Chapter 5
Chapter Five
Maggie’s laughter warmed Samantha’s heart as Trent encouraged her to eat.
“I’m finished. Now may I see my surprise?”
“One more bite, Little Mouse,” Trent said, pointing at Maggie’s plate.
She stuffed another bite of toast into her mouth. “Now?”
Trent leaned in close to her. “Do we talk with our mouths full?”
She scowled at him, chewing her food before swallowing it down. “Now, may I?”
“Yes. Go with Mrs. Baird and get dressed.” He lifted her down and she ran for the door, but then she stopped and turned back.
“Are you coming to see my surprise too, Mantha?”
“I wouldn’t miss it.”
She skipped to Mrs. Baird and took her hand.
“Thank you for indulging her.” He wiped his hands and mouth before placing his napkin on the table.
Did he think perhaps she didn’t want to do these things? That couldn’t be further from the truth. “Thank you for allowing me to participate. I suppose I should have asked where this surprise is, considering I can hardly walk.”
“The surprise is in the stables. But the good news is, I still have two working legs, so you don’t need to concern yourself with how you’ll get there.”
“In the stables? She is lucky to have a brother who spoils her so.”
He laughed and shook his head. “It’s not from me. It’s from Uncle Ash. And he certainly does spoil her.”
“If she’s your sister and he’s your brother, why is he Uncle Ash?”
Trent shrugged. “They don’t actually have any relation at all, but he insisted on it. He says he’s too old to be her brother, and she’s never known him as Lord Ashdown.”
She smiled meekly. “Neither have I.”
“He prefers it that way.”
She was beginning to see Ash through different eyes, up here at his estate with his brother and Maggie. Perhaps before, she’d just been too afraid to see his kindness.
A short time later, Trent carried her out to the stables. It still felt strange to have him transporting her everywhere, but at some point, his warmth had become comforting rather than unsettling.
Maggie ran ahead in her excitement. She raced into the paddock, unleashing a squeal of delight, causing the horse to panic. Samantha’s heart stopped, and Trent sucked in a terrified gasp next to her ear. But just as the mare kicked out, Brennan scooped Maggie up, the hoof missing her by inches.
“Maggie, you can’t do that,” Trent called as he set Samantha down. The shout wasn’t a scolding, it was born of terror.
Brennan shook his head. “She’s alright. She didn’t know.” He turned to Maggie. “We have to be quiet around horses, so we don’t startle them.” Maggie’s eyes were as wide as saucers. “You don’t want to scare her do you?”
“No,” she whispered, shaking her head.
“I know you’re excited. You should be. She’s a beautiful mare, and you’re a lucky girl to have such a gift.”
She nodded, a smile returning to her lips. “She’s from Uncle Ash.”
He settled her on his arm and carried her to the front of the horse. “Do you want to give her some gentle pets?”
Maggie nodded and Brennan showed her how to stroke the mare’s muzzle. There was something incredibly sweet about the picture. Was this how men were supposed to be?
Trent exhaled. “Thank God,” he whispered.
There was something incredibly sweet about that too. That little girl would never know how lucky she was. And not because of the gifts, even if that gift was a pony. Because of the love and protection that surrounded her.
“Are you alright here for a few minutes?” Trent asked her.
“Yes. Don’t worry about me. Go enjoy this wonderful experience with your sister.”
As she stood there, watching him settle Maggie into the saddle, she understood what he’d meant when he said he felt unworthy.
She most certainly did. Almost as if her very presence threatened to tarnish this magical moment.
But if he hadn’t told her, she never would have guessed it of him. There was so much goodness in him.
Joy radiated from him as he walked beside the horse, his hand never leaving Maggie.
She was trying so hard to keep her giggles quiet as the groom led the horse in small circles.
Brennan stood off to the side, his arms folded across his chest. What must his story be?
He certainly wasn’t the brute of a man one would assume.
He’d just saved Maggie from serious harm and hadn’t scolded her or spanked her.
Instead, he’d been gentle and nurturing.
Just as he’d been with Samantha last night.
That was how all of the men around Ash seemed to be.
She’d always assumed all men, besides her brother, were like the ones who had hurt her. But perhaps she was wrong.
After a few circuits, Trent lifted Maggie off the horse and carried her so she could pet the muzzle once more.
“But I want to keep riding her,” she argued as Trent carried her away from the horse.
“She needs a rest now. You can’t just ride her all day. Besides, Mrs. Baird has fun activities planned for you today, and I have work to do.”
“You always have work to do,” she said with a pout.
“I know I do. But you have important things to do, too. You need to decide on a name for your horse.”
She shook her head. “I already know her name.”
“You do?” Trent’s face was filled with pride as he looked at her.
Maggie nodded animatedly. “It’s Ashley.”
Laughter erupted among all the men, but Samantha could see Trent trying so hard to keep it together. Tears even shimmered in his eyes from his efforts to hold in the laughter. “Is she named after Uncle Ash?”
“Uh huh!” Her whole body moved with her nod and Trent finally let a laugh escape. Samantha couldn’t help herself and laughed along with the rest of them.
“I might have to take you back down to visit him soon, just so you can tell him.”
“Yes! We should go tomorrow!”
Trent shook his head. “I’ll see you tonight, Little Mouse.” He kissed her cheek and set her down, nudging her toward Mrs. Baird. After a moment, he turned his back and doubled over with laughter.
When he regained his composure, he wiped his eyes with a contented sigh. He pointed at Brennan. “You and I are sharing a drink tonight.”
“I won’t say no to that. Especially if the brandy here is as good as what he buys for the club.”
“We’ll make sure it’s the best he has. I’m going to take Samantha back up to the house, and then you and I have a big job ahead of us today.”
“I’m looking forward to it.”
“I’m sure I can manage on my own,” Samantha said when he turned back to her.
“Don’t be silly.” He stopped. “Unless you don’t want me to pick you up.”
“It’s not that, but you just said you have a big job ahead of you today. The last thing you need is to haul me all the way back up to the house.”
“I know it doesn’t fit with the big house and all the servants and everything, but none of this is mine. Manual labor is what I do. I’m not a gentleman of leisure. Carrying you up the stairs will not render me incapable of completing my other duties. Do you doubt my stamina, Miss Allister?”
A bit of teasing sparkled in his eyes, and she laughed nervously.
“Are you ready?” he asked.
At her nod, he picked her up and carried her into the house. She felt safe with him, and that troubled her. Only a fool would trust a man after everything she’d been through.
He settled her into a chair in her room rather than on the bed. “I’ll send Sandra in on my way out.”
Samantha shook her head. “I don’t need anything right now. I just want some quiet time alone, if that’s alright.”
He stopped and turned back. “Everything is alright here. You may do as you please. If you need something, don’t hesitate to ring for it. If you don’t wish to be disturbed, simply say so. This is your home, not a prison.”
She nodded. “Thank you, Trent.”
A war was waging within her. Samantha hadn’t even been here a full day yet, and in that time, she’d laughed more than she had in as long as she could remember. But as good as it felt, she wasn’t sure she should be. Especially today.
Today was her wedding anniversary.
Six years ago, she’d married Norman. Or, at least, she’d thought she had.
A part of her still felt as if she should grieve the loss of him, while another part said she should hate him for all he’d put her through.
Certainly, Simon wanted her to hate him.
The truth was, she felt neither. Trent had called her a victim, but if that was true, why wasn’t she angry?
That wasn’t quite right either. She was angry. And hurt, scared, lost, and heartbroken. The list undoubtedly went on and on. What she did feel was the pressure keeping all those things locked up tight, and the fear that, if she didn’t, they would destroy her.
She needed her sketchbook. It was the only place she could safely let her feelings out, one drawing at a time.
* * *
Brennan was waiting for Trent, two horses already saddled.
“Are we not even going to talk about what you did for my sister?”
“Nothing to talk about.”
“Giant brute of a man who’s not good with anyone unless they need a beating, huh?”
He shrugged. “I have a handful of younger sisters. Are we going to get to work, or just chinwag all day?”
Shaking his head, Trent climbed into the saddle. It wasn’t a mere coincidence that Ash had sent this man.
Today’s job, or this week’s job, depending on how long it took them, was to renovate an old hunting cabin.
Brennan looked at the dilapidated structure. “Are we taking it down?”
“No.” Trent shook his head and opened the door.
“Ash wants it preserved. Some kind of sentimental thing? I don’t understand, if I’m honest. It looks as if there may have been a tramp in here not long ago.
” There were towels spread about, furniture was out of place, and the bed had been slept in.
“Why is there a woman’s boot?” He picked it up off the floor and looked for its mate, but it didn’t seem to be there.
“I don’t ask questions,” Brennan said with a shrug, already throwing things into a pile. “If the boss says he wants it done, let’s get it done.”