Chapter 9
“Hold her steady!” Julian sprang into action, instructing the stable hand to secure her hooves. Removing his coat, Julian flung it over a stall door before rolling up his sleeves and kneeling beside the horse.
“What are you doing?” Lily asked tearfully, almost sobbing as she rocked on her haunches.
Feeling down the horse’s neck, Julian paid close attention to his fingers before answering. “There is something lodged in her throat. Normally, I would move the horse’s head down, but since she is already on the ground in distress, we must move quickly. Will you speak to her while I work?”
Lily seemed to freeze again as panic filled her eyes.
“She needs you, Miss Prescott. There is no time to waste.” He began to meticulously massage the rigid throat where a lump could be felt through the thick muscles.
Breaking from her daze, Lily leaned forward and reached for Ecclesia’s head, gently stroking her cheek. “Everything will be well, you will see. We will be riding in no time at all…” she said tearfully, running the tips of her fingers over the mare’s large cheek.
The horse whined softly as Julian worked tirelessly, massaging the lump toward the mouth.
Neighs of unease came from the rest of the stalls as the other horses watched on.
Yet Julian remained focused on his task, feeling the rough straw bite at his knees as he placed more pressure on the throat.
“It is almost there, keep talking to her,” he instructed Lily when she grew quiet once more.
“Hang in there, girl, you are doing so well!” Fat tears fell on the horse’s face as Lily lowered her forehead and placed it against Ecclesia’s, not caring that her braided bun was beginning to come undone.
“Almost there…” Julian whispered, bending lower as he felt the lump begin to shift.
“You can do it… Please, I cannot face tomorrow without you…” Lily shut her eyes tight and held onto the horse’s head, shifting her neck up ever so slightly.
The slight movement seemed to do the trick as the horse gave a loud cough and splattered a massive lump of feed all over Lily’s dress.
Sitting back in shock, Lily raised her hands and stared down at the green gunk covering her dress. “My goodness,” she uttered.
The mare kicked her legs, fighting to her feet until she was standing up straight.
The stable hand quickly jumped to his feet as well, steadying the horse as he guided her back to her stall.
“Make sure she drinks slowly and do not give her anything more to eat for a few hours. Her throat will be sore for a while. Only hot poultice when she is ready,” Julian instructed.
Looking back down, he could not help but smile at the look of shock still on Lily’s face.
“Do you need a hand?” he held out his hand to her.
Placing her palm in his, Lily allowed herself to be guided up, looking down at her dress while shaking her head. “I was so focused on comforting her, I did not think to move away.”
Chuckling from deep within his throat, Julian smiled. “I am sorry that your dress got ruined. I should have thought to warn you.”
Lily shook her head with a bright smile as she looked at him. “I could not care less about the dress. There are dozens more where it came from. I am just glad that you saved her. Where on earth did you learn how to do that?” Her face seemed just as relieved as her tone.
“In the army, we were taught to handle situations like this if in the field. There is no stable master to help in the midst of a battle.” A strange kind of warmth crept over his chest as he watched her closely.
Any other young woman would have run to save her dress, and possibly even been angry, but Lily Prescott cared more for her horse than any expensive dress.
“Of course, you would have to know how to handle these kinds of things. And lucky for us all, you did.” She gave him a genuine smile, shaking her head in relief. “I will have to remember that if anything ever happens again.”
“Let us pray that it does not.” He leaned forward and plucked a stray piece of hay from her hair, not thinking anything of the gesture until her posture changed.
“Yes, let us hope it does not,” she said softly, her eyes searching his face with a veiled look of expectation as her lips drew apart with a single breath.
Moving forward, he allowed his fingers to run down the length of her hair, untangling some of the straw that had become lodged in her hair from the floor. He stared into her eyes, not knowing what to do, but also not wanting to back away.
Her chest rose and fell with every breath as her lips remained parted. Taking a step forward, she looked up into his eyes, her hands remaining at her sides as she tilted her head ever so slightly to the side.
“Julian!” His mother yelled as she came running into the stables with the rest of the party in tow.
Taking a step back, Julian quickly cleared his throat and turned to them all.
“What in Heaven’s name has happened?” Lily’s mother gasped as she came into view and caught sight of her daughter.
Turning toward them, Lily began to explain. “Ecclesia was choking, and Lord Barnard here saved the day.” She shrugged before smiling in his direction.
A warm look of understanding passed between them, and Julian felt as if he knew her just a little better. She was fiercely strong and independent, but also quiet, unassuming, and gentle when it came to the animal she loved.
“Is she…” Lady Brewster asked, stepping forward with a worried look in her eyes.
“She will live to ride another day,” Julian informed her. “I have already given your capable, stable hand instructions for her recovery. The young man needs commending, Lady Brewster. He knew when to call for help, and that is a trait that few possess.”
All heads turned to the young man who stood at the horse’s side with a blanket for her flanks.
Lady Brewster spoke first when the silence continued. “Thank you, young Timothy, is it not?”
Blushing slightly, the young man nodded. “It is, ma’am.”
“I shall see to it that our stable master learns of your heroic actions,” Lady Brewster commended him.
The rest of the group murmured in agreement before Lily’s mother turned to her with a scowl. “And you had better go and change before dinner. Your current state is not very appetizing at all.” She wrinkled her nose slightly as everyone else laughed.
***
The small group stood chattering away in the parlor as everyone waited for Lily to return from her much-needed bath and change of clothing. Ecclesia seemed to be doing well by the time Julian left the stables, and he was more than certain that she would make a full recovery in time.
“Ah, there she is now,” Lady Brewster announced as everyone’s heads turned toward the parlor doors.
Julian’s chest clenched as something beneath his ribs stirred almost painfully.
If Lily had been beautiful in her light blue dress, she was even more breathtaking in her simple white satin gown with overhanging sleeves of lace.
She looked like a princess fit to attend royal court with her hair braided over her shoulder and a few fresh flowers placed at the nape of her neck.
A blush spread over her cheeks as she looked at Julian and then the other. “I must apologize for my appearance. My maid did the best she could on such short notice.” She averted her gaze, looking down before demurely touching the long golden braid.
You are beautiful.
Julian thought the words but could not muster the courage to say them out loud. There was something utterly breathtaking about the simplicity of her appearance. It seemed so natural for her to have her hair in a loose braid rather than pinned to the back of her head.
“Shall we head through to dinner?” Lady Brewster asked, forcing Julian to snap out of his reverie.
Looking around, he suddenly became aware of the fact that his mother, sister, and even Lily’s mother were watching him closely with strange looks in their eyes. All of them seemed to have a look of curiosity, except Juliette, who smirked.
“That would be lovely, thank you, Lady Brewster.” His mother smiled, tearing her gaze away from Julian as she took her daughter’s arm and led Juliette to the dining room.
Lady Brewster seemed to linger behind as everyone left before offering Julian a warm smile.
“I hope you will not mind that Lord Brewster will not be joining us this evening, my lord. You know how difficult it can be to balance numbers. I am afraid that you are outranked by us ladies this evening.” She placed her hand on his arm and allowed him to usher her from the room.
“It is quite all right, Lady Brewster. I am sure that I shall be charmed to have your company all to myself this evening,” he answered politely, unable to shake the fresh image of Lily in her white gown from his mind. She looked so radiant to him, as if she had been emitting a soft light.
He lifted his gaze to the small group ahead, where his mother and sister were chatting away to Lily as they entered the dining room.
“Are you charmed, my lord?” Lady Brewster drew his attention to the side.
The question struck him as odd, but Julian pushed the notion aside. “Of course, why would I not be with such lovely ladies keeping me company?” He held back slightly when they reached the doors, allowing Lady Brewster to enter ahead of him.
The inside of the dining room was lavishly decorated in the French style with vases of white roses lining the walls on every table.
A single long table stood in the center with solid oak chairs and candelabras that had been placed on a white linen cloth.
Each place setting had been meticulously placed with expert precision.
“You come and sit here beside me, my lord.” Lady Brewster gestured to the chair to the right of hers at the head of the table, where she sat.
Taking his place as footmen entered to help the ladies into their seats, Julian noticed that he was seated directly across from Lily with his sister to her left. His mother sat to his left with Lily’s mother beside his sister.
“You may bring in the first course, Carstens,” Lady Brewster signaled to the butler, who bowed and began to usher in the rest of the footmen with trays.
Tureens were carried in, and rich artichoke soup was carefully ladled into their bowls.
Julian enjoyed the hearty flavor of the thick green soup, but his attention was quickly drawn across the table to Lily, who was laughing at something his sister had said.
“I do not believe you, Miss Sinclair,” Lily laughed easily as she turned to Juliette. “You cannot possibly have responded in such a manner.”
Juliette reached for her glass of wine and carefully took a sip. “I most certainly did. I told him, Lord Nash, you will have to wait your turn. It does not matter whether you outrank the other men on my dance card or not; priority dictates that you wait.”
Lily laughed again before elegantly ladling a spoonful of soup into her mouth.
“I hope you did so respectfully,” Julian interjected sharply as he narrowed his eyes at his sister.
Looking up, both Lily and Juliette glanced at him.
“Of course, one should always remain respectful,” Juliette said after another sip of her wine. “Even when the man is acting like a boar.”
Lily spluttered slightly as she sat back and dabbed at the corners of her mouth with her napkin. Reaching for her wine, she took a sip before demurely smiling at Julian. “Do you not like boars, my lord?” She asked with the hint of a smile teasing her lips.
Cocking his head to the side, Julian observed her closely before answering in an even tone. “That depends, Miss Prescott, to which kind of boar are you referring?”
Juliette giggled again until her mother shot her a warning glance.
Without skipping a beat, Lily looked him dead in the eyes. “The roasted kind, of course, my lord. I am quite partial to meat, are you not?” She raised an eyebrow.
Feeling his breath catch at the joke, Julian gave an unexpected smile. “I certainly am fond of roasted meats, Miss Prescott.” Their eyes lingered on each other for a moment as Juliette lost her composure and began to laugh.
Their mother sighed while shaking her head in disapproval. “How we shall ever find you a husband, I do not know,” she remarked, prompting Lily to laugh.
The table was soon engulfed in a fit of giggles as Julian sat back and watched the scene unfold.
Lily had been serious when they had first met that evening of the dance, yet he now saw a different side to her that intrigued him.
She was open, free-spirited, and joyful.
Her laughter was light while her smile brought a freshness to the moment.
She had been under a lot of stress at the ball with everyone talking about her, yet she had not allowed that to keep her down. Such strength of character was admirable to Julian, and he found himself wondering about the rest of her hidden attributes.
Did she like painting as much as she admired looking at art? Did she care for walks along the beach, or did she prefer to stay at home where it was warm and safe? All of the questions pulled him in as he began to think of his own troubles with the estate and finances.
Lady Brewster had confirmed that Lily was unattached, but did that mean she would be agreeable when it came to marriage? Could she be the one to help him restore the estate to its rightful state?
The thought made something in his chest clench as she watched her closely. Every graceful move and well-placed comment. She was certainly shaping up to be a curious and intriguing option indeed.