Catching the Baron

by Jenn Langston

  “Where is your mother now?”

  She sucked in her breath and shoved her trembling hands into the pockets of the trousers that once belonged to her father. “She’s dead.”

  “I’m sorry to hear it. And your father?”

  “He’s gone too.”

  The baron pulled himself to his feet, although he couldn’t extend to his full height in the limited space. “I’ll leave you to tend your job now.”

  “Thank you,” she whispered.

  At the top of the stairs, he turned back to her, a twinkle in his eyes. “Just try not to maim anyone else today.”

  After he disappeared, Samantha sank down to the floor and tried to relax her tense body. She couldn’t believe he hadn’t dismissed her. Feeling more determined to succeed than before, she resolved not to let him down.

  Later that night as she walked home, she couldn’t get the encounter out of her mind. She decided she liked Lord Berwick. Not only was he powerfully handsome, with a voice that made her body tingle, but he also cared. She was sure he only allowed her to remain on since she’d lost her parents.

  Reaching the once abandoned, dilapidated house she called a home, she pushed on the door, but it didn’t budge. With a sigh, she threw her protesting body against it until she fell inside. She needed to fix the door but didn’t possess enough strength to remove the heavy wood, nor could she replace it afterward.

  As she shoved the door closed again, she surveyed the house and smiled. This place didn’t offer much, but she could live her life in her own way and not worry about anything. For the first time since her parents died, she felt safe.

  Chapter 2

  After pulling on his riding boots, Kenneth headed outside. The past weeks of rebelling against marriage had been frustrating. He felt as though he had put his life on hold and couldn’t quite step back into it. Nothing was right. He had waded through the days in a constant state of uselessness.

  Outside he caught sight of the boy who had scratched him with a rake the other day. Today he had Kenneth’s stallion, Hazel, and he was pulling on the stallion’s back leg. The fight made Kenneth smile. The lad clearly had no business serving in the stable.

  Glancing around, Kenneth didn’t see his stable head, Jordon Oliver, anywhere. Surely the man would have provided Sam with instructions before assigning the task. He made a note to speak with Oliver about the boy.

  Something about the poor orphan tugged at Kenneth’s heart. Sam couldn’t be much past his thirteenth year. Immediately, Kenneth recalled Jonathan’s brothers. He’d grown close to them and couldn’t imagine those two budding youth suffering as Sam, especially in order to survive.

  With little requiring Kenneth’s attention at the moment, he decided he could offer the boy somewhat of a childhood. He could act as a surrogate brother in a way. The lad shouldn’t have to grow up simply because he lost his parents.

  “You will never get the horse to cooperate that way.”

  Sam’s gaze shot to his, tears forming in the corners of his eyes.

  “I’m supposed to clean and oil Hazel’s hooves.” Sam held his back straight, determined, but frustration shown in every word.

  “Apply pressure to the chestnut. The discomfort will make him relax his rigid stance.”

  “The what?” The irritation left the boy’s voice as he examined the horse.

  “The chestnut. It’s below the hock of his hind leg.”

  Kenneth approached Hazel and demonstrated the technique. The stallion immediately complied, allowing Kenneth to raise his hind leg. Glancing over at Sam, Kenneth laughed to see the shock on the boy’s face.

  “Thank you.” Sam flew into action, relieving Kenneth of the leg.

  Once the foot had been tended to, they moved to the next.

  “It’s not working,” the petulant voice complained.

  “Here let me show you.”

  Reaching around Sam, Kenneth covered the boy’s hand with his. Sam’s back went rigid. Did the boy believe he would be harmed? Hoping his actions would assuage the boy’s fear, Kenneth ignored the thought and guided Sam’s hand to the proper place and squeezed. Once Hazel’s leg rose, the boy pushed him away as if irritated at the necessity of accepting help.

  “Thanks,” Sam grumbled without looking up at him.

  Kenneth stood there watching as Sam finished his task. He wondered at his reaction to the boy. He had enough issues to worry over in his own life to concern himself with someone under his employ. Keeping that in mind, he turned and walked away. Oliver was easy to find and asking after Sam’s lack of instruction wouldn’t take much.

  “My lord, what brings you out here?” Oliver wiped a hand over his weathered face as he watched him approach.

  “I have some questions, or rather concerns, regarding the new stable boy you hired.”

  Oliver sighed and slowly shook his head. “I will unhire him. I told the lad his tiny body wasn’t up to task, but he said he could do it.”

  “My concerns aren’t over his capabilities, but his lack of knowledge combined with his inadequate training.”

  “My lord?”

  The confusion in the man’s eyes irritated him. How could Oliver expect to acquire a decent staff if he didn’t take the time to give them proper training?

  “Why didn’t you instruct Sam on how to clean hooves before assigning him the duty?”

  As if struck with a hot poker, Oliver straightened his back. “When he took the position, the lad knew I wasn’t gonna waste time teaching him stuff.”

  “Well, I suggest you find the time, and you’ll be rewarded with adequate help. Otherwise, the boy’s ignorance could lead to possible damage to the horses.”

  With that, Kenneth strode away. Sam might not care for him or his help, but Kenneth couldn’t allow the head of his stables to mistreat the boy. Rounding the corner, sweet, innocent laughter caught his ears. The feminine sound drew him into the stable.

  The sight before him clogged his throat as it transported him back in time. It wasn’t Sam he saw lying on the ground with a fifteen pound dog on top of him.

  Evan.

  His brother had shared the same hair color with Sam.

  Evan had adored rolling around with the dogs. He had such an exuberance and a love for life. Sam would have made him a fine playmate. The memories of his brother’s short life blurred Kenneth’s vision. His resolve firmed. This boy would enjoy the childhood Evan should’ve had. Kenneth would do whatever necessary to see to it.

  Samantha rubbed the still aching muscles of her upper arm as she took the path to Berwick. Polishing saddles had been harder than she thought. Not only were they heavy, but the repetitive motion of massaging the leather wore on her as well.

  Dropping her arms, she lifted her head and put on a straight face. She had no intention of allowing Mr. Oliver to see any weaknesses. When she entered the stable, her steps faltered. Lord Berwick leaned against Hazel’s stall and offered a bag of oats to the animal.

  The sight of his long lean body made her shiver. And those hands. She clearly remembered feeling their warmth and strength as he covered hers. For a moment she’d forgotten she posed as a boy, and her reaction scared her.

  “Morning, Sam, are you going to say anything or just stand there gawking at me?” His head slowly rolled to the side to look directly at her.

  Feeling her face heat, she dropped her eyes and cleared her throat. “I’m sorry, my lord. I didn’t expect to see you out here.”

  “I’m not above visiting the stable or feeding my horse.”

  The reproach came through clear, although his tone held amusement. She peeked up at him, knowing she shouldn’t. His thin shirt and loose trousers added a playfulness that had been missing from the well-dressed man she observed yesterday. His easy manner and the kind light in his eyes reminded her of her father.

  “Of course not, my lord,” she whispered, not sure if she could trust her voice with a lump lodged in her throat.

  His face fell, and he took a s
tep toward her. “I’m not going to hurt you. Has someone harmed you? Is that why you’re afraid?”

  “I’m not afraid.” She straightened her shoulders and met his gaze.

  “Good.” He nodded as if satisfied. “Come with me.”

  Without waiting for her to answer, he strode from the stable. She stood there for few moments, unsure what to do. The baron confused her. He clearly had an agenda, she only hoped it didn’t entail releasing her from her duties.

  Hurrying to catch up, she felt surprised that he continued on past the house. He didn’t stop until he reached the edge of the cliff. Her heart jumped to see him so close to the edge. Why did he want her out here in such a dangerous spot?

  “Why don’t you come sit with me?” he asked as he dropped himself onto the ground and rested his elbow on one raised knee.

  Still unsure of his motivations, she lowered herself to the ground. Instinctively her hands moved to straighten her skirts, only to remember she didn’t wear any. Instead she attempted to imitate his position. Luckily his eyes remained over the edge of the steep cliff.

  “When did you lose your parents?”

  Her attention shot to him, but he didn’t turn in her direction. Why did he care about her parents? Did he know who her parents were? Did he know Victor Lemange was searching for her? That odious landlord insisted her father had cheated him out of rent, and he intended to marry her for reparations.

  Mr. Lemange didn’t harbor any tender feelings for her. He simply wanted the money her father had left. Unfortunately, the solicitor refused to release anything to her. The will indicated the funds should be handled by her guardian, but the document failed to assign one to her. Mr. Lemange indicated he would be more than happy to fill the position. She shuddered.

  “A few months, my lord.”

  “So you’re forced to work to provide for yourself.”

  Samantha shrugged. It was a fact, and she had no idea why her situation would be of interest to him.

  “You remind me of my brother,” he continued when she didn’t respond. “He never had a real childhood.”

  “What happened?” she blurted before she could stop herself.

  “He was born with a sickness that won in the end.”

  “I’m sorry.” Her stomach twisted to think of the little boy who’d lost his life and his brother who apparently still felt the pain of the loss.

  When Lord Berwick looked at her, his brown eyes were clear and full of determination.

  “I don’t intend to allow another life to pass without the benefit of a full childhood.”

  She sucked in her breath at the vehemence of his response. What did he mean? She knew of no child who would spark such an interest in him.

  His expression softened. “Sam, you shouldn’t have to work so hard at such a young age.”

  Her head reared back as shock sent pricks of warning stabbing into her flesh. “Me? I have to work. Please don’t do this.”

  “You won’t lose anything. Your position and pay will remain the same. I’m only suggesting once a day you engage yourself in some sort of enjoyable activity.”

  Samantha relaxed and gave him what she hoped was a grateful smile. “Thank you. I’ll be sure to do so.”

  He smiled back. “Of course you will. I intend to see to it. First, I believe I shall introduce you to Lord Linwood’s brothers. Darin and Lawrence are around your age and will serve as good playmates.”

  Relief faded at the thought of not only spending more time in Lord Berwick’s company but of noble children as well. Biting down on her tongue, she resisted the urge to confess her deception. As a twenty-year-old woman, how could she relate to young children? Her head spun as nausea welled up in her stomach. Why did the baron have to make this more difficult for her? But how could she refuse the generous gift any boy would welcome?

  “Surely there are more deserving boys out there. I have done nothing to earn your deference. Have you so quickly forgotten I attacked you with a pitchfork?”

  Light twinkled in his eyes. “I thought you said it was an accident. And besides, your denial of this opportunity further proves how deserving you are.”

  “But-”

  “Will you deny me the satisfaction from performing a good deed? Refuse to ease my guilt that I could do nothing for my brother?”

  Dropping her gaze to the ground, she knew what she had to do. “Of course not, my lord. I’m honored you chose to bestow such a gift on me.”

  “Your mother must have been very fastidious in your schooling of proper English. I believe you have better manners than both Darin and Lawrence.”

  At the second mention of her manner of speech, heat flooded her cheeks as sadness made her eyes sting. Her mother must have wanted so much more for her.

  Lord Berwick stood, prompting her to follow. “It is settled,” he said nodding. “One hour before luncheon we shall ride to Linwood.”

  She swallowed. “Ride?”

  “Don’t worry. I’ll lead the horse. As long as you hold on tight, the animal will do the rest.”

  For a while after that, she remained there, watching his retreating back. In one conversation he had managed to disrupt her entire plan to keep her head down and avoid attention. Then to top it off, she had to learn to ride a horse, without a sidesaddle no less.

  Taking a deep breath, she straightened her trembling fingers. She could do this. After all, how hard could it be to ride a horse and get along with some boys?

  “I don’t like him,” Lawrence complained. “He’s strange.”

  “Lawrence,” Lady Holmes scolded. “That is not nice to say about our guest.”

  Kenneth rubbed his temples. What could Sam have done in such a short time to elicit such a response in the young boy? His good deed was turning out to be more trying than he thought. After the fiasco with the horse, he wasn’t even sure how to get them back to Berwick.

  “But it’s true. He doesn’t know anything about anything. And he doesn’t talk much. Can you believe he doesn’t even know how to fish?” Lawrence defended.

  “Where is he now?” Kenneth looked at Lawrence, who only shrugged. He didn’t appear disturbed by Sam’s absence, but Kenneth was. After all, he’d taken the responsibility for Sam.

  “He didn’t want to come in for luncheon,” he explained. “Said it wouldn’t be right, and he belongs in the stable with the other hands.”

  Kenneth groaned. Had he made a mistake in bringing Sam here?

  Lady Holmes patted his shoulder. “We have no intention of being rude to your friend. If he’s uncomfortable in here with us, we will go out to be with him.”

  A sigh of relief escaped him. “You are too good.”

  “I know.” She smiled mischievously, patted him on the cheek, then directed the staff to set a table for luncheon out of doors. In the meantime, Kenneth intended to find out what Sam had done to earn Lawrence’s dislike. Pushing his chair back, he headed outside.

  The light breeze caressing his face made him applaud the perfect day. A picnic outside would be a pleasant change.

  “No, you can’t hold it so tight. By doing that, you’re telling him not to move forward,” Darin explained.

  “But I don’t want to fall off,” Sam responded.

  Curious, Kenneth peeked around the stable and was surprised to see Sam on a horse. Gratitude to Darin grew within Kenneth’s chest. It hadn’t taken long to discover possessing patience for teaching wasn’t one of his strong suits. Darin apparently had the talent.

  “Hold on with your legs, but don’t squeeze too tight. You have to remember every motion of your body is communicating a signal to the horse.”

  Kenneth crossed his arms and leaned against the wall as the lesson continued. Clearly without proper instruction, Sam would never master the skill, but at least now he would be able to manage the short ride home.

  As the boys chatted, Kenneth knew Darin didn’t share Lawrence’s opinion of Sam. The thought made him swell with pride. He’d succeeded in finding
Sam a friend. Unable to remain back any longer, Kenneth pushed off the wall and stepped into view.

  “How is the lesson going?” He interrupted the boys’ laughter as Darin helped Sam dismount. Immediately, Sam stopped laughing and dropped his gaze. Did the boy always feel fear in the presence of his employer, or did Kenneth’s loss of patience during their ride here give him concern?

  “Perfect. Sam should be able to manage without any mishaps this time.”

  “Darin is a great teacher.” Sam peered up at him as if waiting for his reaction.

  Kenneth didn’t know if he should be angered by the boy’s impertinence or pleased by his spirit.

  “You think so? But, I doubt Darin could compete with my superior teaching skills when it comes to fishing.”

  “I will take on the challenge.” Light sparkled in Darin’s eyes. “What do you say, Sam? Do you want me or him to teach you to fish?”

  With a teasing grin, Kenneth faced the boy, but his amusement melted to see the terror on Sam’s face. Those luminous blue eyes held him immobile. A strange feeling coursed through him. Why did Sam fear him? Kenneth felt desperate to find out. Never before had he wanted someone’s acceptance as much as he wanted Sam’s. Why? The feeling frustrated and enraged him. Was it Evan? Or the inherent innocence he sensed in Sam?

  “I don’t believe I would like to go fishing.” Sam’s response came out barely audible.

  “All right.” Kenneth relaxed to have been saved from an immediate rejection in preference to Darin.

  Darin shook his head. “That’s unnatural. All boys love fishing.”

  “Maybe another day,” Kenneth assured, remembering his task for coming out here. “Your aunt is ordering luncheon to be set for us outside today.”