Page 46 of Pride of Honor
Lady Howick shook her head slowly, easing herself down with the aid of her cane onto a chair near one of the dormer windows. “If I live to see you safely settled into your own home with a sensible husband to keep you in hand, I will consider that a miracle.”
At a light tap, Sir Thomas’s housekeeper bustled into the room with an armload of fine woolen blankets, one of which she offered Lady Howick and then tucked the covering over the older woman’s legs and feet. “Would you like some hot tea sent up?”
“That would be wonderful. And do you have any ginger biscuits?”
The woman nodded with a smile. “Of course.”
Lady Howick gave Sophie and Lydia a wave. “You girls should go down and let Sir Thomas show you his home and the grounds. I’m sure he’s anxious to make Sophie feel welcome.”
“What about me?” Lydia feigned a slight moue with her mouth.
“You’ve been here before, when you were still mad about horses at thirteen.”
“But I might like to have my memory refreshed.”
“Of course you would.” Her grandmother gave a long sigh. “You and Sophie can serve as chaperones for each other. Poor Jane is probably exhausted from the trip and would appreciate a bit of a rest before she tackles unpacking your trunks.”
Sophie and Lydia tied on their bonnets again for the walk around the grounds with Sir Thomas. The sun slanting at the end of the day was intense. Sir Thomas wore a wide-brimmed straw hat with a black cloth strip around the crown.
“What do you want to see first?” Sir Thomas gave Sophie a questioning look.
Sophie gave him an impish smile. “All I want to see is that famous library you crow about so much. However, theon dit’ssay your horses are the love of your life.”
“I’ve been found out. I admit there is nowhere I’d rather be than in the stables, coaxing my beauties to thrive and make me proud.”
“We saw so many colts in the fields.” Lydia neatly side-stepped a clump of dirt at the side of the path, lifting her skirts out of the way. “Do you have a nursery for all of the little ones in the stables?”
“No. They stay with their mothers until they’re ready to venture out into the fields.” He hailed one of the grooms walking from the stables to a nearby cottage. “Ned—do we have any wee ones in the stables now?”
“Aye, Major. One of Rubal's mares. She dropped her foal last night.” The groom waved before continuing to his cottage.
“Why did he call you ‘major’?” Sophie asked.
“He served with me in the cavalry.” A cloud of something Sophie could not quite name momentarily blocked Sir Thomas’s usually open, sunny smile. “But, come. We’re about to see something that can’t help but lift our spirits.”
He led them through large open doors of the immaculate stables and down a long aisle to the end where a beautiful chestnut-colored creature watched over her diminutive son leaning close to her. She snorted and gave them wary looks before Sir Thomas spoke low with soothing words in a strange language.
“What did you say to her?” Lydia whispered, for once seeming calmed by the scene in front of them.
“Some Gaelic I learned from one of the stable boys who has the gift.” His smile was back.
“Do those phrases always calm them?” Sophie had no idea there was a special tongue for conversing with horses.
“Most of the time.”
“What do you do when Gaelic doesn’t work?”
“I do whatever is necessary to make my beauties happy.” He dipped the brim of his hat and stretched an arm back toward the entrance. “Ladies, there’s still time to see the rose and sculpture gardens before the sun sets and dinner is served. Are you interested?”
“Of course,” Sophie said, and extended her gloved hand.
He took both of their hands and walked slowly back past the luxurious stalls.
When they were outside again, Arnaud joined them and frowned at Sophie’s gloved hand clasped in one of Sir Thomas’s.
“All right, then, if you insist on being surly…” Sophie broke her contact with Sir Thomas and grasped Arnaud’s hand tight. When he stiffened, she warned, “Don’t” in a low voice. They fell in behind the barrister and Lydia, who barely stifled a giggle.
After Arnaud delivered Sophie back to the main house, she and Lydia excused themselves to change before dinner.