by Rose, taylor
“Oh, I’m sure if I rang Ian and explained to him what happened he would gladly book you a room.” She watched as Brandon’s face began to fall. “OK. You can stay. Go get your gear.”
With that he jumped up and all but ran out the door. Within seconds he had his bag in hand and was coming back to the kitchen. “I really need a shower.” She couldn’t help looking at his shirt and noticing the muscles hidden under that t-shirt. Damn, she thought. She shouldn’t have looked at him because now her body was reacting in ways that it shouldn’t.
“OK I’ll go have that shower,” he turned to go. Then throw over his shoulder “You want to join me?” Sophia made another fatal mistake by glancing up just in time to see Brandon taking his shirt off as he left the room. Damn it again, she thought. He was not the only one not going to get much sleep tonight.
There was movement at the door as Brandon entered the kitchen again…..“I forgot my book.” He said and left with book in hand. Still, no shirt. He was not playing fair.
Chapter Thirty-One
Sophia was lying in bed and had completely given up on getting any sleep. Her only solace was thinking that Brandon was also lying in bed completely awake. She looked at the clock……11-35pm. 3 minutes since the last time so looked at the clock. She should just get up and find something to do. But that would be futile because her mind was not settling on anything. She had just put her feet over the side of the bed to get up when she heard a soft knock on the wall. She went over but didn’t have a clue how the secret opening worked. There was another soft knock on the wall. “Yes, Brandon.”
A muffled voice said “Can I open the wall,” there was a low masculine laugh “that sounds rather strange.”
“Brandon………you can open the wall.” To which the wall moved.
Brandon stepped through wearing only his Pajama pants. “I didn’t wake you did I?”
“Ah, no, I was about to get up and do something.”
“It’s the middle of the night, what were you going to do?” asked Brandon.
“To be honest, I have no idea what I was going to do. But I know I am not sleeping.”
He grabbed her up in his arms and gave her a cuddle. She leant into him and stayed for a moment. She realized she was about to ask the type of questions you don’t ask, at this time.
“What are we doing here?” She asked knowing that she might be about to blow it.
“I want you to fall in love with me and I will wait for that to happen.”
“Oh.”
He just stood there holding her. She had to admit that he was a man of patience. Then she started to run through a list of his good points. She tried to avoid his physical attributes which was difficult because he was holding her closely.
She made a rash decision. She looked up at him directly and asked “Do you want to stay with me tonight?”
“More than anything else in the world, but I have to warn you I will not be able to keep my hands off you.”
“That may be OK with me.” Was all she said.
Chapter Thirty-Two
Wednesday
They woke in a tangle to arms and legs and a Lilly jumping on them to wake them up. Sophia was horrified that Lilly would not react well to having Brandon in her bed with her. It would appear that Lilly didn’t mind at all as she was sitting in the middle of them both chatting away with him about what she was going to do with her day. Brandon mentioned that he had something planned and that if Lilly wanted to she was more than welcome to tag along. To which she exclaimed that she was too busy with Jesse to tag along but she appreciated his invitation. With that she bounced out of the room.
Brandon lifted the covers and looked at Sophia’s naked body and raised an eyebrow at her. She just laughed and said “I have never slept naked before, I was horrified when Lilly came bounding through the door just then.”
“Well, little lady, get your sexy butt out of bed we have things to do today and you need a good, hearty breakfast to get through the day. Oh before you do I want you to promise me something…..”
“What is that?” she asked as she turned her head on her pillow towards him.
“I want you to promise me that you will say Yes to everything that happens today……I am not going to ask you to do anything unreasonable but can you just go with me……It is only for one day.”
She looked at him for a while and just said “OK.”
“Close enough to Yes…….That’ll do.”
He was out of bed, standing there completely naked and held out at hand to her which she took and he led her to the shower which they shared. It took a bit longer than it should have. Eventually they joined everyone else in the kitchen for breakfast.
Just as breakfast was done Sophia noticed a vehicle pulling a horse box coming up the driveway. Brandon took a last mouthful of coffee and looked at his watch to notice that the vehicle was exactly on time. He stood and said “Come on I want to introduce you to someone.”
With much excitement, everyone left the kitchen to move outside. Sophia had a vague recognition for the car and somewhat the horse box but she just couldn’t place the who, until Mr. Wiser jumped out of the car. She turned to look at Brandon.
“What is going on?” she said as she watched Edward move around to the back of the horse box.
“I bought me a horse. Actually I bought you a horse. I hope you don’t mind?”
Hamish the Irish Hunter backed off the ramp of the horse box. He looked around and started to walk towards the waiting crowd. Sophia had her hands over her mouth and had a tear running down her cheek.
“I was going to buy him you know?”
“Yeah, I know. I just bought him, he is your horse.” She took the lead rope from Edward and started to give Hamish a pat. Teddy came out to have a look and there was a discussion about all things Hamish including stables, gear and feeding routines, exercise, likes and dislikes.
After about twenty minutes Teddy went back into the stables to find a saddle and bridle.
Brandon turned to Sophia and said “You need to get on and go for a ride. Today. Now, in fact. Go and get your gear on.”
“You’re a bit bossy, you know that?”
“I have been told that, once or twice. But I don’t believe it.” Brandon said. “So go and get your gear on. We haven’t got all day for a test drive.”
“Funny guy. But if I am going to go for a ride than so are you.”
“OK. Find me a horse.” Brandon said as he headed for his car. “Because I have one of these…..” he said as he produced a cowboy hat from inside the car. He put it on his head. “How do I look?”
“I’ll keep my opinion to myself at this stage. John.”
“John?”
“Yes, John Wayne.” She said with a laugh.
“Oh, I used to love John Wayne when I was a kid…….. Now for the third and final time, go and find yourself some of those fancy English riding clothes.”
“Can you hold Hamish?”
“Sure.”
Harold came over as Sophia left to go upstairs. “Do you want me to find Teddy to see if there is a suitable horse for you?”
“Sure,”
With that Harold left for the stables. This was Brandon’s chance to grab a chat with Agnes. They were still in deep conversation when both Harold and Sophia emerged from their different directions.
Teddy apparently did think of a horse for Brandon to ride. So after a few moments of activity, Hamish was saddled up and taking it all in his stride and Teddy did produce a very large solid horse called Solomon for Brandon. Brandon, mounted up with reasonable ease to Sophia’s questioning eye.
“Believe or not I have ridden a horse once or twice. I was in love with a girl who was horse mad.”
“Oh, I see. Sophia said feeling a bit confused. He had mentioned in earlier conversations that he had never been in love before.
Brandon laughed “I was about 15 at the time and thought that if I learnt to ride she would notice me. It didn’t
work and I gave up after about 12 months. Clearly that was a while ago so this could be interesting.” was all Brandon said. He sat quite naturally, adjusted his hat and waited.
Eventually, they were away on their ride. They rode all around the back of Sophia’s Estate. They talked about all sorts of things. In the middle of the morning Brandon received a phone call. At the end of it he mentioned that they needed to go down towards Albert’s Estate. Sophia wasn’t that keen to go anywhere near Albert. Brandon said that they needed to go that way for something. He reminded her of her obligations to say yes to his requests. So Sophia silently turned Hamish that way. He was a truly lovely horse and she felt right at home back in the saddle. She could not believe that she ever stopped riding, what a waste of time.
She couldn’t believe that Brandon looked so at home in the saddle either. If they did have a future then this could be something that they could do together.
There had always been several gates between both Estates. Most of which hadn’t been used in years but they were still there nonetheless. They rode fairly close to the entrance of Albert’s estate before they found a gate. Brandon asked Sophia to show her where, if the trails were to go ahead, they would cross Albert’s estate. They started to ride along the fence line away from Sophia’s estate. She was pointing out just how small the amount of land was needed to create a trail that would allow riders access to other trials that would lead to the villages and smaller farms that wanted to set up accommodation packages for holidays with horses. But Albert was not having a bar of it.
They were now heading away from a side entrance gate of Albert’s Estate down the back of a smaller farm where the owner gave them a wave as he disappeared into a barn, eventually heading back out onto the road which leads back up to Albert’s. Only to meet Albert’s car coming out the main Estate entrance. Sophia didn’t realize just how much she didn’t want to ever met Albert again. She suddenly started to feel really ill. Brandon looked at her and reached out to grab her hand. He gave it a squeeze, and then turned towards to road as the car drew up alongside the two horses. The rear window wound down and Albert’s screwed up face appeared. Brandon asked, “So how’s it all going up there?”
“Fine……” Albert said. Sophia thought he seemed……so…. she was groping for the correct word…….defeated…….uncomfortable. She couldn’t quite put her finger on it but not his normal self-assured, pompous self that was for sure. She also wanted to get away from him.
Brandon lent forward wearing that very focused look again and asked “So do you have a better idea of a timeframe? You’ve had some time to work it out. So how long?”
“End of the week, I think.” was the reply from Albert.
Now Sophia had no idea what this was about so she just sat on her horse and played with his incredibly soft mane and marveled at the fact that he was hers. She was lost in her own thoughts when Albert’s car began to move off.
Chapter Thirty-Three
Brandon turned back towards her and said “You handled that really well. I’m sorry we ran into him. I imagine he is the last person you wanted to run into.”
She kept her eyes focused on Hamish’s mane because she could feel her eyes starting to tear up. “He is my neighbor so I guess I will run into him from time to time.” With that she looked up to see a huge smile of Brandon’s face. “Well, we’ll see about that.”
Sophia realized that there were so many things that Brandon did that she found a little confusing. Having spent so many years knowing what was going on and having some control on all that went on around her it was not the case with Brandon around.
“OK, let’s get going we had a bit to do today. And I am going to enjoy that fact that you have agreed to do everything I want you too.”
“Enjoy it while it lasts because this is a once in a lifetime occurrence.”
“Oh, I’m fully aware of that….” He replied with a laugh as the horses both moved off together.
They walked along enjoying the horses, the surrounding and each other’s company in relative silence.
Brandon broke the silence with “So how many kids to you want?”
“What?”
“How many kids to you want?”
“I have one, clearly. But I have not ever thought about it. I don’t know how Lilly would cope with a brother or sister. She has never had to share me. So I don’t know. Who would I be having all these extra children too anyway?”
“Well….. I don’t know. I was thinking that maybe I would do. I sure like the practicing. Can I be your practice guy?”
“What, not bored with me yet?”
“Hell. No. not even close, my Lady.”
They took a turn down an alley way that lead towards the Bottom village.
“Miss Molly is a cantankerous old chook, isn’t she?” Brandon said.
“Good God, you really are jumping all over the place with your thoughts today, aren’t you?”
Brandon just shrugged a shoulder and thought to himself that he was absolutely terrified of how this day would go. He had to admit, he may never recover if it went against him……
“Yes, Miss Molly is an interesting character. She was born in her house. I don’t think she has ever travelled anywhere. She doesn’t like to be away from your garden and her precious roses. I’ve never really been in her backyard where I understand all her best roses are planted. She is old school and seems to be a bit overwhelmed by having me near her. I would like to have a long conversation with her but Miss Molly feels she is not to associate with a Lady. A bit old fashioned, I’m afraid.”
They rode on for a moment or two when Sophia asked “How do you know Miss Molly?”
“Oh, remember my hot date the other afternoon?”
She nodded. “Well, Miss Molly was my hot date. We had a very interesting discussion and I do believe that Miss Molly may well be able to pay for her wandering dogs vet bills, all on her own. And she has a desire to go to the Chelsea flower show. So she has a desire to see the world….” Again with a hearty laugh attached to this statement.
“How did you extract all that in one afternoon?”
“I turned on the charm and it nearly killed her……That’s how.”
I can imagine, thought Sophia.
They trotted up over the rise toward the outskirts of the bottom village. Right past Miss Molly’s little house. Brandon halted his horse and dismounted. He held out his hand and said “Could we walk into the village?”
Sophia hesitated she had spent so long out of the saddle that she didn’t want to leave. “You did agree to do all that I say.”
“I was going to get off…..but now I may not just to annoy you.” This was said as she swung her leg over the saddle to dismount.
“OK, I’m going to throw a lot of information at you, in a completely random order so try to keep up.”
“Do I have to take notes?”
“Funny……I’ll start with the least important. On my hot date with Miss Molly I discovered that she has a rather large array of very old roses in her backyard. In fact she has several plants that I think that she may well have the only stock in the world. That book that Harold kept putting in my hand......it was a journal of know roses at the time of publication which was in the early 1600’s. That’s how I know what she has growing in her backyard. So I have struck a deal with her to propagate her stock. She will make some pretty good money and be a bit famous I reckon.”
“Wow…..I had no idea.”
“Yeah…..I don’t think she had any clue that she was sitting on something so interesting or important. Oh, now because I am such a nice guy I am willing to give you some of the roses for your garden because I would dare say that some of them would have been in your original garden.”
“Thank you……You are very kind.”
“Yes I will not charge you too much……you know, mate rates.”
“Oh, funny guy.”
“Alright, what’s next? Oh yeah……..you may not have to worry a
bout Albert for long. I’ve bought his Estate.”
Sophia took a few steps before it hit her…….”What?”
“I bought his Estate, so we will be neighbors.”
“What?” It seems to be all she could say.
“Is that all you can say? After his bad behavior I rang Marty, my lawyer, who did some digging to discover that he is financially going down the toilet. And he has no way to pay any of his debts off so I made him an offer that he couldn’t really refuse.”
“What?”
“I’m just going to keep talking…..I’m on a roll now, so stop interrupting me.” He laughed. “He will be out apparently by the end of the week. He should be because he is leaving most of the furnishings in the house and most of assets with the Estate. I think he is basically taking his clothes…….So you can have your horse trail ride.”
“OK”
“Yes……something other than What. What else?”
“There is more…..”
“Yeah…….” With all the conversation Sophia found they were nearly in front of Miss Molly house.
“There is just one more thing……” Sophia turned away from looking towards Molly’s house towards him to find Brandon reaching into his pocket. He looked a little nervous. She watched him as he looked into her eyes……”Lady Sophia…….I was wondering if you would marry me?”
“What?..........” She was sure she hadn’t heard him correctly.
He felt he needed to sell the idea to her. “I love you and I know that this is very quick. And we don’t have to get married now, but would you consider it? I want to be in your life and I have never felt like this for anyone else in my life. We can live here and I will fly in and out for work. I have Marty drawing up a pre-nuptial…..I want you to always own your own Estate and for Lilly to inherit her family Estate.” He realized he was talking too much, so he stopped and just stood there, with the ring in his hand.