Page 5 of The Earl and His Lady

The stable yard was full of activity. The stable itself was at a distance from the house, with a stretch of grass between the two. The stables were in a fine, imposing structure, a paddock attached at the side furthest from the house, and beyond that were more fenced in areas for the horses to exercise.

Gilbert slipped through the railings of the paddock and came forward at a jog, raising his hand to clasp Lucas’s. “I didn’t know you were in the neighborhood,” the gentleman said, a broad smile in place. “I would’ve invited you for dinner.”

“I just arrived, so please don’t dismiss all thought of such an invitation,” Lucas said, returning the warm handshake. “How goes it, Gilbert?”

“Very well. We have mares in foal, stallions on loan, and new investments.” Gilbert put a hand on Lucas’s arm and gestured with the other to the paddock. “And we’re now giving riding lessons to young gentlemen,” he said, tone not at all serious.

“Are you?” Lucas asked, puzzled as he turned to look more carefully at the people mounted behind the fence. He saw Mrs. Christine Gilbert sitting atop a handsome gelding with a small boy in the saddle before her. On a Dartmoor, a creature only slightly bigger than a pony, another boy rode in a slow circle around the pen.

“Your home must be positively overrun with guests,” Lucas said, crossing his arms and studying the children with interest. They both had dark hair.

Gilbert chuckled and moved to rest his forearms against the rail. “Not at all. It’s just the three, and I don’t think any of us want them to leave. Christine dotes on those boys.”

“Ah.” Lucas’s mind went back to the woman in the parlor. “Are they any relation to the baroness?”

“The baroness?” Gilbert met his eyes and then straightened. “You’ve heard of her?”

“Met her, in fact. A moment ago.” Lucas shook his head and chuckled. “It was quite the predicament, with no one to make introductions.” He raised his eyebrows and affected a shocked expression.

“We can rectify that shortly,” the other man promised him. “The boys are nearly done with their riding lesson.”

Mrs. Gilbert approached them, a bright welcome on her face. The boy sitting before her on the horse looked as if he was having the time of his life. It made Lucas smile. He well remembered his father putting him on a horse for the first time. The lad was still small enough that a pony might be too much for him.

“Lord Calvert,” Mrs. Gilbert said, her voice full of cheer and energy as always. “Please, allow me to introduce my little cousins to you, Master Edward Macon. Edward, this is Lord Calvert, Earl of Annesbury.”

The little boy nodded, his face contorting into what he must think to be a polite expression, his eyebrows pulling down low and his mouth pursing into a serious frown. Lucas nearly laughed aloud but instead offered a short bow. “A pleasure, Master Edward. Are you enjoying your riding lesson?”

The boy nodded, his face still serious. “It’s a lot of fun. Cousin Christine says I’m nearly ready for a pony.”

“I am not surprised,” Lucas said, just as serious. “I cannot imagine a finer instructor than your cousin.”

The other boy came forward, his face screwed up in concentration, his little horse moving sedately.

“And this is Lord Phillip Macon, Baron of Heatherton," Christine said, a touch more solemnity in her voice.

The boy glanced up, still frowning, and nodded once. “Hello.”

Lucas’s mind whirled. The boy was the baron? Then the woman inside, his mother—? His mind attempted to catch up while he bowed to the child. She had been wearing mourning colors. Was she a widow?

“If you will give us a few minutes, my lord, we are nearly finished and then we may all go inside for tea and biscuits.”

“I’d ruther have milk,” little Edward protested with a child’s hasty pronunciation. “Please.”

Christine shot a grin over his head at Lucas and her husband. “I think we can accommodate that, Edward. But let us finish one more turn about the paddock so we can tell your mother how well you did today.” Lucas saw her wink at her husband before beginning the round once more, Phillip following on his horse.

“They’ve never been on horses before,” Gilbert explained, offering Lucas an apologetic smile.

“They’ve not been here long, surely?”

“Three months, actually. But riding was not deemed an appropriate activity until recently.” Gilbert sighed and shook his head. “It was no small thing, the two of them waiting patiently for this day.”

Lucas took in the somber coloring of the boys’ clothes. They were both in gray suits and wore black armbands. “They are in mourning? And they’ve been here three months?”

“It’s a long story,” Gilbert said, his voice softer and less likely to carry. “They lost their father three months ago. Virginia, Lady Heatherton, came here to be with family during this difficult time.”

That gave Lucas still greater incentive to banish all thought of the attractive woman from his mind. A woman recently bereaved should not be thought about. At all. Except when offering condolences. She had nine months of mourning ahead of her, after all, and would necessarily live a half-life during that time period. Spending part of it with family doubtless helped.

“It’s kind of you to open your home to them,” Lucas said at last.