Chapter 3

The Second Meeting

Danielle led Anthony along a gravel pathway from the patio towards the stables. Another thing Baron de Beaumont was famous for was his taste in horseflesh. Due to his success in agriculture, the cost of maintaining a well-stocked stable was minimal. As a member of the Jockey Club, Anthony could appreciate the mass amount of time, labor, and care that had to be lavished on so many horses. The de Beaumont stables were a greater sign of wealth than all the gold and jewels in the main house.

"You mentioned earlier that Lady Angela has a mare," Anthony said as he followed Danielle into the nearest wing of the stable. "Is the lady fond of riding?"

"Very much, Monsieur," Danielle answered. "Starlight is her personal mount, takes of her herself, the lady does. Starlight's been expecting a foal, and Lady Angela has been fussing over her like a mother hen these past two weeks." Anthony smiled, thinking that was exactly the sort of thing Angela would do.

The scent of fresh hay, leather, and the warm, natural perfume of horses enveloped him, and Anthony marveled at the exquisite care that had been taken in the design of the stables, everything fashioned to provide the greatest comfort and safety for the horses. The stalls were spacious, airy, well-lit, and very clean. At their passage, most of the horses poked their heads out of the stalls to gaze at the strangers or nickering a greeting. The brightness of the horses' coats and the lively inquisitiveness in their eyes showed that just as much attention was paid to the equines themselves as to their surroundings.

Danielle led Anthony towards a line of box stalls towards the end of the stable. Anthony could now hear the labored grunts and breaths of a mare well into labor and the voice of what had to be another maid.

"Ah, she's through the worst of it milady! Almost time now, we should see the little darling any second now…Eh? Oh, the cloth, milady? Here you are…now just be patient, she knows what to do."

Motioning for Danielle to be silent, Anthony walked as quietly as he could to the door of the stall, unnoticed by the occupants. On a thick bed of straw lay a bright bay mare with slender legs and a gracefully molded face with a small patch of white hair between a pair of wide, bright, intelligent eyes. Another maid with her dark brown hair pinned up and armed with a clean cloth crouched by the mare's back legs, keeping an eye out for the forthcoming foal and making soothing sounds to calm her. Angela sat in the churned-up bedding with the mare's head in her lap, stroking her gently and occasionally wiping away the sweat. The simple, pale green skirt and white shirt was mussed and dirty, and she had straw tangled in her hair, but the look of infinite tenderness and concern on Angela's face transformed her from a demure child into a shy but shining angel. Anthony felt a similar smile of tenderness come across his own face just looking at her.

Suddenly, the maid gave a cry. "Ah, here it comes!" Angela looked up sharply and stroked the mare a little faster.

Anthony saw a pair of slender legs marked with white stockings appear and suddenly, without a fuss, a small, slippery bundle slid into the straw. The maid quickly wiped the foal's nostrils clean so he could breathe and began toweling off the birth fluids. For a moment the mare just lay there, breathing hard, then forced out the afterbirth before slowly clambering to her feet and turning a curious gaze towards her foal. Like all foals, it was awkward and gangly looking, peering up with eyes not yet adjusted to the world of light. The mare looked at her foal for a moment, blew out her breath, and began licking it. Within moments, the little one was standing on wobbly, shaking legs, head buried firmly beneath his mother's flanks, suckling nosily.

"Told you she knew what to do, milady," said the maid, looking immensely pleased. "What a beautiful little boy you have!" she added, patting the mare, who only flicked an ear and turned her attention back to the hay in her crib. Angela only smiled and rubbed the mare's neck.

Just then, the maid spotted Anthony and Danielle at the stall door and let out a small cry of surprise. Angela jerked her head around, but otherwise did not move, having the presence of mind, even when startled, not to frighten the horses. Her blue-gray eyes widened in surprise and then pleasure. She turned and curtsied, blushing slightly when she saw the stains on her skirt.

"Why, who on earth are you?" the maid in the stall demanded, looking both surprised and suspicious.

"I apologize for starling you," Anthony said, bowing, "but you seemed so absorbed that I did not wish to disturb you." This was directed at both women, but his eyes were on Angela.

The young lady blushed again, and her hands moved as if she wanted to write something, but her pen and paper were nowhere in sight.

Danielle stepped forward and opened the stall door. "Come on, milady, let's get you presentable, shall we?"

As the two maids began tugging her away, Angela looked at Anthony, a mute apology in her eyes. Suddenly worried at the trouble and humiliation he might be causing, Anthony said, "I am sorry for coming at such an inconvenient time, Lady Angela…"

She reached out and grasped his hand, shaking her head with another shy smile coming across her face. Looking imploringly at her maids, Angela made a few quick hand motions. Danielle looked at Anthony and said, "The lady says no, that she is very glad you did come and she is sorry that she wasn't ready to receive you properly. If you would wait only a few minutes…"

Anthony bowed. "Please, do not worry," he said, "For a chance to see you, my lady, I would wait until the end of the world."

Blushing furiously, Angela allowed herself to be hustled off by the maid from the stall while Danielle led Anthony out of the stables back to the patio where another servant waited with cool drinks to offer the Englishman. But Anthony only had eyes for the doors that led into the manor as he waited for the fair Lady Angela de Beaumont.

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