“Stop that. You know what I mean.”
“They are Morgans. You remember Sarge, lost in the blizzard? He was a Morgan. They are one of the first breeds to be introduced to the settlers in this country, though technically they haven’t yet been declared a breed.”
“Are they for riding?” she asked, a catch in her throat.
“That, yes. They have a most gentle gait, but they also work, pull buggies or a hay wagon. They are versatile, strong, and of the sweetest temperament. I had heard a lot about them when I bought Sarge. He proved to be a fine animal.”
“We are going to buy a horse, aren’t we? And you’re going to ride despite Doctor Proctor’s warning.”
He stared straight ahead and would not look at her for anything.
“I love you,” She leaned to kiss his cheek. “I’m sorry. I know you would rather ride than almost anything else in the world, and I regret that you cannot.”
“Wait until we get there. Just wait.” She glanced up to see him watching her, those expressive eyes so intent she felt embraced.
She smiled and held her tongue against any further caution. Of all things about him, she understood his need to do this thing and was determined to trust his judgment. He was not a child. He needed a wife, not a mother.
At last they arrived at the ranch house, built in the rambling fashion popular with westerners.
“Wait. I’ll come around.” He vaulted down onto one leg, limped around the wagon, using it for support, then reached up to lift her to the ground.
“Thank you, kind sir,” she managed to say brightly, touching away the pain on his face with her gloved fingertips.
A tall, lanky man with a shock of sandy hair came out the door, pounded across the porch, and headed toward them. One hand held a brown Stetson. He stuck out the other. “Marcus Daniels. Pleasure to see you, Lord Prescott. James Lee told me you’d be by.”
Blair shook his hand. “This is my wife. We are looking for some horses. We have a little place over near Victoria. Heard you had the best in the state.”
We have a little place? The phrase floated through her. Had he really said that? And talk about sounding western…
Daniels’ grin made him look much younger. His face was tanned, the sapphire-blue eyes brilliant in the sunlight. “My Morgans are the finest in all the West. Let’s go take a look. I have a few choice animals in the barn waiting for your visit, sir.”
“Please call me Blair.”
“Will do, Blair.” Pushing the Stetson down on his head, Daniels slogged out across the muddy barnyard, slowing his pace to match Blair’s and Rowena’s. By the time they reached the barn, it was evident Blair wished he’d worn the brace. He leaned against the door jamb and lifted his weight off the right leg.
Stepping inside the shadowy barn out of the bright morning was like plunging into total darkness, and it took a moment to adjust. Here the air was rich with the smell of hay and horses and leather. Slowly her eyes grew accustomed to the dim light. In the first stall a deep red horse arched a graceful neck over the stanchion and whickered. Daniels rubbed the broad forehead.
“Oh, he’s beautiful. May I?” She held out her hand.
“Of course. They love to be handled.” Daniels indicated a bucket hanging nearby. “Get a handful of feed. Hold it in your hand, fingers uncurled. He’ll take it from you gentle as can be. But he can’t tell fingers from a carrot sometimes, so that’s why you spread them away from the feed. You’ll notice his big ole teeth.”
She removed her glove and did as he instructed. The velvety nose snuffled, then lifted to reveal those large teeth as he lipped the grain from her palm. “Oh, look, Blair. Isn’t he gorgeous?”
“Indeed he is,” he said, but remained leaning for a bit more, then limped around to rub the horse’s neck. “Let’s look at all of them. I want you to have your pick.”
“Me? I don’t know anything about choosing our horses.”
“Your horse, love,” he said. “Mr. Daniels, which one would you recommend for a lady who has yet to take riding lessons?”
“But I thought we were buying them for work, and for you and Grady to ride.”
“We are buying several. One will be yours and only yours. I want you to be completely happy with the choice.”
“Come down here, Mrs. Prescott.” Daniels gestured and headed for another stall. “I have one a tad smaller you might prefer. He’s gelded, and was a bit of a runt, and since I presume he’ll only be for riding, he will suit you better because of your size. Let’s take a look. He’s a fine animal, marked beautifully, and possesses the gentle spirit of the breed. And best of all, he’s looking for a good home.”
She glanced back at Blair. “Go on, love,” he urged. “Take a look. I’m fine, don’t fuss.”
Before going to check the horse she went to him and kissed his cheek. “I’ll fuss if I want to. Mr. Daniels, is there somewhere Blair can sit down for a while? He’s—”
“Oh, sure. I heard about the accident. Here you go.” He grabbed a small, handmade bench from inside one of the empty stalls and placed it near Blair, who lowered himself with a sigh.
“Now, don’t you worry, I’ll take good care of her,” Daniels joked, and led Rowena about halfway down the long aisle, while horses hung their heads out to watch.
He stopped and rubbed a curious nose. The animal, a bit smaller in stature than the others, was a deep chestnut color, with a white blaze on his forehead and a soft brown gaze that locked on her and immediately captured her heart. Daniels opened the stall, slipped a loop over the nose and perked ears, and led him out into the center of the barn. “This one will follow you with just a string around his neck. Come and get acquainted. Just remember a horse sees out of the sides of his head, and so can spook easily. Lay your hand on his neck and start talking to him, then approach so he can see you. Don’t startle if he swings his head around to get a better look. He’s gentle as a kitten, but horses are large animals and can hurt you if you aren’t careful, even if they don’t intend to. He won’t normally step on you. And don’t be afraid. They can sense fear immediately, and even the best trained will test your mettle.”
While he talked Rowena followed his instructions, placing her hand on the warm, arched neck. When she reached the horse’s head, Daniels handed her the rope and stepped back, leaving her in total control of the animal. Or so she hoped. Quaking a bit, she drew in a deep breath, and rubbed the velvety nose. The gelding lipped her hand and up her arm, snuffling till she laughed.
A horse in the next stall whinnied and hers answered back, like they too were laughing about something. How delightful, the touch, the smell, the beauty of these animals.
“What is his name? Is it proper for me to kiss him?”
Daniels laughed, and from his seat Blair did too.
“Yes, you have permission to kiss him. I call him Brandy because when the sun hits his coat just right he’s a deep rich red. He’d like that kiss on the softness of his nose, but watch out. If he throws his head up suddenly you can get bumped hard.”
“There’s a great deal to remember, isn’t there?” she said after kissing the soft nose. “Oh, I love him already. Blair, I want this one,” she called, sending the Morgan into a little dance sideways. She clutched the rope. “Oh, he’s trying to get away.”
“He doesn’t want away from you. You’ll learn quickly how to handle him. Do you have someone to teach you to ride?”
Blair rose slowly from the bench. “I will do that, but we also have a hired man who is good with horses, so he’ll help.”
“If you’d like to see the others, I’ll bring them out where you can get a look at them.”
“Yes, I’d like that very much.” Blair moved along the stalls and leaned there watching Daniels.
“Ma’am, you might just take Brandy back into his stall.”
Blair watched her lead the horse, her face flushed with happiness. He had definitely chosen the right gift for her. For a long while now she had been a bi
t sad and did not smile as readily as she once had. He feared it was because of his problems. That was clear by her reaction when he was in trouble. And he was sure she also missed Tyra and Wilda. He had learned to hide much of what bothered him, but sometimes it wasn’t possible. Today he had her worried again because of the brace. But that would be remedied as soon as Grady returned from Victoria.
Still, he was beginning to wish he had waited to take the damned thing off until Grady’s trip had been completed, for his leg was not only hurting like hell, it threatened to give way when he put full weight on it. He certainly did not want to end up flat on his face in the mud.
Moments later she joined him, eyes alight. Behind her, Daniels opened several stalls and allowed a half dozen horses out. They milled about, patiently allowing Blair to check their teeth and hooves and run his hands over their bodies.
“Will you accept a draft on the Victoria bank?” Blair asked when he finished.
“Of course. Come on up to the house, and we’ll take care of our transaction.”
He started to follow Daniels, but she could tell he was in trouble. Going to him, she took his right arm, draped it over her shoulder and hugged his waist.
“Just a little help there, cowboy,” she teased in a lighthearted manner to keep from embarrassing him.
Daniels made a point of trying not to notice his difficulty.
Walking along beside her, he said, “I’d like to take Brandy and the one in the first stall with us. I can send a man for the other four in a few days.”
“That will be most agreeable. Oh, by the way, his name is Whiskey.”
That brought laughter all around.
“I’ll bring them to you when we finish our business. Would the lady be interested in a western saddle? My daughter has no further use for hers. Moved off to Kansas City to marry a lawyer. I believe it would be a perfect fit. Unless, of course, she prefers to ride sidesaddle.”
“You might need to ask her,” Blair said.
Both men burst out laughing. “Sorry. Ma’am?” Daniels arched an eyebrow at her.
Rowena felt her face flush, glanced between the two men, then said, “I’d like that a lot, if it’s not considered wicked.”
More laughter. What an enjoyable day this was.
A while later, on their way back down the road with the two Morgans tied to the wagon that now held a saddle as well as a picnic basket, she scooted close to him and hugged his arm.
“You couldn’t have given me anything I would like more. Thank you so much.”
“You are quite welcome, my lady. It’s warm. Let’s find some shade for our picnic. I’m starved.”
She glanced around. “Shade is sort of scarce out here on the Kansas prairie. I believe I saw a tree about a mile before we turned in here.”
“Oh, a real tree?”
“Yes, a real tree. But it’s pretty muddy. Why don’t we have our picnic right here in the wagon? I can’t imagine trying to sit on the soaked ground.”
She didn’t fool him for a minute, but he let her think she was. If he had to climb down and then back up one more time, he’d be done for the day, and she knew it. A few minutes later he pulled up under the lone tree and wrapped the reins around the brake handle. She lifted the basket and set it between them in the seat. New leaves of the cottonwood whispered in the wind, sprinkling bits of sunlight down on their picnic.
“So you are going to teach me to ride?” She hid her huge grin behind a piece of fried chicken.
“What? You do not think I can do that?”
“I look forward to it. I hope it is not me who cannot do it. Ride, I mean. Perhaps we could both sit the same horse until I grow accustomed to how to manage.”
He took a bite of bread and chewed, regarding her with a wicked glint. “My wife who never ceases to amaze me with her ideas for instigating sex.”
“I beg your pardon? That would be love and pleasure, not simply sex.”
He laughed so loudly Brandy whinnied back at him, which made his horse do the same. “I think they understand,” he said.
She rubbed his inner thigh.
“Look out, woman, or we’ll be rolling around in the back of the wagon. And we would not want to upset the horses.”
“Sounds fine to me.”
A gust of wind lifted her long, loose hair, the pale strands glowing in the sunlight. Oh, Lord, how beautiful she was. But no more so than she was sweet. How blessed he was to have her love.
Grady had returned from his errand by the time they arrived back at Fairhaven. Without asking Blair, she beckoned to him. “Before you take the rig and horses to the barn, would you kindly give his lordship a hand? He bit off more than he could chew today.”
Her using that phrase was so funny to Blair that he forgot to be annoyed that Grady had to practically carry him into the house.
“Did you get them?” he asked Grady after she left to take the basket back to the kitchen, leaving them to navigate the stairs.
“Sure did, Captain, and I’ve got to say he did a fine job. I’m sure even your doctor what’s-his-name will approve.”
“Won’t matter, because I don’t intend to ask him. First thing in the morning, in the barn. And are you available tomorrow after breakfast for our beginning riding lesson?”
“I sure am.” Upstairs, Grady helped him sit in the loveseat beside the window. “Now, if you don’t mind, I’d better get to work ’fore my boss fires me.”
“Thanks, Grady.” Blair grasped his hand and shook it hard.
“You betcha.”
“You betcha,” Blair mimicked, and they both laughed.
Blair was still laughing when Rowena entered a few minutes later and softly closed the door at her back. “Well, we had quite a day.” She untied the bow under her chin and began to unbutton her jacket. He sat at the window, a silhouette against the flame of the setting sun. Burnished streaks of purple crossed the blazing sky as if some huge finger had slashed open the fire to reveal the coming night.
By the time she reached him, the jacket lay in a nearby chair and her fingers had worked open the buttons of her blouse and dropped it in a pile on the floor. Next came the long, split skirt, and she stepped out of it to ease down beside him on the seat.
“One thing I’m sure of, if I’m to ride astride, I’ll need something less flamboyant. Flapping in the wind, that outfit could very well spook my horse.” She mimicked Daniels’ phrase but put emphasis on “my horse.”
He chuckled and touched her cheek with his knuckles. “I’m seeing britches, perhaps such as our darling Tyra wears.” His fingers trailed beneath the loose chemise to the crevice between her breasts. “I do like what you’re wearing now. Or not wearing.”
She hooked the top of one stocking and began to peel it down her leg.
“Go slower with that.”
“You are a shameless voyeur.”
He chuckled. “And who would blame me? There, give me the other leg. I want to take that one off myself. You want to see how shameless I am?”
She turned on her bottom and stretched her leg across his lap.
From her thigh, over her knee, down her calf to her ankle and then her foot, he followed the stocking with moist kisses, nibbles that sent ripples of pleasure through every inch of her body.
“That feels so good I can’t stand it.” Though she hadn’t much experience with men, this man had to be the best lover in the world. She never knew what he would come up with to give their lovemaking an unexpected pleasure. By the time he finished removing her stocking, she was throbbing eagerly.
Eyes glazed with passion, he gazed up at her.
She leaned forward and kissed him, first on the chin, then on the mouth.
“Let’s get me out of these boots before I take care of the remainder of your clothing.”
With reluctance, she slipped to the floor, straddled his leg, her firm buttocks facing him. “Right one first. Get it over with.”
He closed his eyes and grabbed the seat on e
ither side. “Okay. Go.”
The boot clung stubbornly for a moment, then began to slide off in her firm grasp. His breath hissed in, then out, but he made no other sound. When she glanced back at him, his face was pale, the only sign of the pain.
He might be the toughest man she’d ever known.
Gently she massaged the throbbing calf. “Sorry, but you have to admit you asked for it.”
“Indeed I did,” he rasped, “and I knew you wouldn’t let it go without comment.”
“I’ll rub some warming salve on it, if you would like.” She continued to caress the leg and pulled off his stocking, glancing up, then kissing his ankle. “Other one now?”
“Fast learner. And the salve can wait, but I will take you up on it a bit later.”
He was still hurting, but the worst was over. With little trouble she removed the other boot and stocking, set them both aside, and slipped back onto the seat next to him.
“Take off your pants, Mister. I’m not waiting any longer.” She turned her back. “First get me out of this corset, so I can feel better, as well.”
His fingers in the laces were deft and the corset came loose. “Oh, my, what a relief.” From behind he slipped his hands beneath the stays and over her breasts, and she hummed under her breath.
“Breeches.”
He obliged. “Want to get in bed?” he asked, breath hot against the back of her neck.
“Yes, let’s.”
She helped him to his feet and supported him the several steps to the high-canopied bed, where they crawled in. The remainder of their clothing came off with haste.
Much later, she opened the drawer of the table and took out the tin of salve.
“Roll over on your stomach,” she said, screwing off the lid. The acidic aroma tickled her nostrils. On her knees next to his leg, she leaned and kissed him behind the knee, moved down over his calf. Fingering a glob of salve into her palm, she rubbed her hands together until the salve grew warm, then spread it over the damaged muscles.
“That feels so good,” he said, his voice softening.
His body relaxed and his breathing evened out. He was asleep. She massaged the leg a while longer, then pulled the covers over him before spooning her body against his.
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