Unforgettable: A Loveswept Classic Romance (7 page)

“Excuse me,” Anne said, frowning at him. “I’m Anne Kitteridge, the owner of Makefield Meadows.”

He turned and appraised her, then smiled and shook her hand. “I’ve seen you race, miss. You were a fine rider in your day. And you’re making quite a name for yourself with this farm.”

“Thank you,” Anne said, smiling at his compliment.

Before she could say more, he turned to James.

“And you must be Mr. Farraday.” The man grinned, his anger gone like lightning. He grabbed James’s hand and pumped it vigorously. For a small man his fingers were surprisingly strong. “I’m Oliver MacGinley—Mac to ya. I saw you when you came out to see Battle Cry several months ago, although you probably don’t remember seeing me. Now you’re the new owner of my boy. That’s wonderful, wonderful, sir. I work for Riker Racing Stables, Battle Cry’s trainer. I’ve had the pleasure of taking care of my boy since he left his mama. Oh!” He reached into his pocket and produced several papers. “Here’s the paperwork.”

“I’m very pleased to meet you,” James said. He took the papers from Mac and shoved them into his pocket without a glance. He tried to remember the man from his trip last fall to Riker, but gave
up. The place had been huge, after all. “Did he make the trip all right? We’ve been a little worried about that.”

“Set your mind at ease, sir. He’s a good traveler. Except when he’s taken to the wrong kind of stables by a couple of … Never mind.”

James chuckled. “Your hard work made him a winner.”

Mac nodded. “That it did, if I may say so. Many long hours I put in schooling him—”

A stamping and a loud whinny interrupted Mac, who seemed to jump at a hidden command.

“That’s my boy wanting out of his cage.” The man scurried back up the van ramp, calling over his shoulder. “You’ll be wanting to see him anyway. I’m forgetting my manners, sir and good lady. I won’t be needin’ no help,” he added suddenly to Curtis, who moved toward the van. “My boy will come out like a lamb, you’ll see.”

The man definitely had charm, James thought as Mac disappeared into the van’s interior. Especially with his manner of formal speech. Somewhere, too, was a hint of a long-ago brogue. He refused to admit, however, that Curtis’s angry expression at being reprimanded had any influence on his opinion of Mac.

He glanced over at Anne to find her looking worried. He wished he could wipe away all of her concerns, whatever they were. His surge of protectiveness wasn’t good, he knew. It meant there was more than chemistry at work. He’d have to be much more careful from now on.

The horse came out just then, with a last little prance of hooves. Mac unclipped the blue robe, whisking it off Battle Cry’s broad back, then led
the animal over to a paddock. He regally allowed Curtis to hold open the gate before he unclipped the rope lead and slapped Battle Cry into the pasture. With a snort of startlement, the horse leapt forward like a well-oiled machine coming to life. Curtis shut the gate, and all the humans walked over to the fence and leaned on it, watching in reverent silence.

Battle Cry was breathtaking. He was a true bay with a white blaze down his forehead. His ears flicked with intelligence, the eyes were almost fiery with an inner life force. The deep reddish-brown hide gleamed with vitality and covered a streamlined body of solid bone and muscle. He galloped around the enclosure with a grace that was pure pleasure to see.

“Wow,” Philip said in awe, speaking for all the adults.

“He’s beautiful,” Anne said, her voice dreamy. She leaned her forearms along the top rail and rested her chin in her fist.

“I knew it would be like this,” James murmured, watching her watch the horse. Nothing in the world would ever give him more pleasure than this moment. He had spent a whopping amount of money to get Battle Cry, and it didn’t matter a damn. He felt honored just to be in the horse’s presence. Furthering his line would bring a wild beauty into the world that no money could buy. Anne understood all of that, he knew. It was why he had been so desperate to share this with her. Louder, he said, “He looks happy in his new home.”

“Hardly fretting, but no thanks to those nitwits,” Mac muttered ominously, then added, “So you all like my boy.”

Anne smiled at him. “You’ve kept him in good health, Mac.”

To James’s amusement, Curtis nodded grudgingly.

“It’s my job, miss.” Mac stared at the horse and sighed. “That was my job. Who will have his care now?”

“All of us share the duties,” Curtis said.

The man straightened. “But he hates a lot of different people touching him! You’ll upset him, make him unhappy—”

“His whole routine will be different now,” Anne said, her voice soothing. “It will be very hard on him, I know, and he’ll miss you. But we’ll be extra good to him, Mac. We know how to help a horse adjust to a new environment. You come back in a few weeks and it’ll be as if he’s always been here.”

James could hear the sympathy in her voice. He felt bad, too, for the man. That Battle Cry would adjust he was sure. It was Mac he wasn’t sure of, and he felt responsible for causing this unhappiness.

“I don’t doubt you’ll take good care of him,” Mac said, “and I mean no insult. But you don’t know his quirks. Ya wouldn’t have an opening for a groom, miss, would you? I’ll just take care of my boy, I promise. I’ll just see to his personal needs. Everything else up to your people, of course. I wouldn’t interfere, miss, and you’ll only have to pay me room and board.”

Anne smiled gently. “I’m sorry. I have all the grooms I need right now.”

“Mom!” Philip looked stricken at her words.

The life seemed to go out of the little man, although he straightened with dignity. “I … I was hoping. But I can’t say I didn’t expect ya to
refuse. Oh, well. Riker’s planning to retire me, too, when I get back. Not looking forward to it. Can’t turn off the horses, can we?”

Overwhelming guilt assailed James at the man’s words, and he couldn’t stand it. It was clear the man was devoted to the horse, and he was being pulled apart by the thought of separation. In fact, his entire world was crumbling, and all because he, James, had bought a horse. It was through Mac’s care that Battle Cry had arrived so safely, and he was grateful. More than grateful. What Anne must be thinking of him for creating this mess …

“I’ll pay his salary and room and board, Anne,” he volunteered. “You know that’s no problem. Can he be my employee here to oversee my horse?”

Mac nearly jumped with joy, then looked at Anne hopefully. She glared at James, who knew she had a right to.

“James, I’m sympathetic to Mac,” she said. “We’re all horsepeople, and we know how he feels.”

“He’ll facilitate Battle Cry’s adjustment,” James said, his enthusiasm growing. “After all, he knows the horse better than anyone else.” He turned to Curtis and the other grooms. “I know you men will take good care of my horse. Don’t you think, though, that Mac could help with his transition here?”

The men stared at him. Curtis finally said, “It’s up to Anne.”

James turned back to her. “Can we try it? For two weeks?”

She said nothing, just looked at him.

James realized belatedly he was putting her in an awkward position. Still, he liked the idea of
Mac helping Battle Cry through the first few weeks at the farm, and if it worked out … well, maybe a permanent arrangement could be made. He would feel awful if he didn’t help this old man who clearly loved the horse as if it were his own family. “I know I’m putting you on the spot, Anne, but if he keeps only to the grooming and feeding of Battle Cry, how about it? The least little complaint from you or your men, and I’ll fire him. Agreed, Mac?”

“I’ll be no trouble, sir. Honest, miss. Your men will know my boy’s business best now. I’ll do whatever they ask of me.”

Anne stared at Mac, clearly assessing the man’s character, trying to discern if it matched his words. She glanced at her men, all of them impassive. James waited impatiently.

“Two weeks,” she finally said.

Mac cheered, tears actually starting in his eyes. He took her hand and shook it. “You won’t be sorry, miss. None of you will. I promise.”

James grinned when the little man turned to him. His hand was pumped until he was afraid it would be shaken off his arm.

“Thank you, sir. Bless you. I’ll do a good job for you, you’ll see.”

When his hand was finally released, James turned to thank Anne for her generous decision. But she was already halfway down the drive toward the house. Her ramrod-straight back made it all too clear how she felt. Mac was too ecstatic to notice, and her employees were drifting back to their usual work. He admitted none of them looked too happy either. He sighed, knowing he had overstepped himself.

“I think Mom’s mad,” Philip said, looking up at
James. “But I’m kinda glad you talked her into it.”

James smiled dryly. “So am I.”

Leaving Mac content to look at his “boy,” James walked with Philip back to the house. Lettice was waiting on the portico.

“My granddaughter just stomped into the house, cursing faster than a sailor,” she said. “She was cursing you, James. What did you do to become persona non grata?”

He shrugged noncommittally. He wasn’t about to tell Lettice what happened. Besides, it wasn’t her business. But it looked as if he’d made more of a mistake with Anne than he’d first thought.

He’d made a biggie.

“Really, Anne. He was right, so why don’t you just admit it and speak to the man? Five days of avoiding him is quite enough punishment.”

Anne took a deep breath to hold her patience and set her spoonful of cereal back into her bowl. She would
not
argue this point at breakfast.

“I haven’t been avoiding him, Grandmother,” she said in as reasonable a tone as she could muster. “Anyway, I agreed with James when I said Mac could stay, so I don’t see the point of this conversation.”

“Well, I do,” Lettice replied bluntly. “You won’t speak to James.”

“Keep this up, and I won’t speak to you,” Anne said, picking up her spoon again. She stared at Lettice as she ate her cereal.

Lettice stared back.

“Grandmother Lettice, can we go to the zoo this Saturday?” Philip asked into the silence.

Lettice grimaced at being the first to break the
eye-to-eye showdown. “Yes, Philip. If you like, I can get us in early to see the baby rhino—”

Anne took the opportunity to escape. She was out the door to begin her morning rounds of the stables before Lettice had finished answering Philip. Her son’s timing was perfect.

“What a way to start a day,” she murmured, sighing. She wished she had never told Lettice what had happened. While her grandmother sided with her, she also seemed to want all the “bygones be bygones” to come from her granddaughter. Bygones when she was furious with him? In a pig’s eye! Anne had no desire to speak to the man except for business purposes, and she’d be damned before she did.

Still, she never would have expected him to hire Mac like that. Sympathetic maybe, but not so … nice. She walked faster, her steps angry. He had done something kind, proving yet again that he was Mr. Perfect, and had usurped her authority at the same time.

The day, unfortunately, went from bad to worse.

“Anne, I want to talk to you.”

She took a deep breath as James blocked her path to the foaling stable. For five days he had made the same demand—when he could find her. This time, though, she was ready for him. This would be a business conversation whether he liked it or not. What else did he want from her anyway?

“I have something for you.” She slipped some papers from her clipboard and held them out to him. The afternoon sun was in her eyes, but she refused to shade them to see him more clearly. Still, her brain registered that he looked as sexy as ever, and she was disgusted with herself for even being interested. She remembered figuring
he’d show up at the farm only every couple of months or so to see his horse. So far he’d been there every day.

“This is Battle Cry’s breeding schedule,” she said, and instantly realized her mistake. Breeding was the last thing she wanted to discuss with him.

He took the papers from her, their fingers somehow not touching in the process. Anne ignored the disappointment of her body. James stuffed the schedule in the inside pocket of his corduroy jacket.

“Aren’t you going to look it over?” she asked, shock momentarily overriding her reaction to him.

“I trust you to know your business.” His gaze hardened. “Besides, I know this is an attempt to change the subject.”

Anne glowered back at him. Her fury was refueled at his not looking over the schedule. “If the subject is Mac, I told you before there’s nothing to talk about. You own Battle Cry. You want Mac to take care of him. I agreed.”

“We haven’t talked at all,” he began. “You haven’t allowed me a word—”

“You had plenty to say when your horse arrived. Do you want to take any of it back?”

His face darkened. “No.”

She smiled sweetly. “Fine. Now, if you’ll excuse me—”

“No.” He practically straddled the walking path. “I know I put you in a very awkward position—”

“Yes, you did,” she interrupted. “But that didn’t stop you, did it?
Nobody
felt worse than I did when I had to say no. But I have other employees whose jobs were usurped by your demand that I employ Mac as Battle Cry’s personal groom—”

“Dammit, I didn’t demand.”

“You left me no choice, James,” she said, her anger boiling over. “You even insured I looked like an ogre to my own son. Next time if you don’t like one of my decisions, please discuss it with me
in private
. I do try to accommodate the horses’ owners as best I can. I have bowed to your wishes, James. We have nothing further to say, and I will not discuss this again with you. Now, I have three mares in labor to see to, and no, you cannot come along. Strangers can upset them and endanger their foals.”

She walked around him and on up the path. When she didn’t hear his footsteps behind her, she allowed herself to relax. Clearly, he believed her about the mares.

Good, she thought murderously. Her temper frayed at each meeting with him since this business with Mac. It still rankled her that James had embarrassed her in front of her employees and her son by putting her in an untenable position. She was grateful her people had realized that, although she was receiving the cool shoulder from a few for her allowing Mac to stay. Philip had forgotten the incident already, as children did.