To Protect and to Cherish (14 page)

             
“So?”

             
“So,” she reminded him, “you said we will go on a trip once you are done, and I do not want to delay that at all.”

             
Slade was pleased that she wanted to go on a trip with him. He hadn’t been able to tell when he suggested it. Of course, they did seem to be getting closer as of late.

             
He left in the morning with the hope to be returning the following evening.

             
Jillian went out to the stables as soon as he left the yard.

             
“Peter, could you saddle Gacela for me?”

             
Peter had been a little nervous about displeasing his mistress since the day she had scolded him.

             
“Begging your pardon, milady, but she seems to be favoring her foot a bit.”

             
Jillian was instantly concerned, “Which one?”

             
Peter allowed her into the stall to see Gacela.

             
“Do you think she has an infection?” she probed the animal’s foot.

             
“I do. I soaked it in warm water and salt this morning.”

             
Jillian rose and rubbed at the mare’s neck, “Thank you, Peter.”

             
She backed out of the stall, “Will you keep me informed on her progress, please.”

             
“Yes, ma’am.”

             
She stood in indecision, “I may as well take Salvaje for his walk now.”

             
Peter nodded, “I’ll go fetch him.”

             
Jillian sat down on a nearby bench and watched how gently the gelding came to Peter and allowed himself to be dressed for riding.

             
She approached as Peter was leading the horse toward the lane, “How has he been doing when you ride?”

             
Peter smiled, pleased to be discussing the horse’s progress, “He’s as gentle as a lamb most of the time.”

             
“Oh?” she took the reins, “has he shown a little temper?”

             
“Not really,” he stepped back, “but I get the feeling he could if he wanted.”

             
Jillian nodded and thanked the man.

             
About halfway up the lane, Jillian began thinking about Peter’s words. If he only had a hunch that the horse had a wild streak in him, what was the holdup with allowing her to ride?

             
She continued to walk, but the thought wouldn’t leave her alone. She could ride him just a few feet and then get off. It wouldn’t hurt anything.

             
Jillian led Salvaje up to the gate of the west field so she could climb on his back. He seemed to take it very well. She settled herself and her skirts and then clicked at him to move forward.

             
He didn’t move.

             
She pulled at his rein and clicked again, but that produced the same result.

             
Jillian touched her heels lightly to his belly.

             
It was as if a volcano erupted. Salvaje took off running so fast, Jillian had to lean forward and grasp his mane to remain in the saddle. He ran the entire distance of the west field before stopping abruptly with no prompting from her.

             
Not that she wanted him to keep racing like his tail was on fire; Jillian simply didn’t have the ability to pull on the reins and hold on at the same time.

             
Her arms and legs were shaking from the rush of nervous energy. The beast below her seemed to be unaffected by his show of temper.

             
She looked out over the field. It would take her over an hour to walk the uneven ground back to the lane from which she had come. She wasn’t sure if her legs would support her that long. She was not, however, going to try to direct the animal back across the field.

             
She sat in indecision for a little too long. Salvaje made the choice for her. He turned back to where he had come from and ran – possibly faster than before – to the lane.

             
When he arrived at the gate, he stopped abruptly again, but then rose up on his hind legs. Jillian went sliding back. She grasped at his mane, then the saddle, but she was not able to prevent her fall to the ground below.

             
Before she had time to react to the rapid dismount, the monster, having outdone himself in his latest tantrum, fell on top of her.

             
Jillian found herself pinned beneath Salvaje, wondering if she had done any serious damage to her person.

             
The horse snorted his displeasure at his current position but made no move to get up.

             
Jillian realized that the ground was fairly soft from the recent rains and she determined she was not in a great deal of pain. However, the sensation of her legs being pressed into the muck by a disobedient animal was less than pleasant.

             
“You naughty mule,” she spoke unkindly to the gelding, “get off my legs.”

             
He snorted again, and she wondered if he had injured himself.

             
She reached up and gave him a slight smack.

             
He shuddered and struggled to his feet, then had the gall to look down at her as if nothing was wrong.

             
Jillian took a fortifying breath and pushed herself to her feet. She stood for a moment before taking a few tentative steps and was grateful to find all her limbs worked.

             
She put her hands on her hips, “I should tell the master about your little shenanigan,” she pointed a finger at him. “He’d get rid of you for sure.”

             
The horse was neither offended nor frightened by her threat.

             
Jillian looked down at her riding costume. It was quite a mess. She stomped up to the lane, pleased that the horse had enough sense to follow her.

             
She sat down on a large rock and removed her hat, “I need to fix my hair,” she spoke in an accusing tone to the source of her trouble. “I refuse to go back to the stables looking as though I have been bested by a half-wit.”

             
She repaired her hair, refastened her hat, and then brushed off her habit to the best of her ability.

             
She may raise a few eyebrows at her appearance, but it would not raise a great concern.

             
When she was convinced she had done all she could to clean herself, she took Salvaje’s reins and led him toward the stables.

             
When it was within sight, Sam ran up to her, “Are you done with him, Miss? I can take him the rest of the way, if you like.”

             
Jillian had no trouble conjuring a genuine smile for the stable boy – especially as he had not mentioned her altered appearance, “Thank you.”

             
She turned and took the path to the house, hoping to avoid the housekeeper and anyone else who would ask questions.

             
She made it to her room before someone spotted her.

             
“Did you fall into a ditch, Miss?” Erin was standing at her mistress’s door.

             
Jillian couldn’t stop the wry smile from creasing her lips, “Worse. Come help me out of this mess, please.”

             
Jillian knew Erin wasn’t going to say anything, but she still hated that someone knew of her ignominious morning.

             
“Well, Miss,” Erin was smiling as she helped Jillian dress after her bath, “I guess you know now how he got his name.”

             
Jillian laughed, “At least that mystery is solved.”

             
Slade returned the next afternoon to a sore wife. He found her in the corridor, on her way to speak to Bailey.

             
He glanced behind her to make sure there were no witnesses, and then pulled her to his chest.

             
She lifted her face for the kiss she knew was coming, but had some difficulty doing so without gritting her teeth from the pain of his actions.

             
His lips moved in a whisper as they met her lips, “I missed you.”

             
Jillian’s heart raced as it always did when he kissed her, and she was almost able to ignore that his hand was pressed against the particularly large bruise on her shoulder blade.

             
“You are back earlier than I expected,” she fisted his lapels and pulled him backward into the parlor.

             
He grinned as he shut the door behind them, “I was able to finish everything last night, so I left this morning.”

             
She slid her arms around his neck, “I am glad you did.”

             
He dropped his hands from her shoulders and clasped them behind her back instead, “Any particular reason?”

             
She affected a nonchalant shrug, “I just like looking at you.”

             
Slade bent his head to kiss her cheek, “The feeling is mutual.”

CHAPTER
8

“
Have you decided where you would like to go for our holiday?”

             
They were sharing coffee in their sitting room after supper.

             
“I hadn’t given it much thought,” she teased. “Perhaps Bermuda?”

             
“That will be a problem,” he took a sip. “We will need to be back by Christmas or Amy will have our heads.”

             
Jillian set her cup down and leaned back slightly in her seat, “It has been so long since I have been anywhere, it scarcely matters.”

             
Slade looked a trifle disappointed at her answer.

             
“I believe it is usually the bridegroom who decides where to take the lady on the wedding trip.”

             
He fiddled with the handle on his cup, “I do not want you to be disappointed.”

             
“Slade,” she leaned across the small space and took his hand, “we have had little time together since our wedding – and disturbingly little prior to that. It will be nice to have a bit of time with no distractions. Perhaps, it would be best if we find a little deserted cottage somewhere.”

             
He raised his eyebrows.

             
“We would certainly get to know each other then,” she rationalized her suggestion. “Probably more than we wish.”

             
He chuckled, “Familiarity breeds contempt?”

             
She nodded.

             
“I can leave as soon as I finish the trenching plans with Tellem and Easton.”

             
“And that will be?”

             
“A week. Two at the most.”

CHAPTER 9

Slade and Jillian sat in the breakfast room a little longer than usual
, knowing they would not have a chance to see each other until the evening.

             
“Is Amy coming over today to help you pack?” he had pushed his plate aside and was now just watching her eat.

             
“She said she would be here in time for morning tea.”

             
He snorted, “Expect her midday.”

             
Jillian just smiled. She had become accustomed to her sister-in-law’s tardiness.

             
“I hope to be in by supper, but do not wait for me if I am not.”

             
“Are you sure we do not need to postpone our departure one more day?”

             
He rose and kissed her forehead, “We’ve postponed it twice. I will not do it again.”

             
She stood, “Are you certain? I do not want to cause you problems in the spring because you did not spend enough time on this now.”

             
“I am certain. Tellem and Easton can work out any more kinks.”

             
“I suppose you are done playing in the mud and dirt then?” she referred to the disgraceful way he had come home last week.