Page 171 of Mr. Darcy Comes to Town

The laborers obeyed her order. They found a level spot nearby, placed the water on the ground, and backed away.

“Look how kind everyone is being, Clover, my big beautiful boy,” Lizzy said. “Can you smell the water?”

The bull took several lumbering steps, paused, and then kept walking until he reached the water. Lizzy, keeping pace beside him, patted his shoulder.

“Drink slowly, now,” she told him.

“Flora!” cried Georgiana.

Oh, no!

Lizzy stared toward the magnificent house, looking for Georgiana’s Sussex spaniel. She spied her barreling down the drive toward the bull, barking furiously.

Clover lifted his head and snorted. Then, he stomped the ground.

“Harry!” Lizzy called, keeping her tone controlled, even though she raised her voice. “Play with Flora.”

When Flora reached Harry, he nudged her with his shoulder so she rolled away on the grass. She leapt to her feet, looked around to see her attacker, realized it was Harry, whom she knew very well, and began to play fight with him, forgetting about Clover. Lizzy’s husband waded in and plucked Flora from the ground. He held her tightly in his arms until Georgiana arrived, her lead in hand.

Lizzy tugged on one of Clover’s horns—he had put his head down to drink more water. “That is enough, now. You may have some later from the stream. Though, you must not drink too much today.” Clover snuffled and obediently lifted his head. “Come with me.”

A large, tall older man approached and matched his step with hers. Gradually, he moved closer and closer until they walked side-by-side.

“Are you Mr. Saunders?” Lizzy asked, keeping one hand on Clover’s shoulder. “Mr. Darcy’s cattleman?”

“That I am, ma’am,” he said, touching his cap. “This one’s a right one, isn’t he?”

“He is. Clover, this is Mr. Saunders. I want you to be nice to him,” Lizzy admonished. “He is to look after you so I want no mischief from you.”

Clover swung his head to the side so he could look at the cattleman.

“There’s a fine fellah,” Mr. Saunders said in a quiet, caressing tone.

“I like the sound of your voice, Mr. Saunders,” Lizzy said. “Clover, to the right a little, if you please.”

Clover obediently changed his direction slightly to the right.

“I heard ye had a way with animals, ma’am, and I ken see that ye does.”

“You trade with me, and we will see how he is with you,” Lizzy said, falling back. Mr. Saunders took her place, putting his hand on Clover’s shoulder. The bull snorted but did not complain.

“There’s the gate, ma’am,” Mr. Saunders said, nodding at the strong gate set in the stone wall of the paddock. “Ye go ahead and open it, see, so he knows where t’go.”

Lizzy calmly hurried ahead, faster than Clover could walk at the moment, and opened the gate, swinging it wide. She waited beside it. “This is your new home, Clover. Forever and ever. No more walking, no more drover, I promise you.”

Clover huffed a few times and passed her, entering the paddock without any more trouble. Lizzy began closing the gate with herself on the inside.

“I’ll do that, ma’am,” Mr. Saunders said. “It’s best he gets used t’me.”

Lizzy hesitated, but then nodded. “Do not wave your cap at him. He does not like to be startled. Do not turn your back on him, either.”

“Good advice, that is, ma’am,” the cattleman said, touching his cap to her.

“I will be back later to check on him,” Lizzy told him. “If there is any trouble, come up to the house and ask for me.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

Lizzy watched him from the outside of the gate as Mr. Saunders encouraged Clover toward the stone structure where fresh bedding had been laid down. She felt a hand on her shoulder and looked up at her husband.