfect mother!” Kathryn had loved to listen to him talk about her when they were together so many years ago. “You did not wish to go?”
He hesitated. “I confess I am much happier in the country. But she wished me to...enjoy myself after the years of learning to manage the estate.”
