Page 76 of An Innocent Bride for the Duke

Owens shook his head and shrugged.

“No, there was something about a message from the stables, I think. It was all a bit confused and passed along by a coachman to Biggs, who told me and Shaw. You’d better check with Mr. Harper, I think. Something about Storm…”

“Storm! Oh, my horse must be foaling! I must go to the stables straight away.”

This was about the only news that could have presently have excited and distracted Louisa away from her daydreaming.

“In your dancing slippers?!” queried the elderly dowager doubtfully. “By yourself? That doesn’t seem sensible, does it, Mary?”

“Oh, I don’t care about my slippers and the head grooms must be there already if they’ve sent word to the house. It’s Storm’s first foal!”

“Why don’t I go and check with Mr. Harper first?” suggested the footman. “There could be a mixup and I don’t want to send you on a wild goose chase, Lady Louisa.”

But Louisa wasn’t really listening any more.

“Yes, do speak to Mr. Harper and let him know I’m at the stables already. Lady Gordons, Miss Springer, could you please let the Duke of Northwick know too? We were going to meet here in the conservatory but he can come and meet me at the stables instead.”

How lovely if Storm had her baby tonight! Just think, Benedict may give me a child tonight too…

The whole world was changing and blooming and it was all wonderful. Ignoring the weak protests of her three companions, Louisa almost danced out of the conservatory and along the path towards the stables.

“Is anyone there?” Louisa called out rather tentatively, her initial burst of excitement fading.

She had expected to see much light and activity when she arrived at the stables. Instead, she was puzzled to find only a single lantern hanging, as there might be at this hour on any normal night when the stable lads took turns to keep watch over the horses.

The stool inside the stable door was empty and a mug of tea sat un-drunk on a small table. There was no sign of whichever stable lad was meant to be on duty. Louisa walked over and touched the mug, finding it lukewarm. Someone had been here not too long ago, but there was now no sign of them.

“I’ve come to see Storm,” she called out again, her voice sounding loud and very much alone in the silence that followed.

There was only the usual whinnying and stepping of horses, the chomping of hay, and the rustling of straw. Was there more and louder rustling than usual? What if Storm was in difficulty and the stable lad had run to fetch help..?

It seemed unlikely that any stable lad or groom would ever have left the horses unattended, but Louisa’s mind was growing uneasy. Something was wrong here. Unable to put her finger on an exact fear, she hurried towards Storm’s stall and found her horse placidly munching hay, and certainly not looking in any way as though she was about to drop her foal.

“You’re well, aren't you, Storm?” Louisa said with some relief but wider unease, stroking the mare’s mane, “but what is going on in here?”

In another stall a horse neighed loudly and Louisa heard that strange rustling again.

“Thunder?” she called out, recognizing the neighing and turning towards it. “Is that you?”

When she reached the stallion’s stall, the beast seemed even more uneasy than Louisa, tossing his head and stamping.

“Shall we walk around the paddock?” Louisa suggested, reaching in to pat the animal reassuringly. “Let me get a halter for you. It seems we both need some exercise.”

As she fitted the halter and then opened Thunder’s stall, the rustling from somewhere in the table seemed to grow even more frantic, almost frightening Louisa now. The sturdiness of the large beast beside her gave her some reassurance but she longed to be outside again.

“There, that’s better isn’t it?” she said as they emerged into the yard. “Now, why are you so nervous, Thunder? I do wish you could talk…”

She fell silent at the sound of horseshoes stepping slowly and deliberately on cobbles somewhere nearby. There was someone here and they had presumably been here all along, watching her calling out, going into the stable and talking to the horses. Her skin crawled with fear.

“Who is there?” Louisa demanded, glad that her voice remained steady. “Show yourself!”

“Gladly,” said a man’s voice as his horse walked slowly into the circle of light cast by the lantern. “You cannot really be surprised to see me here tonight.”

Louisa stared at the stranger on his dark horse, not recognizing the man and seeing no reason why he thought she should. He wore a coachman’s dress and hat but that only bewildered her further. This was not a Rosemere coachman. Was the man drunk, or mad? Beside her, Thunder neighed loudly again and pulled at his halter as though wishing to run away, a feeling Louisa shared.

Then, the coachman took off his hat, revealing fair hair and over-intense dark eyes in a thin face with a disconcerting and rather vicious smile. Louisa almost wanted to scream but her throat seemed to have closed up and she also sensed that he would enjoy such a reaction.

“I see you recognize me now,” said Lord Ashbourne with satisfaction. “I am here to prevent you from making a terrible mistake. There is still time for you to escape. If you come with me now, I will arrange…”