Page 23 of A Letter to Adaya
The name of my gelding is Phileas Fogg. Yes, I named him after the character in Jules Vernon’s Around the World in Eighty days. He is light gray with spots that make him appear like the sky at twilight as the stars are coming out.
Like the character I named him after, my Phileas is intelligent and perfect in his manners. I have never met a horse that was as particular about what he wants. He prefers sugar cubes to carrots and prefers a softer brush instead of one of the harder dandy brushes that are normally used when the horses come in from the pasture. You’ll notice he is very fastidious and rarely gets dirty.
He is a leader, however, and the other horses would follow his lead. I do hope that you have seen such a horse.
In response to your inquiry this morning, I will be happy to attend the harvest picnic with you. I have been listening to Emily and Georgia make food plans all week. Though I feel like I should tell you that while I’m a capable assistant in the kitchen, I do not have as much experience as the two of them.
Please be safe today and accept this meager lunch as my companionship. I have noticed that you are grumpy on your best days and food will only help ease your mood for the sake of others. I will not mention the details of what Mr. Ranger delivered to you. But I cannot speak on behalf of Simon.
Dinner will wait for you when you return.
Fondly,
Miss Adaya Breckenridge
She tucked the folded paper in with the bread, careful to keep it away from the pickles should they leak, then raced at an undignified speed towards the front door only to find Aunt Cleo standing in the middle of the great room with a hand over her heart.
“Are we under attack?” the older woman asked with a laugh. “I heard riders.”
Adaya said a quick prayer of apology before lying to the older woman’s face, hoping that she would make it back outside before Beau left. “Some men came to speak with Beau about a project.”
“Ah. More hands are always welcome in labors of love. Go on then and deliver your pouch.” The older woman continued to the kitchen to refill her teacup. For a woman who rarely appeared to miss a thing that had gone smoothly.
Outside, Beau was already astride his horse. Adaya thought they made quite a striking pair. His head turned at the sound of her shoes on the steps, and green eyes caught her blue ones, almost making her stumble on her way to his side.
“Are you all right?” he asked cautiously.
“Me? Oh! Yes, of course, I’m fine. Here,” she hefted the bag towards him. “I packed you a lunch as quickly as I could.”
“You didn’t have to do that.” Shock colored his gaze for a moment, and even with the denial on his tongue, he was already looping the bag around the saddle horn. “Thank you.”
“I know I didn’t have to. I wanted to do it.” She ran her hand down the horse’s shoulder. “Is this your Fogg?”
“It is. I’ll take you to the pasture when I return, and you can look at the horses I purchased and tell me what you think.”
“I’d like that.” She gave the horse a little pat. “I miss my horse. I’d like that very much.” Stepping back so he could move from the yard, she laughed as he shook his head.
“Why is it I feel you can see right through me?” he pondered out loud.
His eyes glanced down the road and then back at her. She gave him a knowing smile, having wondered about the same thing in the last several days. It was uncanny how quickly she’d learned to read him, often handing him things before he’d ever thought about requesting it. The sound of heavy hooves forestalled anything else she might say. Bass was approaching and would be with them soon.
“Adaya,” Beau practically whispered. He dropped his hand down to caress her cheek. “Tell Walter to stay close to the house today. Nothing is more important than that.”
She could almost feel his lips on hers. Tilting her head up, she leaned forward and let her eyelids droop halfway.
“Adaya,” he groaned. He sounded like he was in pain, and her eyes flew open to see the tense set of his jaw. She realized then that he was not looking at her, but past her to where Bass was dismounting.
“Beau?”
“Remember what I said. Have Walter stay close to the house.”
She shook her head, daydreams of Beau kissing her disappeared. “We’ll be just fine here.” She patted his leg. “Everything will be just fine here.”
“What’s going on?” Bass huffed, sounding out of breath.
Adaya gave a wave and steeled herself, before turning away from the house and walking into the barn. She was here to deliver Beau’s message, but she couldn’t help but feel excited to lay eyes on her beloved horses again. How strange that they should have ended up here in this small town, and that Adaya had followed them so soon after?
She was a humble young woman who no longer had any support in her life. When her mother passed away some years ago, Father had refused to go to church and demanded that she stay away from there too.
