by Sahara Kelly
His eyes creased into a warm smile and Adalyn experienced the comfort of knowing she had such a man to do her bidding.
She was nervous, apprehensive about her new position, and terrified that those she met would know her for the timid woman she felt herself to be. But the magnitude of the gift the universe had seen fit to bestow upon her—Wolfbridge—warranted a reciprocal gesture on her part. So she would tuck her fears away into her pockets and do her best to be the Lady of Wolfbridge.
Seeing Daniel awaiting her in the hall helped her steel herself.
“You are ready to tour your estate, my Lady. I could not be more pleased.” He held out her warmest coat. “You will need a muffler and gloves, too, I’m thinking. The sun is bright, but it is certainly not spring yet.”
“I agree,” she answered, reaching into a small cabinet and retrieving her bonnet. “Will we take the carriage?”
“I think the gig will work better for this journey.”
“We have a gig as well as a carriage?”
“We do.” He assisted her, buttoning the soft leather around her wrists with care. “It only requires one horse and can handle the muddiest of lanes.”
“Here, my Lady,” Jeremy hurried down the grand staircase with what looked like a large white cat in his hands. “This will be of use, I believe.”
“Oh.” She took what turned out to be a muff and stroked the fur. “How lovely. Thank you, Jeremy.”
He smiled. “’Twas tucked away in a cupboard. I thought it a shame not to use it and today is just the day.”
“Indeed,” she smiled back. “I shall be delightfully warm with this.” She turned to Daniel. “I believe I’m ready…” The last was said with a slight quaver of nerves.
“Your tenants will be thrilled to meet you, my Lady,” reassured Jeremy. He glanced at Daniel. “Take care of her.”
“Of course,” replied Daniel. “No need to ask.”
“Do you think we’ll be back in time for lunch?”
Daniel thought for a moment as he buttoned his own gloves. “If the weather holds, I’d like to do the outlying areas as well, so probably not. I’m sure the tenants will have offerings; they enjoy visitors and usually welcome them with a cup of tea.”
Jeremy chuckled. “Make sure you visit Mrs. Barnsley, then. She makes a wonderful gooseberry pie. Evan has yet to charm the recipe out of her, but he’s working hard at it.”
“Very well,” Adalyn replied. “I would like to ask that everyone join me for dinner, in that case. I realise it is quite unconventional, but I will likely have questions about Wolfbridge, and it makes more sense to have you all in one place…”
“I’ll pass your request along to Giles, Ma’am,” bowed Jeremy. “We will see you later. Enjoy your tour.”
“Thank you,” she nodded, following Daniel out of the front door.
~~~~~
They walked together through the chill wind, Adalyn very happy her hands were tucked into the warmth of the fur muff, and Daniel seeming to enjoy the weak sunshine.
“It won’t be long before the gardens start to show their spring finery,” he commented as they strolled past the hedge running alongside the path to the stables.
“I look forward to it,” Adalyn nodded. “It seems a lifetime ago I saw snowdrops and primroses.”
“You shall have them in abundance,” he promised. Then extended his arm. “’Tis slippery here, have a care where you step…”
She took it, enjoying the way he folded it securely to his body. The simple gesture was a breath of pleasure to a woman starved of such attentions. When his hand came up to cover hers, her cup of happiness was filled to the brim.
Walking through her own property with a handsome man on her arm—how strange and wonderful such a thing could be.
“You are all spoiling me,” she sighed. “So kind and attentive.”
Daniel grinned at her. “And we are enjoying every moment, my Lady.”
She looked up at him. “Do you think…might it be possible for you to call me Adalyn when we are alone? It is improper, I know, but I cannot help feeling that the title is separating me in some way from the fullest measure of your friendship. And in many ways it’s a reminder of things I’d just as soon forget.”
Daniel’s gaze met hers, the sunlight turning his eyes to deepest amber. She caught her breath at the heat she glimpsed behind his glance.
“I would be honoured.” He squeezed her hand briefly. “Adalyn.”
Trick appeared at the door to the stables, in his shirt sleeves, but with a thick woollen vest as a sop to the chilly temperatures.
“Good morning, my Lady. Daniel,” he saluted them with a wave. “The gig is ready for you.”
“Giles is most efficient,” chuckled Daniel.
“Thank you, Trick,” Adalyn returned his wave. “We’re off to tour Wolfbridge.”
“And a fine morning it is for such a thing. You’ll see the land at its best. With the morning mists blowing away in a cold breeze.”
“That’s the best time?” she raised her eyebrows.
“If you want the true nature of the land, yes, my Lady. Crops are lovely and flowers are pretty. But they all need good fertile land. Without it?” He shrugged and held out his hands.
She nodded. “I see your point.”
Daniel helped her take her seat and she gazed at Trick, his hair blowing, the sleeves of his shirt billowing along with it. He looked so much like a pirate at the moment, she couldn’t help but chuckle. “We’ll be back this afternoon, Trick. And you’ll be joining us at dinner. I’ll have many questions for you.”
Trick shot a quick look at Daniel, then inclined his head. “If you say so, Ma’am. I’ll be looking forward to it.”
With a quick flick of the reins, Daniel pulled away from the stables and set them off onto the lane at an easy pace.
“I believe I detected a touch of Welsh in Trick’s voice,” Adalyn mused aloud. “Could he be from Wales?”
“He might,” responded Daniel.
She waited, but no further comments were forthcoming. So she tried again. “I know so little about you all, and yet you know so much about me.”
“There is much more about you we have yet to learn, Adalyn. A woman is always a mystery to a man. A woman like yourself, even more so.”
She blinked. “Me? You must be mistaken, Daniel. I’m nothing out of the ordinary, I can assure you.”
He opened his mouth to speak, but at that moment a magpie flew from the hedge and the horse shied a little in surprise.
“Oh dear.” Adalyn watched the bird dart into the sky. “One for sorrow.” She quoted the first line of the old adage.
“Not at all.” Daniel lifted his hand to his mouth and called after the bird. “Good morning, Mr. Magpie. How is Mrs. Magpie and the little Magpies?”
Adalyn stared at him.
He glanced back at her as he clicked the horse back into a trot. “You’ve not heard the way to offset the bad luck of a single magpie?”
She shook her head. “No, never.”
“You simply give him a polite greeting and ask after his family. That way, he’s so delighted with the pleasantry he leaves the sorrow behind.”
Adalyn laughed. “Well now I know, I shall certainly be sure to greet the next magpie I see.” Daringly she pulled her hand from her muff and tucked it under Daniel’s arm again. “I wonder what else I shall learn today?”
Chapter Five
The rays of sun were not strong, but provided enough light for Adalyn to see the layout of her lands.
Several fields lay fallow, others showed the remnants of the harvest that had failed most farms so terribly last autumn. The remaining ones were little more than grass.
“I’m not sure how long you’ve been here at Wolfbridge, Daniel…” She began the conversation casually. “But if you were in residence last year, I must ask how it was on the estate? I know the country as a whole suffered a great deal.”
His expression was sober. “You
’re right, Adalyn. It was a very bad year indeed. We managed a harvest, but barely half of what we would usually expect. We had to thin our herds accordingly—some were butchered for food, others sold. These empty fields are for the cattle and a few sheep, but at the moment they’re in their barns or paddocks. It’s been too cold and snowy to risk what we have left.”
“So you were here?”
“I was. And to answer your unspoken question, I’ve been here at Wolfbridge for three years.”
“Ah,” she felt the colour rise in her cheeks. “Thank you for telling me.”
The lane took them past several fields with rows of what looked to Adalyn like carefully arranged sticks. She turned to Daniel, pointing, a question on her lips.
“Blackberries. Raspberries. That one over there is gooseberries.”
“Oh my.” She gazed at the regular rows. “That’s a lot of berries.”
“If you’ll be patient for a few minutes, you’ll see why.” He clicked the horse into a steady trot.
Adalyn realised they were going uphill. There was a rise ahead of them—not steep but enough to lift the land above the fields.
At the top, Daniel drew the gig to a halt and jumped down, coming around to help Adalyn alight. “Now. Now you can see.”
He tucked her arm beneath his and walked to one part of the lane where a convenient bench had been placed. They sat and Daniel snuggled her close to his side for warmth as he swept his free arm out before them.
“There. Now you can see most of Wolfbridge. There are the fields, the berry fields, the livestock pastures. And in the distance are the barns and the cottages. A few outbuildings, hayricks, and I believe you might just be able to see the Wolf river, winding down toward the sea. It’s a little over a mile from where we’re sitting, and a few miles more to its eventual destination.”
A break in the clouds conveniently allowed a tiny shimmer to glint in the distance, and Adalyn nodded. “Yes. There. I see it.”
“That marks the southern boundary of the Wolfbridge estate. We are standing on the northwestern edge, and because we’re on this hill, you can see how the fields are sheltered just a little from the full blast of storms coming in from this direction. It’s not much, but enough that our fields weren’t completely flattened last year by some of the terrible weather that tore through most of the country.”
She looked around with fascination. “’Tis almost as if Wolfbridge is in a little bowl, a dip in the land…”
“Indeed, yes. We gain the benefits of the sun and a measure of protection from the wind. Our river and the streams that feed it are capable of handling whatever rain we get, so there are few floods—none that I can recall—and the water is pure. Something to do with the underlying rocks,” he gave a half chuckle. “And that’s where my knowledge ends.”
“What is that?” She pointed off to the distance where several dark shapes stood out against a winter-pale field.
“Those are standing stones.”
“Really? You mean we have our own Stonehenge?”
“Well, not quite that dramatic,” he smiled. “Whatever circle might have been there at one time has pretty much collapsed. But you can still see the overall design. And the upright stones that remain look to be there for quite a few more centuries yet.”
“I suppose it’s not surprising, given that the south of England is rich in such things,” she mused.
“You have an interest in that period of history?”
“The Druids? Archaeologists believe they were the original builders…and yes. I find it fascinating.” She leaned against Daniel a little, relishing his warmth and solidarity. “Who were they? Why did they build such extraordinary edifices? And how was it accomplished?” She chuckled. “In my imagination, I can see many tired workers pulling massive keystones across that hill, can’t you?”
“You have an inquiring and imaginative mind, Adalyn,” he approved.
“I hope so,” she agreed. “I have never really been allowed to express my thoughts, or my interests. Certainly not my imagination.”
“What else do you imagine?”
She felt him pull her a little closer and gladly tucked herself into his side. “So many silly things.”
“Such as?” His voice was teasing. “Tell me two of them.”
She thought for a few moments. “I always wished for a home of my own.” She glanced up at him with a smile. “That wish has come true, hasn’t it? And beyond anything I ever shaped in my imagination.”
He smiled back. “Sometimes dreams do come true.”
“I hope so.”
“That was one. You must tell me one more.”
“You will think me a foolish girl.”
“Never.” He tightened his arm around hers.
“I tried so many times to imagine what it would be like to be loved.” Her voice had fallen to the merest whisper. “I’d hoped marriage might provide an answer.”
“It didn’t?”
“On the contrary. I’m not sure I ever want to experience such things again. The pain—the bruises—” she turned and hid her face in Daniel’s sleeve.
“Adalyn,” he murmured, concern in his voice.
“Enough.” She pulled herself together. “Please forget I said anything. A moment of weakness.”
He simply gazed at her, his face full of some emotion she could not define.
“Now, it is time to move on.” She disentangled herself from his arm and rose. “I am looking forward to the rest of the tour.”
“Of course.”
And the moment was gone, both parties resuming their friendly chatter as they continued on their journey around the Wolfbridge estate.
There were more fields, the same fields from a different perspective, and finally, when Adalyn realised she’d seen enough of the fields, they trotted down a lane that led to the tenant cottages.
The sound of the gig and the clop of the hoofbeats brought more than a few residents to their windows.
Adalyn smiled and nodded as curtains were drawn back, and smoke from the chimneys trailed with the wind over the thatched roofs.
Halfway down the lane, they came to a halt. “Here we are. Mrs. Barnsley is most definitely the person to visit first.” Daniel helped Adalyn to the ground. “She knows everyone, and has been here the longest.”
“I hope she likes me.” Adalyn straightened her skirts with nervous hands.
“How could she not?” Daniel held out his arm with a warm smile. “Let’s go and find out.”
~~~~~
Adalyn wasn’t given the chance to worry very much, since the front door to the cottage opened almost as soon as she’d set foot on the lane.
“Here y’are then. Come inside. ’Tis mighty cold fer a little one like you.” The encouraging words came from a woman filling the doorway with her presence. A pristine white cap topped a round and rosy face, creased with smiles. “I’m Ada Barnsley, Ma’am, and yer welcome in my house.” She curtseyed, a rippling and courteous move that made Adalyn smile.
“Thank you, Mrs. Barnsley. You are very kind. It is indeed brisk today.” Adalyn walked up the short front path, noting the well-tended plants to either side. Tucked away for the winter, of course, but she’d wager that in the spring the colours would burst forth.
“Daniel, come right in too. Yer knows yer always got a cuppa waitin’ fer yer.” Mrs. Barnsley grinned, revealing one or two gaps where teeth were no longer present.
To Adalyn’s surprise, the cottage was very cosy, with a well-worn carpet covering the stone floor and several chairs arranged around the fireplace. A good blaze radiated heat, and she found herself unwinding her muffler within moments.
“Jes’ put yer things on the table there, m’Lady.” Mrs. Barnsley pointed to one side of the front door. “I doubt yer’ll need yer gloves an’ such. Got a few pies in the oven, an’ that warms things up right quick.” She walked across the room. “Will yer come into the kitchen then? Or would yer wait here fer me to make tea?”
“I’ve a pot steeping.” She grinned at Adalyn. “A little bird told me yer might be stoppin’ by.”
Adalyn grinned back. “And would that little bird be named Jeremy or Trick?”
“Ah, now, that would be tellin’.”
Daniel pulled out a chair and Adalyn sat, already relaxed and enjoying herself. “Very well then, I will simply say thank you to the little bird and thank you to yourself for a very welcome cup of tea.”
“Er, any chance of those pies being close to done, dear Mrs. B.?” Daniel looked hopeful.
“Evan not feedin’ yer right, then, lad?” She glanced at him with a quirked eyebrow. “Yer don’t look like yer starvin’ ter me.”
“Always room for something from your kitchen, Mrs. B. You know that,” begged Daniel, turning to Adalyn. “Evan is a constant visitor. He thinks sooner or later Mrs. B. will reveal the recipe for her pastry, not to mention her gooseberry pie, which is known throughout the county.”
“Oh, go on with yer, lad.” Mrs. Barnsley blushed, turning her apple cheeks an even rosier hue.
“I’ve already heard your praises sung, Mrs. Barnsley,” chuckled Adalyn.
The older woman poured the tea, and then bent to the oven, whisking out two pies topped with crisp brown pastry. The fragrance made Adalyn’s mouth water.
“Here y’are, then. Let’s give it a bit to cool down, otherwise it’ll burn yer tongue somethin’ fierce.” She put one pie on the table, along with cutlery and plates.
“I’m going to be terribly spoiled here, I know it,” sighed Adalyn.
“Yer looks like yer need some spoilin’ m’Lady, if yer’ll forgive an old woman’s blunt words.” Mrs. Barnsley sat down and pushed tea cups toward Daniel and Adalyn. “Tiny as a bird, y’are. Need some meat on yer bones if yer goin’ ter manage Wolfbridge.”