by Joan Wolf
He took her into his arms. “I am so sorry, sweetheart. I never should have left you the way I did. In my heart I knew that I loved you, but my mind didn’t understand. It was so stupid of me. It took a bullet to knock some sense into me. As I lay on the ground all I could think was I may never see Gabrielle again.”
She pulled away to look him up and down. “You were wounded? Where? You seem all right now!”
He smiled reassuringly. “I took a bullet in the back. I’m fine now. It didn’t hit anything vital. The reason it took me so long to come was that I had to go home first to see my mother.”
She didn’t say anything, just continued to look at him.
“I told my mother that I wanted to many you, and she has promised to help me make certain that you are accepted into English society.”
She stiffened a little. “You went home to ask her that?”
He caught the note in her voice and frowned faintly. “Please don’t misunderstand me, sweetheart. I would have married you no matter what she said. But I thought it would be more comfortable for you to know that you would be accepted by my family and by my world. And you will be. My mother will see to that. You will have no trouble joining English society as the Countess of Branford.”
Her brown eyes were huge. “This is hard for me to take in all at once,” she said. “You truly want to many me?”
“If you don’t marry me I will be the most miserable man in the world.”
A smile trembled on her lips. “I would not want that to happen.”
“I love you,” he said. “And I want to make this clear. I love you as you are—Gabrielle Robichon, proprietor and chief equestrienne of the Cirque Equestre. I didn’t fall in love with some high-bred lady who never did a stitch of work in her life. I fell in love with you. I love you for your bravery, your loyalty, your sense of responsibility…”
“All right, I understand.” She was smiling. “You love me because I know how to muck out a stall.”
He smiled back at her. “Among other things. I don’t want you to change, Gabrielle. I want you to stay the same person you are today.”
“I love you, too,” she said. “Your leaving left me totally devastated.”
“I was so stupid,” he said.
She took his hand in hers and raised it to her cheek. “You were the Earl of Branford and I was a circus girl. I didn’t blame you, Leo.”
“That’s what my mother said—that she didn’t blame,” he said. “God, the generosity of women!”
She kissed his hand and put it down. “I am glad that you made peace with your mother.”
“Do you know what she said to me? She said, ‘God bless Gabrielle. She has given you back to me.’”
Color flushed into Gabrielle’s cheeks. “Did she really say that?”
“Yes. she did.”
Colette, who had been lying on the wooden floor in front of them, decided that it was time to remind them of her presence. She got up and came to poke her nose into Gabrielle’s lap.
Gabrielle laughed and petted her.
Leo said, “Did you let her back into your bed?”
Gabrielle bent to hide her face in the dog’s long, elongated neck. “Yes.”
“Wonderful.” He sounded partially amused and partially exasperated.
“I was lonely,” Gabrielle said. “The bed was so empty without you.”
“I was lonely, too, but I didn’t share my bed with a dog.”
“That’s because you weren’t lucky enough to have a wonderful dog like Colette.”
“You’re right,” he said. “I want to have a dog again, and a family. The boys can come to live with us at Branford Abbey, Gabrielle. Albert can get the painting instruction he needs and I’ll see about getting Mathieu into Oxford so he can study mathematics.”
She looked up from Colette’s neck. Her smile was radiant. “That sounds wonderful.”
“And your precious horses can come, too. Remember how you said you wished they had a place with big stalls and green pastures? Well, they can have those things at Branford.”
“Leo… Leo… you are overwhelming me,” she laughed.
“All I want is for you to be happy,” he said. “It’s the one thing I want most in this life, for you to be happy.”
Tears glistened in her eyes. “That is such a wonderful thing for you to say.”
“I mean it.”
“Leo,” she said. She put her arms around Colette and rested her cheek against the dog’s deerlike face. “What will happen to everyone if I just close up the circus in the middle of the season and go home with you? Perhaps I should finish out the season before I go to England…”
“No,” he said. “I will pay everyone double the amount of money they would have made if they finished out the season with the Cirque Equestre. That way, they will have plenty of money until they find work with another circus.”
“But suppose they can’t find anything?”
“They are all premier acts—they will find something. You can’t take responsibility for the rest of their fives, sweetheart. They are not your family, you know. They all have their own families to rely on.”
“Sully doesn’t. And Gerard is too old to be taken on by anyone. And Emma helped to bring me up.”
“All right. Sully and Gerard and Emma can come with us if they want. I’m sure I can find a place on the estate for them.”
She kissed Colette and released her. “Gerard can help with our horses and Emma can help me with whatever duties I may have as your wife. And perhaps—if you spoke up for him—perhaps Sully could get a job at Astley’s in London. He speaks English, you know. And he hadn’t been drunk once since you left, Leo. I think he did not want to do anything to distress me.”
“I’ll see what I can do,” Leo said.
“This is wonderful,” Gabrielle said. “Oh, Leo, I am so happy!”
He held out his arms. “You could try kissing me instead of Colette.”
She leaned into him and raised her face. His mouth came down on hers and the world went away.
“Gabrielle!” Albert had to repeat her name several times before she heard it.
“Damn,” Leo said in her ear.
“We will be alone tonight,” she whispered as she pulled away from him.
His eyes narrowed and he gave her a very focused look.
Mathieu said, “I’m sorry, Gabrielle, but I couldn’t keep him away.” Albert had pushed the wagon door open and he and Mathieu were standing just outside, looking in.
“Is it true, Leo?” Albert said. “Are you going to marry Gabrielle?”
“Your sister has done me the honor of accepting my proposal,” Leo said.
“ Hurrah!” Albert cheered. “I knew you would come back, Leo. Mathieu didn’t think you would, but I did. I knew you loved Gabrielle.”
Mathieu said, “He prayed. If ever I want something badly, I think I’ll have Albert pray for me.”
Leo and Gabrielle laughed. “Come,” Gabrielle said. “We had better give this couch back to Colette.”
As the two of them jumped down from the wagon, Mathieu said, “What is going to happen to the circus? Do you want me to run it by myself?”
Gabrielle’s “Of course not!” clashed with Leo’s “The both of you will come back to England with us.”
Mathieu folded his arms and looked at Leo, who was now standing on the ground next to him. “What am I going to do in England? The only thing I know is circus life.”
“You are going to go to Oxford and learn to be a brilliant mathematician,” Leo said. “You already are brilliant. The mathematician part you can learn.”
Mathieu stared up at him, looking so much like Gabrielle that Leo smiled. “Do you mean that?” Mathieu asked finally in a hushed voice.
“Yes,” Leo said.
“It’s true, Mathieu,” Albert said. “You are too smart to spend the rest of your life jumping on and off of horses.”
Mathieu was very pale. “I don’t know what to
say, Leo…”
“You don’t have to say anything,” Leo said. “We are a family now, you and Albert and Gabrielle and me. We do things for one another. Isn’t that what a family is all about?”
“Yes, it is,” Albert said firmly.
Gabrielle said, “Leo also said that Gerard and Emma can come with us. And he will try to get Sully a job at Astleys in London.”
Mathieu finally smiled. “You are really taking this family idea to heart, Leo!”
“Yes, I am,” Leo said. “I enjoyed the time I spent with the circus. I never expected to, but I did. I didn’t even mind being the ringmaster.”
“Circus life is not so bad, eh?” Mathieu said.
“No, it’s not. But it’s not for any of you anymore. It’s time you developed the other talents that God has given you.”
“What about Gabrielle’s riding?” Albert asked. “Papa always said she was the most talented rider he had ever taught.”
“Gabrielle won’t stop riding,” Leo assured him. “Don’t worry about that.”
“I would feel like half a person if I didn’t ride,” Gabrielle said.
“I suppose we should go and talk to the others.” Leo looked at the collection of people gathered in front of the corral. “They look like they’re waiting for us.” He turned back to Gabrielle. “They still think that we’re married don’t they?”
“Yes. I told them about the supposed death of your father and that you wanted me to come to England and that I wouldn’t go. We should probably just say that, now that I have seen you, I have changed my mind.”
“They won’t be happy to hear that the circus is closing down,” Mathieu said.
“Leo is going to pay everyone double for the rest of the season,” Gabrielle told them. “That way, they will be all right if they can’t find another job right away.”
“That’s very generous of you, Leo,” Mathieu gasped.
“I like them,” Leo said. “And I can afford it. Come along, Gabrielle. Let’s do the deed.”
“Are you very rich?” Albert asked as Leo started to move away.
“Albert, you don’t ask questions like that,” Mathieu said, embarrassed.
“It’s all right,” Leo said to Mathieu. He turned to Albert. “Yes, I am very rich. I can easily afford to educate you and Mathieu.”
“Will I be able to earn a living as a mathematician?” Mathieu asked. “I don’t want to live on your charity forever, Leo.”
“You’ll be able to find a job,” Leo assured him. “You can always teach at Oxford.”
“And I’ll earn my living by my painting,” Albert put in.
“I know you will,” Leo said. “But you both are going to have to learn English.”
“That will be easy,” Mathieu said.
Albert skipped like a small child. “This is formidable. Whoever thought, when Leo joined our circus, that we would end up like this?”
Gabrielle gave her rich, deep chuckle. “Not I,” she said.
Leo took her hand. “I’m a lucky man,” he said.
She looked up at him, her face radiant. “We’re both lucky,” she said.
“Leo!” Henri called. “Have you come back for Gabrielle?”
“Yes,” Leo replied. “I have.”
Everyone looked at Gabrielle’s radiant face. “I am going to return to England with Leo,” she said. “And Leo is going to pay you all double wages for the rest of the canceled season.” A little murmur ran through the group. Then Antonio said, “Your father must have left you a lot of money, Leo.”
“He left me a generous amount,” Leo said imperturbably.
“I’m glad you changed your mind and are going with Leo,” Carlotta said to Gabrielle. “You were miserable without him.”
“Yes.” Gabrielle agreed. “I was. But I feel badly leaving you all in the lurch.”
“C’est la vie.” Carlotta said. “I will miss the Cirque Equestre, but it will be nice to have the extra money, too.”
The rest of the group murmured their agreement.
“We’ll have a lot of toasts to make at the cafe tonight” Antonio said.
Leo felt a flash of dismay. Was he never going to get Gabrielle himself? Then he looked at all of the people surrounding her. I shouldn’t be greedy. I’m going to have her for the rest of my life. Let these people who love her have a chance to say goodbye.
“Yes,” he said heartily. “We will have a party tonight at the cafe.”
Across the crowd, Gabrielle’s eyes met his. He sent her a silent message: Tonight, after the cafe.
Epilogue
Four Years Later
Gabrielle cantered across the diagonal line of the improvised riding ring, with Noble changing his lead on every stride. A loud “ooh” came from the gathered crowd, which was comprised of Branford servants, laborers and tenants; local townspeople and yeomanry; and a goodly number of aristocratic neighbors and guests. It was the second annual Branford Summer Festival, put on by the Earl and Countess of Branford to entertain then- dependents, neighbors and friends.
There were many exciting things for the guests to do on Branford’s festival day. There were boats on the lake, pony rides for the children, archery contests, children’s games with prizes, music and dancing, an exhibition of paintings by Albert in the house, and plenty of food set up in a blue-and-white-striped tent on the lawn. But the highlight of the day was the equestrian demonstration, when Gabrielle exhibited her Arabians and her Lipizzaners, and she and Leo did a pas de deux on Noble and Sandi.
Gabrielle half halted softly, slightly increased the pressure of her leg, and Noble began a canter-pirouette. This raised another “ooh” from the crowd.
Noble’s ears were pricked and he was listening eagerly to all of his rider’s aids. They cantered into the corner and began another diagonal line of one-stride tempe changes, which made Noble look as if he was skipping as he went across the ring.
When the demonstration was over, the applause was loud and enthusiastic. Gabrielle and Noble took a bow, and Gabrielle’s eyes met those of Leo’s mother, who was sitting in one of the chairs that had been set for the upper-class guests. Lady Rivers waved and Gabrielle smiled.
The hillside above the ring was thronged with the less socially elevated guests, but there were quite a large number of lords, ladies and gentlemen to take up the seats that had been set out for them. The person in particular whom Gabrielle was most excited about was the director the Spanish Riding School in Vienna. Her book, The Art of Horsemanship, had just been published in German, and he had read it and had wanted to see her ride and talk to her about her father and some of his ideas.
When the demonstrations were over, she went back to the house to change her clothes, stopping along the way to talk to as many of her guests as she could.
She went up to the third floor where the nursery was located and looked in on her two-year-old son. Leo had taken little Peter around the festival during the morning, but he had become fretful at about midday and Gabrielle had decreed that he needed to go back to the nursery and nap.
Peter was having his dinner when Gabrielle came in, and his brown eyes, so like her own, sparkled. “Mama!” he said. “I want to go back to the fest’val.”
Gabrielle ruffled his golden curls. “When you have finished your dinner I will take you,” she promised, and sat down beside him.
“Did he have a good sleep?” she asked Emma, who had volunteered to be Peter’s nurse when he was born.
She spoke in French and Emma replied in the same language. “He went right off, Gabrielle. He was all tuckered out.”
“Being around so many people can be tiring,” Gabrielle said. “I feel rather tuckered out myself.”
Emma gave her a shrewd, narrow-eyed look. “You’re never tired. Are you feeling well?”
“I’m fine,” Gabrielle said.
“Perhaps you ought to take a nap, like Peter.”
“Don’t be ridiculous,” Gabrielle said. “I’ll sit with Peter un
til he finishes his dinner and then I’ll take him back outside.”
“Want to ride the pony again,” Peter said in French. Gabrielle had been making an effort to have him grow up bilingual.
Gabrielle rolled her eyes. “Peter, you can ride your pony every day. Why not leave the pony to the children who don’t have a chance to ride?”
“My pony,” Peter wailed. “I want to ride my pony!”
Gabrielle looked at Emma. “My mother-in-law assures me that he will outgrow this behavior. Apparently two is a dreadful age.”
Emma smiled. “He is fine,” she said. “A little lordly, perhaps, but then, he is a lord.”
Gabrielle stood up. “I am going to change my clothes and then I will come back to collect Peter. Did you get a chance to look around the festival yourself, Emma?”
“I’ll go when you come back for Peter,” Emma said. “Gerard and I are going to look around together.”
“Good,” Gabrielle said, and went to change her clothes.
The festival went smoothly all day, and Leo had arranged Chinese lanterns strung around the gardens so that people could stay on after dark.
It was midnight when Gabrielle finally saw the last of her houseguests up the stairs and was able to retire to her own apartment, which was on the second floor with all the other staterooms. Gabrielle had been awestruck the first time she had beheld the bedroom that belonged to the Earl of Branford and his consort. The walls were hung with Italian Renaissance paintings, the long windows were hung with silk drapery, and the floor was covered in two magnificent Persian carpets. The furniture was heavy Jacobean walnut.
Colette’s dog bed looked distinctly out of place in such surroundings. She lifted her head when Gabrielle came in, then rested it back on her paws and her eyes. One of the footmen was in charge of taking her out at ten every evening, so Gabrielle knew she didn’t have to disturb her.
Colette was looking older these days, and spent most of her time sleeping. She ignored Leo’s two dogs and went her own way. Leo called her “the princess.”