Luc was at her side immediately but once he saw that she was planted firmly in the mud and in no danger, he stood over her laughing.
“Heavens,” Louisa gasped, looking up at him. “Oh, so you think this is funny?” Despite her situation she found herself fighting to suppress a smile of her own.
Louisa lunged at him and wrapped her arms around his legs as tightly as she could. He lost his balance as his knees buckled and he hit the water with a loud splash. Mud splattered up over Louisa and she sputtered, wiping her hands over her face.
Luc sat in the mire looking at her and started to laugh all over again. “I expect that did not go the way you planned,” he said.
Louisa laughed along with him and tried to pull herself from the oozing sludge but found that she was stuck fast.
He got to his feet awkwardly and took her hand, pulling her upright. Louisa stepped out into the lake a few feet and splashed fresh water over her face. He stood watching her, smiling as she walked back to him.
“Having fun now?” he asked.
Louisa looked down at her mud covered body.
“Stop grinning.”
“Grinning? Why, I wouldn’t think of it.” With an exaggerated effort he pretended to scowl.
Her light dress clung to her waist and legs. Her wet hair dripped into her eyes. Louisa Elgerson was beautiful in the soft morning light, alive and inviting and covered in mud.
“Not even a smirk!” Louisa leaned close to him, her face inches from his.
“No, of course not,” he said.
Louisa smiled slowly as she saw Luc’s grin begin to reappear. She tried to step away from him but her foot sunk into the mud.
“That’s enough of that.” Luc swept her up in his arms and carried her to the bank. He set her onto her feet and Louisa looked up into his warm brown eyes, holding her breath. He turned his face, bent close to her and kissed her cheek. Louisa let out her breath. She was certain he had thought about kissing her, really kissing her, but he had not. She wondered why he had stopped.
“Congratulations, Sherlock,” he said, his expression genuinely serious. “Now you have really caught… something.” Luc stopped himself from saying what he was suddenly feeling in his heart.
“What do you mean?” Louisa searched his face.
“Nothing,” he said. “You fished, that’s all.” Luc stepped away and began gathering his poles.
Louisa stood in the soft grass watching him. What had he meant? She was certain she had missed something because she hadn’t caught a single fish.
“Luc…” She stepped up close to him and picked up his pail of worms. “Thank you. I had fun.”
“You look like you had fun.” He looked her over, covered in mud, and chuckled, shaking his head.
Louisa thought she ought to be completely embarrassed, mortified that she had fallen into the lake, but she wasn’t. Instead she felt wonderfully free and alive.
“It was perfect. I like fishing.” She smiled openly. “In fact, I love it!”
Luc laughed. “Then we’ll do it again.”
Louisa brushed what mud she could from her arms and legs and followed him to the horse.
“I want to clean these here,” he said, producing a massive hunting knife from the saddlebag.
Louisa watched closely as he set his fish onto a flat rock. “Pay attention,” he said. “This is part of fishing too.
“First you take his cheeks. You don’t do this with all fish, but on a walleye it’s the best part.”
She watched him cut along the cheekbone and pull away a chunk of pink meat about the size of a sea scallop. He flipped the fish over and did the same with the other cheek. Then he cut along the backbone on either side of the back fin.
“Hear that?” he asked as the knife made a zipping sound along the spine of the fish.
“Are those his bones?” Louisa shuddered.
“Yep, you can hear them against the knife.” He cut away the rib cage, freeing the fillets and set them onto the rock.
“Your turn.” Luc offered Louisa the knife.
She took it from him reverently and tried to concentrate on the task. She’d learned long ago not to whine or squeal like many of the other girls did when attempting a task like this. Acting too feminine could get you excluded from the things the men liked to do. She held her breath as the knife hit the fish’s backbone.
Luc watched her closely, studying her delicate complexion in the soft light of the rainy day. Her hair was wet and pushed back from her face, her features fine and feminine. Louisa was not at all like any other woman he had seen fishing. Her brows were arched and defined on her smooth forehead and her lips were a soft shade of pink. Louisa Elgerson was spunky and beautiful. He forced himself to look away.
“Is that good?” She looked up at him.
“Good job,” he said. “Let’s go back.”
She wasn’t sure why, but she felt as if she had done something wrong.
Fourteen
They stood beside Avalanche as Luc attached the poles and a brace of cleaned fish.
“Are you angry with me?” Louisa spoke up.
“No, not at all.” He looked at her curiously. “Why would you think that?”
“A few minutes ago you seemed so serious. I really did have fun today. I don’t even care about all this mud.”
Luc could not suppress a laugh. His own backside was caked in mud, but Louisa was a dreary brown from head to toe. Her sunny yellow dress was completely covered and her shoulders were streaked with dirt.
“That’s better.” Louisa smiled when she heard his deep laugh.
“Avalanche is going to be a mess,” Luc said, as he grabbed Louisa by the waist and deposited her onto the horse’s back.
“Oh, yuck!” she squealed as she plopped down onto her wet dress.
“I’m not much better.” Luc set his foot in the stirrup and leapt up in front of her. His broad back pressed into her.
Louisa could not contain herself and began laughing uncontrollably. Both of his shoulders were completely covered in a thick layer of mud that shook as he laughed heartily in front of her.
“Oh, I don’t care!” Louisa threw her arms around Luc’s waist as he kicked the horse to a fast run.
Louisa was ecstatic and she laughed until her sides hurt. They raced across the fields and along the road in a steady rain. At last she had gone fishing and she’d had a wonderful time. Luc was funny and easy, like Mark had been so many years ago. But Luc was not her brother, nor was he like any of the men she had met at home. There was something in his eyes she did not recognize. Louisa felt free and more comfortable with Luc than she had with anyone else in a long time.
Luc rode well and she felt her hair drying in the wind. His muscles flexed as she pressed up against him. He smelled manly and muddy and familiar, like home. As they turned off the road into the yard at Stavewood, Louisa rose up and put her lips to his ear.
“Keep going,” she said.
Luc leaned forward in the saddle and Louisa clung to his waist as he drove Avalanche faster down the road alongside an open field.
She closed her eyes and imagined they were flying, lost together in the haze of the heavens where no one could find them. The beautiful horse beneath them had the wings of Pegasus and they were above the clouds. She was spontaneous and free and had no deadlines. There was no one to answer to but herself. She leaned into Luc’s back and, though the rain began to fall harder, she could not imagine a more perfect day.
The shower felt cold on Louisa’s back and it splashed on Luc’s shoulders. She turned her face and pressed her cheek against him, watching the rain sparkling magically as it fell into the meadow alongside them. Suddenly Louisa felt a shiver run up her spine. She squinted her eyes, distracted by what looked like a man on horseback just at the line of trees across the field at the other side. As she watched, he appeared to turn his horse and move slowly into the woods. Then he was gone. Louisa tightened her arms around Luc’s waist.
Luc slowed the horse and Louisa wiped the rain from her face.
“Did you see that?” she called out, pointing across the field.
“No. What did you see?” Luc turned in the saddle and looked at her over his shoulder. He was completely drenched. The rain slowed, tapering off to a light shower.
“I’m not sure, but I think I saw a rider.”
Luc slid from the horse’s back and took a few steps into the meadow, scanning the trees where she had pointed. “What did he look like?”
“He was all in black. Black hat with a wide brim and a black poncho all shiny in the rain. A big, black horse, too.” Louisa strained her eyes but couldn’t see anything moving. “Pretty creepy.”
“Well, there’s no one there now,” Luc announced. He stood beside the horse looking up at her.
Louisa told herself that what she had probably seen was just a passerby caught in the rain. She smiled and reached down to Luc, pushing his hair from his forehead.
“That was amazing!” she giggled. “Perfectly amazing! Thank you for that, Luc.” She touched his cheek and smiled at him fondly. “I don’t care if I catch my death of cold or if anyone tells me how irresponsible I am to be out riding in the rain. I’m having a wonderful time.”
Louisa leaned from the saddle and Luc took her by the waist and lowered her gently. She was completely drenched but most of the mud had been rinsed away. Her dress clung to her, revealing every curve of her body and Luc Almquist caught his breath. She was as beautiful as a statue, perfectly carved and exquisitely flawless. As if on cue, the rain stopped, the sun peeked through the clouds and her wet skin glistened. Her exuberance was engaging and her enthusiasm was contagious. Until now he’d known two kinds of women in his life. There were the ones who could not stand to have their hair or clothing mussed in any way at all. And then there were the tomboys who wouldn’t be caught dead in a dress. Louisa Elgerson was something else entirely. She was completely feminine in the way she tiptoed about, rivulets of rain dripping along her smooth legs, uninhibited and spontaneous.
“This is magnificent!” Louisa looked up and saw the sparkle in his eye. She caught her breath and tried to slow her frantic breathing.
“Yes, magnificent,” he agreed, his voice low.
Louisa looked down at herself and realized that her dress was barely decent. She looked up into his eyes and felt her pulse quicken.
“Don’t think badly of me,” she said softly. “I don’t do this kind of thing often. Not ever in fact. I just felt so amazing and you’re so easy to be with…” her voice trailed off.
“I’ve ridden in the rain before but always alone. Not like this,” he said.
Louisa saw him swallow hard.
“Thank you. It was perfect. Really,” she said softly.
Luc looked at her standing in her clinging dress. “Let’s get you home.”
He set his foot in the stirrup, flung a long leg over Avalanche’s back and offered his hand to pull her up behind him. The sun broke through the clouds and streamed through the trees around them.
Louisa mounted the horse behind him and he turned and kicked him into a fast run. She held fast to Luc and called out.
“I love fishing!” she announced to the woodlands.
Luc’s face spread into a broad smile and Louisa could feel him laughing in her arms.
Fifteen
Talbot Sunderland sped along the back roads of eastern Minnesota in a brand new, gleaming red roadster. The rain had stopped and he had the top down so the sunlight reflected brightly off the chrome dials and gauges embedded in the walnut dashboard. The touring car was long, fast and flashy with a powerful four cylinder Duesenberg engine. It was one of the first sports cars ever built and Talbot was enjoying every bit of the expensive ReVere.
From what the man at the petrol station in Billington had explained, he figured that he’d reach Stavewood around noon. He’d risen that morning much earlier than usual but the fresh air rushing by was exhilarating and he could not wait to see Louisa. He had wonderful news to tell her about the publishing company and was certain she’d be thrilled. Talbot was anxious to see Stavewood as well.
At thirty-one years old, Talbot Sunderland cut a dashing figure. He was slender and refined and stood just over six feet. His hair was always impeccably trimmed and he saw the finest barbers daily for the best of shaves. With his charming accent he was the perfect portrait of the English gentleman and his blue eyes rivaled the brightening sky of the North Country. Talbot never failed to turn heads but he only had eyes for Louisa Elgerson.
He’d been told to watch for the big iron archway at Mark’s ranch so he knew he was now very close to the estate. He revved the engine as he shifted and made the turn onto the lane into Stavewood.
Talbot pressed down hard on the brake and stopped suddenly in the road, a short distance away from the massive Victorian home on the hillside. He rose up in the seat and whistled low.
“Would you look at that,” he said to himself.
Luc turned Avalanche into the yard at Stavewood and slid from the saddle still laughing heartily. When he reached up to retrieve Louisa she shook her head vigorously, sending a shower of rainwater over his face and across his chest.
“Stop that!” he scolded playfully. “You’re worse than a puppy!”
“Stay for lunch.” Louisa laughed and leaned to shake her head again just as the bright red touring car sped into the yard along the side of the house. It skidded to an abrupt stop, flinging gravel across the lawn. Avalanche reared up, throwing Louisa into Luc and the two fell onto the hard packed dirt. The startled horse stomped dangerously close around them until Luc leapt to his feet and took the reins firmly. Avalanche quieted quickly and Luc reached down with one strong hand and helped Louisa to her feet. Both of them stood and stared at the car in disbelief.
The screen door to the kitchen smacked shut loudly as the cooks rushed outside to see what had caused such a commotion. They were followed quickly by Rebecca and then Timothy Elgerson who appeared in the stable doorway, removed his hat and put his hands on his hips.
“Talbot?” Louisa peered at the gleaming touring car in disbelief.
To everyone’s relief, Talbot cut the loud engine and opened the car door slowly. He wore an expensive Panama hat and calfskin driving gloves. He looked at Louisa, covered in a layer of mud, and then around at all the onlookers. Luc stood with a scowl on his face beside his agitated stallion. Despite the expressions on all their faces, Talbot broke out in a big smile, spreading his arms wide.
“Surprise!” Talbot called out, looking back to Louisa.
Louisa took a deep breath and looked down at the watch on her wrist. The crystal was filled with muddy water. She looked up and clearly saw Luc’s disappointment.
“Is this your friend from New York?” Luc tilted his head toward Talbot and the flashy car.
“Yes.” Louisa nodded.
“Maybe we’ll do lunch another time,” he said discreetly.
“Thank you for today.” Louisa’s gratitude was genuine.
“You should never come home from fishing empty handed.” Luc handed her the whittled bit of wood, now carved in the perfect, miniature image of a carp. “Maybe this will bring you better luck next time. A carp brings fortune through perseverance. It swims through a sea of suffering and finds success. It helps you find true love against great odds. When he jumps the falls of the great river he transforms into a mighty dragon.”
Luc cut several of the walleye from the brace that hung from his saddle and handed them to her. “I’ll see you around,” he said. Then he leapt onto Avalanche and rode away along the back path from the property.
Sixteen
Louisa checked her reflection in the tall, sewing room mirror in her room and smoothed her narrow, fitted skirt. She had shaken out the muddy water from the watch and dried it carefully, hoping the damage would only be apparent if one looked closely. It had stopped and no longer kept time. She promised herself she would get it
repaired at once. She squared her shoulders in an attempt to make the person staring back at her in the mirror appear stronger. Now, bathed and fashionably dressed, she felt ready to go down to the parlor.
“What a mess,” she muttered under her breath. The mud, Luc, Talbot’s surprising arrival, the loud car in the yard, the expensive watch, all of it had been so awkward. Her father’s expression made it very clear that he disapproved. No one ever drove a motorized vehicle into the yard at Stavewood. When the cars and trucks came it was always out back, close to the mills and never near the house.
Her father had walked up and Louisa began introducing Talbot to her family. She smiled uncomfortably, juggling the fish in her hand as she presented him to each person. Fortunately her mother was thrilled to hear an accent similar to her own and had the sense and grace to take Talbot into the parlor for tea, allowing her to escape to her room. She handed the fish to Liv as she hurried through the kitchen, but did not say a word.
“How delightful to hear a voice from home, Talbot. You must tell me where you are from and where your family is located. I want to hear all the news of England.”
At the top of the stairs Louisa took a deep breath and then descended the wide staircase. She paused outside the parlor door.
Her mother and Talbot continued their conversation about England and his travels. Louisa eavesdropped a moment. They were discussing various English dialects when Talbot suddenly began speaking in an exaggerated cockney accent. Her mother’s laugh was sweet and genuine and Louisa smiled. Despite everything, Talbot was charming. She took a deep breath and stepped through the open double doors into the elegant parlor.
“Louisa,” Talbot said when he saw her. He stood up and crossed the room, taking both of her hands. “There’s my dear girl. How lovely you look, stunning in fact.”
Louisa blushed and kissed his cheek.
“Lunch is a bit late,” Rebecca announced as she slipped from the room, leaving the couple alone. “Join us, please, when you’re ready.”
The Secret of Stavewood (Stavewood Saga Book 4) Page 6
