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With a surge of embarrassment, Caroline realized she was blocking the entrance. “Forgive me.” She moved aside. “I did not mean to stand in your way.”

“Not at all. As you see, I am only just arrived. But I daresay Meg is ready for us to curtail any further conversation until we are inside the barn.”

A cow lowed, and Meg’s face lit up. “Did you hear that? Was it a baby cow?”

Lord Benning grinned. He moved closer and opened the barn door. “I believe that was one of the mothers welcoming you.”

* * *

After Caroline and Meg entered the barn, Benedict closed the half door behind them. The outside light coming through the open upper portion of the door illuminated the narrow corridor that ran the length of the building. The stalls beyond remained largely in shadow.

“Giles,” he called.

“Over ’ere, m’lord.” A few yards away, one of the stall gates opened and closed, and Giles stepped into the light.

Benedict waited until his cowman reached them. “Giles, you remember Mrs. Caroline Granger,” he said.

“’Course I do.” The older man’s voice warmed. “Welcome back t’ Farwell Farm, Miss Caroline.”

If Caroline objected to Giles referring to her by her unmarried title, she showed no sign of it.

“Thank you, Giles,” she said. “It’s lovely to see you again.”

Giles’s weather-worn face cracked into a lopsided smile. “Been too long, I reckon.” He looked down at Meg. “An’ who do we ’ave ’ere?”

“This is my daughter, Meg,” Caroline said. “Meg, this is Mr. Giles. He helps Lord Benning with the cows.”

“Land sakes, Miss Caroline.” Giles was staring at Meg with undisguised wonder. “Yer young ’un’s th’ spittin’ image of ya.”

“She does resemble me at that age,” Caroline admitted.

“Does she ’ave yer curiosity and bravery too?”

Caroline laughed softly, and Benedict discovered that unlike the silly giggles he was wont to hearing in ballrooms, hers was a pleasant sound.

“I fear she does,” Caroline said, “although you are either very kind or suffer from significant memory loss if you remember my many scrapes as the efforts of curiosity and bravery. I think my mother would have deemed the ventures pure foolhardiness.”

It was Giles’s turn to laugh. The gravelly sound filled the barn, causing Benedict to realize how infrequently he heard it.

“Oh, I remember ’em just fine. Th’ best was when ya tried rescuin’ our old tom cat from th’ roof o’ th’ milkin’ parlor only t’ ’ave ’im jump down without a care in th’ world, leavin’ you stuck up there.”

Caroline raised one hand to her cheek. “Heavens! I’d forgotten about that one. I seem to think you were the one who rescued me.”

“Aye. Master ’Enry came runnin’ t’ fetch me from inside th’ parlor.” He chuckled. “I don’t know which o’ ya were th’ most scared: Master ’Enry b’cause ’e’d let ya go up there in th’ first place, or you b’cause ya knew there’d be no hidin’ the tear ya’d made in yer frock from yer mother.”

“My poor mother.” Caroline’s voice became reflective. “She was forever sewing up a hole or washing off a stain from my frocks and likely despaired of me ever behaving in a ladylike way.”

“Yer mother was a wise lady, miss. I reckon she knew what she was doin’, lettin’ ya come over. When else can a young lady float toy sailboats down a river or chase off the birds in a wheat field?”

“You are right.” A hint of wistfulness clung to Caroline’s voice. “They were splendid activities, and I am grateful to have such fond memories.”

Experiencing a pang of remorse that he’d not made more effort to be involved in Caroline’s and Henry’s childhood adventures, Benedict turned his attention to Meg. He may have missed out on some memorable experiences in the past, but perhaps he might be the one to facilitate a good memory for Meg’s future. “Are you ready, Meg?” he asked.

A cow lowed again, and Meg hopped excitedly. “Yes, Lord Benting, and I think the mama cow is ready too.”

“I agree.” He turned to Giles. “Are there any we need to leave be for now?”

“No, m’lord. Even th’ one that arrived early this mornin’ is doin’ grand.”