Page 40 of The Artisan and the Duke
“You look like you are going to faint,” Gregory said jovially, “and we have not even made it to the horses yet.”
“Gregory,” Jules said in a sweet tone to lull the man as they approached the stables. “Are you sure this is wise? What if I fall?”
His grey eyes sparkled with mischief as he leaned over to whisper, “Then you will get back up.”
“What if I hurt myself?” Jules stalled as she eyed the stable.
The summer sunlight glinted through the trees, and the shadows played over the nobleman’s blond hair. He gave Jules a smile. “I think you are going to be fine. I will be with you the whole time.”
Jules finally allowed him to lead her into the stable. The horses snorted and looked over at them with interest. Jules had to admit that they were beautiful, if large and intimidating.
“Here she is,” Gregory said as he stopped in front of one of the stalls and presented the horse to Jules with a sweep of his hand. “We call her Tulip, but you can rename her if you wish.”
Jules smiled at the brown and white mare. “Tulip is a lovely name,” Jules said as she reached her hand tentatively out to touch the mare’s muzzle. “It tickles,” Jules said with a laugh. It had been a long time since she had held horse reins for a bit on the street.
“You can get to know her while I go get the saddle,” Gregory said with a smile.
Jules did not take her eyes off the horse. She just nodded. Gregory’s steps got further away, but Jules did not mind. “You have such warm eyes, Miss Tulip,” Jules said gently. She rubbed her hand up the horse’s head, and to her surprise, the horse leaned forward as if encouraging her to continue. Jules laughed softly, and soon she got a bit bolder with her caresses.
“I see you two are getting along very well,” Gregory said as he came back. Jules looked around to see a saddle in his hands. He put the saddle down and opened up the door. He clicked his tongue, “Come on, girl, out you go,” Gregory said coaxingly.
To Jules’ surprise, the horse came out of the stall easily. The mare stood still while Gregory fastened the saddle onto her. Gregory showed Jules where all the straps went. What at first looked overly complicated actually was fairly simple. As Gregory put the bridle on, he said to Jules, “Here, take her reins. I’m going to let you walk her outside.”
Jules was a lot calmer once she realized that she was going to lead the horse a little piece before she attempted to get up on it. Gregory had her lead the horse, which took only gentle pressure to move, to a large pen. He then stopped at what looked to be a set of steps that led to nowhere. “Pull her in front of them,” Gregory instructed. “There. Now I’ll hold her steady, and you use the steps to get into the saddle.”
“Oh,” Jules said. “That makes it easier.”
Gregory shrugged. “Ladies often find it easier to use the step-up, but you can practice getting into the saddle with the stirrups once you are more comfortable,” he said reasonably. “Now, up you go.”
Jules took a big breath. “Okay, Tulip, here we go,” she said as much to calm the horse as to calm herself. Jules sat gingerly down in the saddle.
It was not the most comfortable thing she had ever felt, but she did not feel like she was going to fall out at least. She sat side-saddle with respect to her skirt. “Am I in properly?” Jules asked with laughter.
Gregory agreed, “It does appear that you are. Now sit still, and I shall go get Trapper.” Before Jules could ask who Trapper was, the man was gone back into the stable.
Tulip made a noise and shifted. Jules patted the horse’s neck. “There, there. He’ll be back, girl,” Jules whispered.
Sure enough, Gregory returned on a black horse which he rode into the pen. He leaned over to take her reins into his hand. “I’ll lead you out. I only wanted you in the pen so she would not get any ideas about bolting,” Gregory explained. Jules nodded and let the man and his horse lead them out of the pen.
They rode for a piece with Gregory leading Tulip along beside Trapper. It was peaceful, but it did require concentration, Jules discovered. She had to keep her weight adjusted in the seat, or she began to slide with the movement of the horse’s muscles.
After that first day, Gregory and Jules returned to the stables almost every day, barring weather, and Jules slowly gained in confidence with her riding.
She also learned all sorts of things about her husband that she had not known. She learned about his childhood adventures. He told tales about his father and what Thornton Hall had been like during that time.
Jules began to see Thornton Hall through the Duke’s eyes. She began to see it as a home, not simply an intimidating large building. He told her of love and loss. She told him of her time learning with her father, of how hard it had been growing up and repressing herself so that she could earn a living, and the hardships that followed her father’s death.
It was not fair that they had both suffered loss, but Gregory’s loss seemed so much more to Jules. To know that a family member possibly killed your father and be unable to seek your revenge must have eaten away at the man. Jules understood more and more why and how Gregory had found her on the street that day.
***
“Mother, I am not going to drink that,” Jules said with disgust.
Mrs Kelley put her hands on her hips. “It is a family recipe that will fortify you,” she said firmly. In the past, that tone of voice would have assured swift obedience, but Jules was not so easily bent to the woman’s will these days, even if that will was probably for Jules’ best interest.
“I do not need to be fortified,” Jules said as she pushed the beverage away again. Its pungent odour wafted over to her, making Jules’ stomach curdle.
Mrs Kelley shook her head. “You are clearly ill,” the mother said knowingly.
