by Rose, taylor
Agnes came in and was wearing an apologetic expression on her face. She approached Sophia “I’m sorry my Lady but I don’t have anyone in the kitchen to go out and get Brandon, both of your lunches are in the sun room. I’m sorry but would you mind asking him in?”
This is what you get Sophia realized when you treat your staff as though they are your family. Occasionally they boss you around. Normally she would not have minded at all but this meant conversing with Brandon. Facing the fact that she could hardly refuse as this would cause speculation, Sophia begrudgingly agreed.
BIG MISTAKE……as she rounded the stable corner she stopped dead. Brandon had his shirt off. He was covered in sweat; he was all muscles and looking straight at her. Sophia felt light headed all of a sudden and felt herself swaying. He was in front of her in three strides and she found herself in his arms. “Are you alright?” She remembered him asking. Next thing she was off her feet and being carried somewhere. Somewhere that was dark and cool, that much she noticed. Oh into a stable. As Brandon placed her down on a straw bed he was saying something. “What?” She asked absent mindedly. He repeated “Just sit here for a moment.”
He strode out the door coming back in only moments later with the sandwiches Agnes had left in the sunroom, two glasses and a pitcher of Iced Tea. He sat down beside her and offered her a drink which she took gratefully. He then handed her a sandwich, all the time looking at her intently. She reflected that she hadn’t eaten anything much at dinner and had skipped breakfast so she was actually quite hungry. She also noticed that Brandon had put his shirt back on. That was a pity. They eat in silence, but it was not uncomfortable though. It was nice not to have to make small talk.
With the sandwiches finished and the Iced Tea pitcher empty, Brandon stood and silently offered Sophia his hand. She didn’t need his assistance, but took the opportunity to just touch some part of him. Be it brief and impersonal. Brandon was still looking at her, studying her.
“I’m OK, really. I don’t normally look like I’m going to faint. In fact I have never fainted in my life.”
To this, a slow cheeky smile crept across Brandon’s face. He looked at her solemnly and said “I understand, you are only human…….and I did have my shirt off. A natural reaction.”
This made her laugh “Women often faint at a shirtless Brandon, do they?”
“Constantly. It is a burden I have to bear.” He just managed to say this with a straight face but then laughed.
Sophia laughed as well. “I would like to say that I don’t believe you but now that I have seen it for myself I am not unsure that you are not somehow speaking the truth.” What made her say that? Now he will think I am falling over myself to get to him. He didn’t seem to notice.
“If you don’t’ believe me I’ll go into the kitchen and strip off my shirt in front of Agnes I bet she falls over.”
She probably would. To see a male physic like this one in front of her she would more likely suffer from a heart failure.
“I won’t allow it, you have not finished your duties” this said with as much authority as she could conjure up.
“Oh, yes My Lady, but I am nearly finished, only one more stable to go. Then what would you like me to do?’ There was a salute offered with this and Brandon stood at attention awaiting a reply. She could certainly think of a thing or two she would like him to do but he was trying to keep the mood light and impersonal. So Sophia grabbed another stable fork and said “Come on, I’ll help you. Harold has inside organized and I don’t really have anything to do.”
Chapter Twelve
The rest of the day went by in a blur with numerous people and horses arriving and at five Brandon was getting the distinct impression that the evening was about to get underway. This was the point when he should say his goodbyes and leave. He was having trouble finding Sophia to do just that. Agnes said that Sophia was outside moving Grace and her foal out of the stable as the new mum was a bit upset with all the activity.
Brandon went out to find Sophia talking to one of the guests who was looking every inch a man who had never worked a day in his life and very used to others doing for him. This man was holding forth on what Sophia should be doing to get the mare out of the stable but not offering any actual, useful assistance. From Brandon’s very limited knowledge of horses (which was none except for the other night) it seemed that this man’s advice was to bully the mare into action. As Brandon approached the man looked down his nose at him which was no mean feat as Brandon stood quite literally head and shoulder above him. The aristocrat visibly dismissed him. Brandon instantly disliked him. “Sophia, can I help in any way?” Brandon asked as he patted Grace.
“Yes, could you…..
“Who do you think you are to speak to your employer like that? You need to show Lady Birmingham respect and remember your station”
Brandon turned around to look at this pompous little man. He had an unfamiliar, yet overwhelming need to punch him, but that would not go over well so instead he said “Actually, I am not employed by Sophia. And as you can tell by my accent I am not interested in your English class structure and your titles don’t interest me.” He turned back to Sophia “So what can I do?”
“Could you please lead Grace while I help the little guy along? It’s a catch twenty two. She won’t like leaving him so she is going to be hesitate about leaving the stall and he will be reluctant because it is the only home he knows. So we have to be a bit patient and let them have a bit of time to work it out themselves.”
“Bullocks!!!! I’ll get her to move on. Sophia you are too soft on the livestock. They need to know who is in charge, don’t pussy foot around them. In fact why are you doing this at all? Where is your stable manager, this should have been done hours ago. You should sack the useless man for his incompetence in this matter.”
“Thank you for that Alfred, but my horse, my way”
“Actually the horse was Archibald’s and I think he would be appalled to see how soft you are being with the stupid animal.”
Luckily Brandon’s back was turned so he wasn’t looking at this Alfred otherwise he was more than certain that he would have blood pouring from his stuck up nose about now. Brandon was not a violent person but who does this man think he is?
Sophia was doing a credible job of ignoring him but still Brandon noted the look of hurt cross her face. He followed her cue though and continued on.
It did take some time for Mother and foal to get themselves together and move in the same direction, at the same time. Brandon felt a bit silly talking to Grace offering up encouragement to keep her moving and when her foal decided his legs could take him away from mum she became quite worried. Brandon kept his voice calm and soothing whilst Sophia brought the wayward foal back. Eventually they were installed in a bigger stable which was out of the main block away from all the activity. Grace seemed to appreciate the effort made for her as she nuzzled Brandon over the stable door.
Sophia turned and said “Thank you for that. I don’t know how I would have managed that on my own. I should have thought about Grace earlier in the day. It was remiss of me to have forgotten her like that.”
“It was my pleasure. If you don’t mind me asking though….”
“Who is Alfred?” Sophia finished his question. Brandon nodded.
“Alfred was Archibald’s supposedly best friend. They grew up as neighbors, went to school and university together, but were never really true friends. Alfred was very bitter when I married Archibald and more so when I inherited the Estate. Whilst on a thinly veiled surface he pretends I am worthy of my title, he still thinks I was and still am a gold digger who battered my eyelids at my boss then landed a sugar daddy. “
“Wow, and you invite him here every year?” Brandon enquired
“No, he invites himself. He owns a much smaller Estate that has a small boundary with Glen Dorking over the far side” Sophia let out a deep sigh with that. “But the rumor mill says that he is in big financial trouble, but
I don’t know that for sure”.
Brandon put his arm around Sophia in a quick reassuring hug and said “OK, let’s get you inside…you have a dinner to host”
It was quite possibly the very last thing Sophia felt like doing, mingling with a group of people who were all the same as Alfred. Lazy, stuck up, useless, spoilt brats with far too much money in their trusts funds and far too much time. All of whom thought she should be grateful for their company. It would be a long few hours. Still it only happened once a year and both the villages would benefit from the extra injection of money to be made from the weekend. She would endure. She just wished Brandon would be there but it was always a black tie event and she was certain that he would not have a tuxedo back at the pub. She could hardly ask him to turn up in casual clothing and look out of place therefore causing him embarrassment. So as they walked to the kitchen door, duly noting that Alfred had left when the Grace and foal move started to go so well.
Brandon was preparing to wish Sophia a good night when the door was wrenched open. Harold was standing there looking like he was about to chaste two naughty children; he was even tapping his foot which went hand in hand with his crossed arms. “Where have you two been? Do you have any idea what the time is? And neither of you are showered nor dressed,” now pointing a finger at them, with an ever increasing stern look on his face “Both of you get upstairs and get ready, the guests are going to be downstairs in fifteen minutes and I can only hold them off for so long until they start enquiring about the Lady running the show.” Looking at the bewildered looks on both of their faces would normally have amused Harold but not tonight. He puts months of planning into this weekend. Planning that no one else ever seems to notice, his driving force for all his efforts, had been since Lady Sophia was widowed, he knew she had to get out there, socially, and perhaps meet someone she could fall in love with. Granted it would not have been to any of the upstarts who turn up here year in year out but Harold hoped that someday someone different would come along to one of these hunts and sweep her off her feet.
Harold knew a good thing when he saw it. He prided himself on his judgment of people. He was a Butler and he had served for over four decades. He knew to his bones that there was more to Brandon De Lecour than meets the eye. More to the man than what was shown on Television and certainly more than the British tabloids headline articles about his personal life. He certainly knew something of gardens and plants, hopefully he knew a good woman when he had her in his arms. If Brandon was daft enough to pass over Harold’s’ employer it would not be because Harold had not pursued all avenues to get them together.
Harold recognized that there were still two people looking at him like he had lost the plot. “Sophia, get going, now.” To which she slid past him and walked rather quickly towards an internal door. Good, thought Harold, rather sheepishly. Only she would allow him to completely overstep his station as he had just done. He turned to Brandon who looked a little confused.
“Come with me, I have something for you upstairs”
When they got to the second door off the second story landing, Harold stopped and opened the door. Entering a beautiful stately bedroom with a huge four poster bed as the centerpiece of the room, Brandon turned to Harold and with that trade mark cheeky smirk said “Harold, I’m flattered but you’re not really my type.” Harold didn’t batter an eyelid. “Get in, have a shower and put on the clothes laid out on the bed. If you want to beat Sophia down stairs you had better get a wiggle on.” When Brandon stood there for a split second, Harold clapped his hands together and said “Hoof it, Sonny Jim!” Gently shoving Brandon through the entrance and closing the door. Brandon leaped into action stripping as he went. He had just identified that Harold had, perhaps inadvertently given him the opportunity he had only dreamt of. He glanced at the suit on the bed on his way past and thought to himself he wouldn’t care if the trousers were four inches too short he was going to wear the suit if it meant he was spending this evening with Sophia.
Brandon thought to himself that he could, for the first time in his life kiss a man. Well maybe not, but he would have to thank Harold, profusely. The suit was not four inches too short, in fact the garment fitted him just as well as if his own tailor had made the suit. How could the man get it so right? True, he was a butler. But this suit was a perfect fit.
He was just putting on the second cuff link when he heard the door open to the room next to his. He rushed to his own door and opened it in time to see Sophia closing the door to her room. His breath caught as she turned to see who was peeping at her at the next door. Brandon experienced a physical reaction that he had never had before. Every fiber in his body instantaneously awoke, so much so that his body jolted. Sophia looked absolutely spectacular. It took Brandon a moment to notice that she was wearing an actual dress because he was captivated by her beautiful face and the way that her hair fell around her face. With makeup on she looked like a supermodel. When had he ever thought she was not his type? This would be the image that dominated him when his life flashed before his eyes. He thought that he had been standing on the edge of the “Canyon of love” before but now he knew he was free falling into the depths. She had to know she had completely captured his heart, surely. And he was standing there just staring at her.
Sophia had turned at a noise from the door to the next room. She saw the most magnificence man in existence standing there staring at her. Brandon could not possibly look more perfect than at this moment. Men always looked their best in a suit, at least one that fitted them so well but this truly was flawlessness on legs. She registered a little too late that her legs were carrying her towards him, it was like he had just developed a magnetic pull all of his own. She also knew that if she stopped, her legs would give way on her again and she would surely fall flat on her face. Which would not be a good look in this dress as it was both too beautiful and too figure hugging to end up on the carpeted flooring. So she had to keep walking until she was close to him. Without thinking what she was about to say she said “God, you look perfect” stopping just short of him “Where did you get the suit?’
“I took it off the bed in there. I was just wondering around the house looking for a suit and there it was. Luckily it seems to fit me, I guess one of your guests will be coming down in their underwear” He said with a grin that reached his eyes and then he laughed at his own joke.
Sophia nodded her head throughout him talking then said ”Harold, organized you a suit.”
“You knew about this?”
“No, I didn’t but I should have guessed that Harold would be this organized.” She turned to walk down the stairs. “So, pretty boy, are you coming with me?”
No, not yet, he thought. The thought of them lying in bed naked bounced into his head and had his heart racing, if he didn’t squash the thought his trousers were going to give him away instantaneously. As he took the strides to cover the distance between them he became aware that Sophia had complimented him but he had not offered a single word in praise for her. He quickly grabbed her hand and moved her from the edge of the balcony away from any prying eyes. Pinning her against the wall with his body and putting both hands on the wall either side of her save she try to further torment him and escape. She was looking into his eyes and it was all he could do not to ruin her carefully applied makeup and kiss her until she did faint on him.
In a low husky voice he said “You look absolutely amazing. I have seen any number of beautiful women in my time but you have absolutely taken my breath away. That has never happened to me before and I know that no other woman will ever do that to me in this life time again”. It took an extraordinary amount of control not to ravish her body now that he had voiced what he was thinking. In the same husky tone he said against her neck “Please, can we get down stairs before I lose complete control and open your bedroom door, if that happens you will never get down stairs for dinner. And that lovely dress that you have painted on will not be seen by your guests”
Sophia
was speechless as she pushed herself off the wall. In her wildest dreams she never expected to have a man, any man pay her the compliment of wanting her so badly. It was alarming and truly unexpected and such a turn on. Her mind had suddenly split into two parts one half was saying go to the dinner downstairs, mingle, make nice with the snobs while the other half was screaming open the door, open the door, Open the door. If she was honest with herself it wasn’t half and half. The sensible part was quickly being drowned out, best to get away from the door…….now. So they headed down the stairs. It was only when they were about half way down that Sophia registered how flushed her face was.
About half way down the stairs Brandon truly took stock of the light green dress Sophia had on. It followed her form and accentuated her curves to perfection. It also drew the color of her eyes out. He groaned softly and mumbled under his “this is going to be a long night.” Sophia turned with an amused smile for him. “I heard that”. They both couldn’t help but laugh.
Chapter Thirteen
At that very moment Alfred appeared from the library door way and looked up a Sophia, then looked daggers at Brandon. The man was truly transparent. His dislike for Brandon was somewhat amusing. Alfred was not in the same league, yet he seemed to think that because he had money or, as Sophia corrected herself, his family once had money, he was better than anyone else. And Brandon wanted to kill him.
“Oh, there you are, my love” Alfred said holding out his arm for Sophia to put her hand into.
