Page 25 of Impossible
Archie offered to help her into the cart, and Ada took his hand. They left a moment later, and Ada caught sight of Og standing in the doorway of the stables, his disgruntled expression trained on them.
Ada tried to imagine the pleasant young man beside her working with Og on a daily basis. “I hope Og didn’t give you any trouble about driving me.”
“He doesn’t give me anything else.” Archie didn’t sound the least bit bothered by it, however. “I know he means well. He just has a rough disposition. My mother always tells me to treat others with kindness because we never know what path they’ve walked.”
Ada was definitely going to like his mother. “Do you happen to know what path Og has traveled?” Not that she really needed to know. Sometimes her curiosity really was a curse.
“My mother says his wife and daughter died of fever a long time ago.”
“Well, that would make anyone despondent and would likely be difficult to recover from.”
“Can I tell you a secret?” Archie asked in a whisper as if anyone were around to hear them.
“Certainly.”
“I sometimes wonder if he and his lordship have a pact to help each other remain grumpy.”
Ada clapped her hand over her mouth before she laughed. She didn’t know if Archie was making a jest. “Are you serious?”
Archie shrugged. “They’re both so consistently in bad moods. If I did that, my mother would banish me to bed without supper.”
“Perhaps that’s what they need.” Although after watching Warfield eat last night—or not eat, really—Ada suspected missing supper wouldn’t have much effect on him.
They arrived shortly at Archie’s house, a neat cottage with flowers blooming in tidy beds out front. A dog ran toward them as Archie set the brake. He bounded out to greet the animal, a black-and-white collie. Archie ruffled the dog’s fur, and the dog let out a few happy barks.
Ada climbed down from the cart, clasping her ledger in her left hand. “What’s his name?”
Archie glanced up at her from where he crouched. “Happy. Because he makes us all happy. Plus, just look at his face. He’s always happy. Aren’t you, boy?” The love between boy and animal was so strong, Ada felt a thickening in her chest.
“He looks like a very happy boy.”
Suddenly Archie sent her a distressed look. He stood. “I should have helped you from the cart. I beg your pardon.”
“It’s all right.” Ada waved her hand. “I wouldn’t want to come between a boy and his dog.” She went to Happy and patted his head.
“Archie, what are you doing back here?” A woman’s voice drew Ada’s attention to the house. Mrs. Tallent stood on the stoop, her hand shading her eyes as she gazed into the yard toward her son.
Ada strode toward her, eager to make the woman’s acquaintance. “Good morning, Mrs. Tallent, I’m Miss Ada Treadway. I asked Archie to bring me here first. I hope it’s all right and that you have time to meet with me. I’d like to ask you about your farm and see if there is anything you might need.”
Mrs. Tallent sized her up, her gaze moving from Ada’s straw bonnet to her sturdy boots. Ada returned the scrutiny, taking in the woman’s dark, curly hair and sharp green eyes. Like her son, she was tall, towering several inches over Ada. The woman appeared to be in her early thirties. “Come in.” She looked over Ada’s head to the yard. “Archie, feed the goats while you’re here, please.”
“Yes, Mama.”
Ada turned her head to see him and Happy take off. “I’ve hardly spent any time with your son, but he’s a lovely boy. You must be so proud of him.”
“I am. He has a good heart. Can I get you anything?”
Ada shook her head. “No, thank you. Do you want to sit?”
“For a few minutes, then I must get on. This is a busy time of day for me, especially since Archie isn’t here to help.”
Ada grimaced. “Oh, I’ve stolen your help.” Ada didn’t want the woman to spend the next week working overly hard to satisfy Ada’s need to travel about the estate.
Mrs. Tallent took a chair near the hearth and gestured for Ada to sit on the worn settee. “I’ve told Og he can’t have him this week. He’s paid for half days at Stonehill, and that’s what they can have.”
“I could ask his lordship to pay him for full days this week if that would help you.” Ada hadn’t realized their jaunts would be only half the day, but that was just as well so that she had time to make notes and plans.
“Not as much as having Archie here. I wish his lordship would hire proper grooms. I’d prefer Archie were here all day. He needs to focus more time on his studies as well as learn the farm since it will be his to manage.”
