by Rose, taylor
Brandon was somewhat relieved to shake his head at this. His only knowledge was visiting his sister in the Maturity Ward shortly after she gave birth to a baby boy. No notable knowledge in that, when you think about it. It was the no mess, no fuss version and it was about as close to child birth as Brandon had a desire to get. It wasn’t until Sophia disappeared down the path that Brandon wondered what knowledge Sophia had if Harold, the butler, had come to fetch her instead of a doctor? Who is this woman who wears size five work boots, can shovel dirt like a farm boy and has a personal Butler? Very interesting woman this Lady, he thought as he went back to his work.
Chapter Five
It was later in the afternoon when the workers finally came back to the courtyard. Brandon was hoping for a glimpse of Sophia. He was unsure why but her presence or lack thereof was making him a little agitated. He was just about to give up and go back to the Wobbly Boot when he saw her coming out of what he had correctly guess earlier was a stable block. She spotted him as he approached and if he hadn’t known better she seemed to hesitate. That made him frown, slightly. Perhaps he was intruding but then he looked into her eyes and saw that look that was there the first time they met, when she was semi naked. That seemed to immediately make his blood run faster through his veins. In an attempt to getting back to recognizing that look he chided himself. It was a weight of some kind, or at least that was how he was reading it. What weight could a woman who was married, with a beautiful little girl, a huge house and everything she could ever want on tap possibly be carrying? As he approached he thought he would just say his Goodbyes and leave. Then he heard a god awful groan coming from one of the stables. He looked at her “surely the woman giving birth is not in a stable, she’s not delivering Jesus is she?” He said with a smile.
“No, not quite. Actually I could use your help if you don’t mind? You can say no, if you’re not up to it. I‘m on my own, for a while, with this.” Well how could he say no to a challenge like that? Each step he took he was becoming more profoundly aware that he was about to walk into a stable with a women he had never met and see her at possibly her worse moment of her life, by the sound of that groan.
Sophia took a little tiny bit of satisfaction at the look on Brandon’s now suddenly ashen face as each step took him closer to the stable door. He looked terrified. She couldn’t help but smile on the inside. Grace couldn’t have timed the next groan any better. It was just before Brandon reached the door. The look on his face was priceless. Sophia couldn’t help but laugh. “Grace has been having a hard time of it and I’m waiting for her doctor to arrive.” she said as she peeped into the stable.
For a moment Brandon had a wild thought that if he kept his eyes shut it would help. But that would not look very mature, would it? So he looked and saw a very, very fat horse lying on a deep layer of straw. Grace, was a horse. Of course she was. She spotted him and tried to sit up.
Are you kidding me? Even the horse is trying to flirt with him and she is in the last stages of labor, thought Sophia. “Be a bit more dignified” was what she mumbled under her breath as she entered the stable. Brandon was unsure if she was talking to him or the horse.
The vet, a rather solid looking man called Steve arrived soon after. He enquired where Teddy was. Apparently Teddy was the stable manager and was visiting his mum who had taken ill. Steve asked for a progress report and listened intently to what Sophia said. He seemed to put great weight to her words. The next hour or so just kind of happened in a blur of trying to help a horse give birth. Brandon was amazed at how the horse seemed to listen and understand what Sophia was saying. The mare pushed when asked and rested when told. Eventually, a beautiful baby boy arrived and once it was established that mother and baby were fine. Sophia herded both Brandon and the vet out of the stable. Steve turned to Brandon and said “This is why I find working with Sophia so interesting. She has some rather unorthodox ways about her”
Brandon raised a questioning eyebrow at them both. Sophia just laughed as she closed the stable door. She felt she needed to give an explanation to Brandon so she turned to him. It hit her like a great weight, this man was really rather nice, he had helped out with no complaints and had done everything that was asked of him and more, when clearly he was not a horsy person yet he helped re-position, roll and hold a very fat lady weighing considerably more than half a ton. How nice of him. Oh, an explanation. “You see most people get in and rub down the foal, show him where to get a feed and generally intervene, which in the wild, is all a mothers task. It bonds mare and foal. Here we let her take her time to get to know her baby. After all she is ultimately responsible for her little man’s welfare.”
“Oh” that was all he could say as he leaned over the stable door and watched as Mother checked over her baby boy. What an amazing experience to have been a part of and now there was a shiny new foal. How fascinating, thought Brandon as he looked on. They waited for the foal to find his feet. Watched as Mum washed him down and waited for him to find his way around. Apparently it was all going to plan because Sophia turned to Steve and asked him if he was coming inside for something to eat and drink. To which he said he would love to. Sophia moved towards Brandon to explain that it had become a bit of a tradition between them to partake in a celebratory drink upon a successful arrival. Brandon thought this was a hint for him to leave. As Sophia moved towards the house she turned back towards him and said “Don’t look so dejected, I’m sure Agnes has prepared you a three course meal. Come on, you’re invited too and we will look in on Grace later” For some reason this made Brandon quite excited at spending more time with the Lady Sophia. So much so that he had to stop himself from skipping his way into the house. Now that would have been just plain embarrassing.
Chapter Six
Sophia walked through the staff entrance, took off her boots and watched as both men did the same. She then turned to open a door and tripped over one of her boots taking a very unladylike stumble into Brandon’s waiting arms. She quickly recovered herself and started to walk down the long winding hall full of doorways. Good god, how embarrassing, Sophia thought as she put a hand to her forehead. Now she was falling into his arms. Was there no end to the way she could embarrass herself with this particular man. And if she thought that the hand touching yesterday had sent an electric jolt through her system then the touch of her two hands slamming into a solid wall of muscle, nearly gave her a heart attack.
Following Sophia down a hallway that had numerous doors Brandon was trying very hard to control his heart rate. Sophia literally fell into his arms, it was so unexpected and if he didn’t know a little bit about her he might have thought she had done so on purpose. Now all he had to do was get the blood to stop running into places it shouldn’t be heading towards and slow his heart rate down. Sophia led the way into the library and met Harold who was coming out the door at the same time. They had just picked up the three drinks already prepared from the bar when Steve’s mobile phone rang. After a few short questions he rang off. He then looked apologetic, “I’m sorry but I have to get back to the surgery. Molly Smyth’s dog has just been hit by a car, again.” Standing he shook Brandon’s hand and thanked him for all his help. Then turned to leave, as his hand touched the door Sophia spoke up “Can you let me know how Buster goes, and you know the where to send the bill”. At the door he turned and said “I will and I will only include the medication this time, Good evening, My Lady” and with a rather large smile on his face, he produced a low bow and closed the door just before a magazine Sophia had been holding hit the now closed door with a rather solid thud. Sophia turned to give Brandon her best narrowed eyed “I’m blaming this on you” look. Only to hear Steve’s hearty laugh heading down the hall, which was joined by Brandon‘s laughter shortly after.
Brandon’s curiosity was triggered by the comments between Steve and Sophia.
“I take it that Buster is the dog?”
“Yes, he is. He is getting on a bit and Molly Smyth is on the pension. Betw
een the old dog and her roses she doesn’t have a lot of money to spare. Unfortunately, Buster seems to think he is a pup that can walk the district. He regularly gets himself into some sort of trouble. The last time he spent a few hours in a fish pond in a neighbors place before they found him. We thought he was a goner then but he rallied. Molly doesn’t have any family left so Buster is her sole companion. It won’t be a good day when she loses him.”
Brandon thought about this, than looked up and stated more than asked “You’re going to pay the vet bill aren’t you?”
“Sort of…Molly would be horrified if she thought that I was covering her bills. She’s a very feisty old woman. So we sort of spread the expenses a bit”
“I don’t quite follow you.”
“Well, Steve will do up a bill that includes bits and pieces, enough to look justifiable and then he sends me the balance.”
Brandon just sat there absorbing this information. The woman in front of him was certainly not what he would have expected. She was really very multi layered.
Harold stuck his head back into the library, passing on the message from Agnes that dinner would be served in the dining room in about 20 minutes. Sophia looked down at herself and took stock of herself, she was covered in dirt, straw and generally not looking her best. It also hit her that she had not seen Lilly since morning. Whilst she knew that Lilly would have been looked after by Agnes and Harold, her motherly instincts were berating her for her inattention to her daughter. At just that moment, Harold announced that Lilly was ready for bed and was asking how the horse was going. “I’m sorry but I need to look in on Lilly and read her a couple of books before she will fall asleep” she said standing.
Brandon also stood and without thinking grabbed her hand saying “Please, don’t apologize for needing or wanting to spend time with Lilly. I’ll go back to the Pub…..”
“No, don’t go” the words were out of her mouth before she thought about it. Why shouldn’t he go, if he stayed she would have to find things to talk about over dinner and who really would want to sit with her looking like this? She had said it now so she was committed to dinner with this perfect looking man. The idea scared her to death especially as his touch was making her body react in a way that it shouldn’t. She desperately wanted to lean into him have his arms enclose her. “Why don’t you head into the kitchen? I’m sure that Agnes would love the company. Lilly and I usually have dinner in the kitchen with everyone else, anyway.”
“Are you sure? I smell like a horse….so I won’t be offended if you want me to go.” as he said the words something inside was screaming at him to shut up and take her up on her offer.
“And I am smelling just so ladylike right at the moment too. I think we are quite even in the smelly stakes, don’t you?” was her reply as she made her way to the door. She shouldn‘t have mentioned her smell, it made his nose acutely aware of her scent, underneath the horse and she actually smelt…..really good. “Kitchen is down the stairs, the last door on the right” she threw over her shoulder as she headed up the stairs. He was glad that she gave directions. He would not have looked very cool opening and closing random doors, of which there were sixteen that he could see from where he was standing in order to find his way to the kitchen.
“Oh, do come in, Brandon” Agnes said formally and indicated that he sit down on a solid wooden chair that like its other eleven matching companions, all had that ancient medieval look about it. As he glanced around the kitchen he acknowledged that the kitchen was beautiful, as far as kitchen goes, from the point of view of a man who doesn’t do much cooking. It was very homely with a huge solid timber table as the focal point. It was easy to see that for centuries people had sat around it and solved all the world’s problems. In fact he thought he could see knights riding up the driveway and feasting on pheasant around this table. Brandon noticed that the old wood stove was from an age long past yet it was still in great order. Agnes noticed him looking around the kitchen and thought he looked somewhat impressed. He also looked at home, a bit like a knight from the round table; he certainly had that look of power that suggested he could have been a man of importance.
Agnes turned to look at him “Brandon I watch a bit of day time television from time to time…….I know who you are. I only have one question, what are you doing here?”
“When did you recognize me?” Brandon was looking at his hands placed on the table. He really hadn’t wanted to be “seen”.
“The moment I saw you, at morning tea yesterday. You have a very recognizable face Brandon.”
“Sophia doesn’t seem to know my face, does she?” Brandon suddenly realized that he really wished that the answer would be a no. He really wanted someone to just like him for himself not his public persona.
“No,” Agnes chuckled “she doesn’t have a clue. Not a lot of time to watch daytime Television, I’m afraid. So I think you’re safe there. But my question, what are you doing here?’
“I’m trying to find something……something I feel I’ve lost. I am so busy organizing, implementing and discussing everything that I have lost my original vision. This is a chance to get my hands dirty, get back to where I started and have some fun. And now I sound like a complete SNAG. Harold recognized me this afternoon, didn’t’ he?”
“The moment he laid eyes on you I’m afraid. But don’t worry, I’ll explain why you are here, perhaps I’ll put a more masculine spin to it though.” She said with a hearty laugh as she laid her hands on the stove.
Agnes caught sight of Sophia coming through the door and changed subjects instantaneously “The old stove is still used throughout winter. I have prepared some fairly flash dinners from this stove” giving it an affectionate pat. Brandon noticed Sophia watching them from the doorway and guessed that Agnes was trying to cover their conversation so he picked up on her talk of the old wood hob. He appreciated her effort to keep his secret.
That was how Sophia found them when she entered the kitchen, engaged in light hearted banter as though they were old friends. Agnes looked up with a smile, again not something Agnes did often. It gave Sophia a jolt, Brandon was the cause. He turned and smiled at her as she entered the room. She was embarrassed to look at him. All he did was smile but it made her recognize that she was alone on so many levels. It was a gesture that would have meant nothing to him. He noted that she hadn’t changed and it stuck him that she was obviously not out to impress him. He found most women were trying so hard to impress him with their wit, looks or some such thing that he found woman kind of blended into each other, they were all the same. He had to admit now their efforts were in fact an irritation to him rather than a turn on.
Agnes looked over from the pot she was stirring. “Sit, sit. I’ll be plating dinner in two minutes.” Sophia realized that Brandon was sitting in the seat that was beside her usual chair. It had to be a coincidence that he picked that particular chair. If she sat in her normal chair she would be placing herself next to him. If she sat in Lilies normal seat Agnes would probably wonder why. Why couldn’t he have sat at any other of the numerous seats? She was stalling she thought as she went to the fridge to get herself a drink. She noticed that Brandon was sipping on a beer. Agnes was true to her word and plated a beautiful pasta dish and then put both plates on the table. Next to each other. Great. Only two plates. “Agnes, aren’t you joining us?” Sophia asked slightly panicked.
“No, I have to pick Bill up about five minutes ago” she said as she glanced at her watch.
“Oh. I’m sorry, I’ve run you late” Sophia was genuinely sorry for putting Agnes through such a long day.
“Don’t worry, he’s playing darts at the pub, it will give him an excuse for another pint” She said as she walked out the door.
Chapter Seven
Brandon stood up and went to the drawers and grabbed out two forks, which in her haste Agnes had forgotten. He handed Sophia a fork and smiled.
“Should I ask what you are smiling about?” Sophia asked tentative
ly
“Well I was just wondering if all your days are this……interesting? It is not every day that I get to help deliver a baby.” It hit Sophia. She had no idea who this man was, she only meet him two days ago and she was in a very big house on her own with him. He must have read her mind to an extent. “I’m not an axe murderer, so eat your dinner. I‘ve seen your throwing arm. It would be a brave man to tackle you, I would think” he said with a smile as he started to eat. “Besides, I’m starving and this is really good so I’m not going anywhere until I finish this” They ate in relative silence. It was strangely comfortable like they had known each other for forever. When they finished he washed both their plates, he noted she polished off all of her meal. Another point in her favor, Brandon never understood why women ordered a meal then didn’t eat any of it.
He turned around from the sink to see Sophia looking at him. He came back and sat at the table, and then he did something he himself didn’t think about. He lent in and kissed her. Not in his usual style of knowing where the kiss would lead…..bed. Instead this was a kiss that was soft and tender. Her response was instantaneous, gentle and yet somehow just a little reluctant. He wasn’t at all sure what made him do what he was doing although his body was responding in a surprising way. If he didn’t stop kissing her his maleness would give away what this kiss was doing him. Something made him continue. To hell with what it was doing to him. Sophia mouth was so soft and her lips full. He could go on with this for a lifetime. He put his hand on her back and pulled her in closer to him. She was responding to him and it was going to be his undoing. He eventually pulled away, his eyes flew open. What was he doing? He just kissed another man’s wife. He was about to stand up but readjusted that thought. It would be a very bad idea in his exited state. Instead he looked her directly and said “I am so sorry, I have put you in an awful position. I don’t know why I did that. Thank god your husband didn’t walk in and find me kissing you.”
