Chapter Twenty-Two
Also the night he’d found out about having a son.
Something he could not allow himself to dwell on today, as it was race day and he needed to focus on one thing only: Getting Zeus to the starting gate and running the Rowley Mile.
At the end of this row of stalls was Ramsbury’s horse, Thunder, which was being watched over by his trainer.
Since this was Samuel’s first race with Zeus, he didn’t trust anyone else to stay with him.
Once Tobias mounted Zeus and Albert, his trainer, led them to the starting line, Samuel would hurry to find Clarice, and hopefully watch his thoroughbred win—or at least show.
“Your Grace,” Tobias said as he entered the stables and approached him. “It’s time.”
“Relax, Your Grace,” Albert said, having arrived with Tobias. “We will take it from here. Tobias is ready, and Zeus has been trained for this day.”
He heard their words and knew they were true, but Samuel still found it hard to leave Zeus.
Did all owners feel this way? The three of them had spoken earlier in the day, so there was nothing more for Samuel to do or say.
“Take care of Zeus,” Samuel said as he walked away from the stables, stepped into the filtered sunshine, and inhaled the fresh air.
He paused to brush dust and hay particles off his black jacket and trousers.
When he started toward the course, he had to weave around spectators on horseback and in both open and closed carriages as they searched for a spot to watch the race.
Not to mention all the people walking around.
He wondered if he would ever find Clarice in this crowd.
Just when he was about to give up hope of ever finding them, he heard Greyson yell, “Stanton, over here!” Greyson was standing up in an open barouche with Lady Rutherford, Lady Aurora, and Lady Anastasia. Hunter was in another barouche parked beside theirs with Clarice, who waved enthusiastically.
He sighed with relief upon seeing Clarice happy. The tension in his shoulders relaxed, and the nerves plaguing him earlier turned into excitement as he headed toward his friends.
“How are you faring?” Greyson asked.
“Better now than I was,” he replied as he climbed into the carriage with Clarice and Hunter, taking the seat beside Clarice and immediately holding her hand. He took his timepiece out of his jacket pocket and set it on the seat next to him.
“It’s going to be a great race. Zeus will do well. He had good times during practice runs on the course,” Greyson shouted to be heard over the ever-growing and overly passionate crowd.
Samuel removed his black top hat, ran his hands through his hair, and placed it back on his head.
The brim would help block the sun’s glare when the race started.
His eyes fixed on the wide, flat grass racecourse.
In less than thirty minutes, Zeus would either win or lose this race.
Since the stables were near the finish line, the spot Samuel needed to be, Hunter and Greyson had found the perfect place to watch the race’s end.
Looking down the straightaway, he could see the “Dip” in the distance.
During the trials, Zeus handled the dip well.
“Here they come,” Hunter said, pulling him out of his introspection.
And they were coming, but not yet racing. The horses were being led by their jockeys and trainers down the track, a mile away from the starting line.
“Samuel,” Clarice squeezed his hand. “Your silks stand out. The yellow stripes were a perfect choice.”
She spoke the truth. Tobias was easy to identify.
“I can’t believe I never thought to ask about your silks,” Greyson bellowed from his carriage. “You did well with the design and colors.”
“Yes, you did,” Hunter said in agreement.
Samuel struggled to contain his excitement now that he saw Zeus heading to the starting line. It made everything feel real for the first time. He had known the race was coming up, but it had seemed like a dream. It had been hard to think it would all actually come to fruition.
“How are you doing?” Clarice’s voice interrupted his thoughts.
“Better, now that the race is here and you’re by my side.”
“Me too,” she said as she looked at him and smiled.
“All I could think about was you the past two days.” She lowered her voice so Hunter couldn’t hear.
“I should never have burdened you with our conversation the other night, knowing how much strain you were under because of the race. I should have waited. And this morning, I tried to imagine what you were going through. The anxiety, the excitement, the nerves. Time couldn’t go by fast enough so I could be with you. ”
He raised her hand to his lips and kissed her fingers. “I’m glad you told me, so we can share the pain and loss together.” He grinned and winked, burying the ache inside for today. “I want to pull you into my arms and kiss you, but this will have to do.”
Hunter heard his last comment and chuckled as he sat across from them. Samuel ignored him while he picked up his timepiece. His eyes widened, his stomach dropped, and his heart pounded even harder than before. “The race has begun.”
He stood up on trembling legs, and his friends did the same, all straining their necks to see down the track.
Samuel heard the thunder and felt the vibrations of the horses running long before he could see them.
When they finally came into view, it was so fast—happening quickly—that everything was a blur of horses and colors.
Samuel’s eyes fixed on Tobias. He was neck and neck with two other horses, one of which he recognized as Ramsbury’s horse.
Screaming and cheering nearly deafened him as the horses reached the finish line. Having no idea who won, he jumped down from the carriage and held out his hand for Clarice. “Come. We need to hurry to the finish line.”
As they quickly weaved through the crowd, spilling onto the track, they reached Tobias, who yelled over the crowd, “We won! We won!”
Samuel turned to Clarice, lifted her up, and spun her around while shouting, “We won! We won!”
“Samuel, I’m dizzy,” she laughed out.
He stopped spinning and gently set her down, keeping his arm around her until she was steady on her feet.
Not that he felt steady himself. He was lightheaded, and his knees were weak.
Not only had his dream of owning a thoroughbred racehorse come true, but Zeus had won a race.
And not just any race—the 2000 Guineas Stakes.
The opening race of the 1817 racing season.
The rest of the afternoon was spent being congratulated and envied at the celebration party at The Jockey Club.
He enjoyed the praise, but what he really wanted was to go back to Ramsbury Ridge Farm and spend private time with Clarice.
However, since the Winner’s Ball was being hosted by Viscount Thurston, their time alone would have to wait.
*
When Clarice had arrived at the Newmarket Racecourse on race day, excitement had coursed through her body.
The ladies were dressed in their finest day dresses with elaborate hats and parasols.
She and Letitia were dressed equally so.
Gentlemen were expected to wear black. Some wore formal wear, while others sported black riding clothes.
It shouldn’t have surprised her that so many people were in attendance to watch the race.
After all, Newmarket was the racing town. Many people lived here for the races.
When Samuel had finally joined her in Hunter’s open-air coach, and she convinced herself he was doing well after their delicate conversation from two nights ago, she had been able to breathe easier.
And when she’d stood in the carriage and watched all the horses stampeding down the track, giddiness had set in.
Then when they’d learned Zeus had won and Samuel picked her up, swinging her around, it was the happiest moment.
She was so proud and thrilled for him. And the day after that was simply a blur of activity.
“What a day,” Clarice said hours later, once she and Samuel were in her hotel room.
Dressed only in her night rail, she nibbled on some cold chicken, grapes, bread, and cheese that a chambermaid had brought to her room moments ago.
With all the excitement of the day and the whirlwind of social events and the Winner’s Ball they’d attended, they had hardly eaten, and she was famished—the noises her stomach made proved it. “You should eat something.”
Samuel stood, looking out the window at the dark night sky. “I will.” He’d shed most of his clothes except for his lawn shirt and breeches.
“What’s troubling you?”
He turned and met her eyes. “Nothing. Everything. You know what they say about being on the top?”
“I believe I do.”
“There’s only one way to go, and that’s down. I’m not ready for that. I want to savor the exhilaration of being a winner for a little longer.”
“Nonsense. You and Zeus hold the title for a year until the next race, no matter what happens in the other upcoming races. Plus, it will be documented forever. At least, I think it will. Well, it should be, if it’s not.”
He chuckled and moved to her side, plucking a piece of cheese off the tray and nibbling on it. “You should be an advisor at The Jockey Club.”
Laughter burst from her. “Oh, please, as if they would ever let a woman into their sacred club.”
“You never know.” He ate a few grapes. “The 1000 Genius Stakes is coming up and Clover will be making her debut. Just when I think I can relax, I start worrying again.”
“She’s a beauty. I predict she will—”
“No, no, no,” he interrupted as he shook his head. “You can say you hope or wish she wins, but you can’t come right out and say she will do anything.”
She laughed again. “That’s the silliest thing I’ve ever heard.”
“Superstitions and all that.”
“In that case, I hope Clover wins,” she said. “Is that acceptable?”
He wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her close. “It is.” His eyes shifted to the bed, and she understood what he was thinking. Her body responded accordingly. “Would you like to go to bed?” he asked.
“Yes.” Before she could move, he swept her up into his arms and gently placed her on the bed with his body coming down beside hers. Thankfully, Penny had drawn the covers down, and they slipped right in, pulling the counterpane over them.
Turning on his side, facing her back, Samuel nuzzled her neck. “Today was the best day of my life because I got to spend it with the woman I love.”
Her skin tingled from his warm breath. “I believe it was the best day of mine, as well.” She waited for him to say something else.
When she heard soft snoring, she smiled.
Poor Samuel, he probably hadn’t had a good night’s sleep in a long time.
She closed her eyes and wished they could fall asleep like this for years and years to come.