Chapter 7

The Manor was finally brought to life the following Friday as half a dozen carriages containing the guests for the weekend's hunting arrived. Tonight there would be fine dining, music and entertainment followed by a dawn start on horseback. 

Athena too had found new energy. The manor had transformed as it hummed with activity, the grey stone walls no longer intimidating, instead, they were a welcome source of strength within the harsh landscape.

Oliver assured Athena during their conversations she could borrow a horse named Tempest. His original promise of accompanying her to the stables had fallen by the wayside, however. She had not chased up his attention though, aware of the implications she could give by hounding him. 

Attempting to avoid the buzz of new servants and arriving nobility she had headed straight to the stables after breakfast. There would be time for mingling tonight.

Wearing her most casual attire, a plain white smock dress, she stepped over the threshold into the stable block and caused her stableman to jump in fright.

“What are you doing here, there's nobody here without permission!” 

He quickly paced towards her, preparing to shoo her away. 

“I was permitted by Baron Oliver to ride Tempest for the hunt this weekend.”

His eyes grew wide with panic.

“Apologies…Miss Thornfield, I did not recognise you…”

She broke the tension with a laugh, “I don’t think we have been introduced” and went to shake his hand.

“Thomas Mellor” he quickly said, giving her hand a firm shake. Athena’s mind was instantly thrown back to the inn where she had heard those tantalisingly sordid allusions from Nancy. 

She had not been lying about this man working in the stables. Maybe the rest of her stories were true. Her pulse quickened at the thought of Baron Felix and his cold manner, and she quickly coughed to disguise her flustered state.

“I have met a relative of yours at the Coaching Inn by Norstrup, Nancy Mellor?”

“Ah my aunt” he replied with a grimace, “I do hope she wasn’t a nuisance”

“Not at all, she was full of entertaining stories and made a long evening a lot more pleasant” lied Athena, seeing no reason to embarrass the poor man even further. 

He stepped back, allowing her to fully enter the building. Four of the twenty stable berths were taken, all prepared waiting for the guests' horses to be sheltered.

"Would you prefer me to prepare Tempest for you or do you like to set up your own?”

“I think I will get to know her today and get the stirrups measured out ready for a quick start Saturday?”

Thomas nodded at her common sense. He was a man in his late twenties, with a kindly face and grey eyes. He clearly adored the animals and none of the horses shied away from him as she had seen in some of her previous residences. 

Tempest was set apart from the other horses. A huge black mare with a strong muscular build, her dark eyes met Athena’s with intelligent interest. She put her hand over the stable door and Tempest swiftly chomped the carrots she had negotiated from Lily that morning. 

Soon Athena was stroking her ears and patting her neck confidently. Her green eyes shone with affection and her smile was so relaxed and effortless it made Thomas feel like an intruder.

This time his throat gave rise to a flustered cough, and he quickly mumbled “well I have a lot of prepping to do but I shall be out in the paddock if you need anything at all, the equipment is all the back end of the block if that works for you?”

An even wider smile inadvertently escaped Athena at the prospect of being left to her own devices. 

“I think that will work very well. Thank you so much for your help you have got some beautiful animals.” As he left he quietly wondered why Baron Oliver would give her the notoriously bad-tempered mare compared to the sweeter natured ash-coloured Nimbus. 

Finally, alone Athena spent the next hour grooming and brushing the beautiful black mare. They started to build a small bond of trust as she got ever closer to the beautiful animal. 

She chatted away merrily, cooing, and patting her down. As she worked her hair loosened from her pinned up curls, falling gracefully around her oval face.

In her happy daydream, she did not realise someone else had entered the stables. The horses whinnied in recognition whilst his dark eyes roamed her happy face, her fallen curls and the shape of her body in her light linen dress as she bent over to brush near her rear. 

His breath caught in his mouth until he remembered he had promised not to interfere with his brother’s courtship. He quickly replaced his cold mask of disinterest.

"Are you sure you are a capable enough rider for Tempest?" was his gruff acknowledgement of her presence.

Her carefree smile suddenly froze, as she slowly righted her figure back to standing straight. Her hand rose in embarrassment to her fallen curls and tried quickly re-pin them away, her eyes focused on the ground.

"Apologies Baron, I was assured by Sir Oliver that it was acceptable to borrow Tempest for this weekend?"

Her cheeks flushed red as Tempest sensed her unease and started rearing up. Without a bridle on she had no way to restrain her and was suddenly trapped inside the small stable space. 

She didn't scream but paled in fear as the black mare rose on her hind legs. Without thinking Felix darted in and grabbed her roughly by the arm. Yanking her out of danger and shutting Tempest’s stable door securely with the other hand they watched as the mare kicked and bucked in agitation.

Athena was aware that his huge hand remained gripped solidly around her upper arm as they stared silently at the horse. That strong hand was warm, steady, and unafraid. She didn't dare move in case he took it away and she was left alone in the world once more.

"I don't know what made her go like that" she eventually whispered, "I've spent an hour with her in perfect peace"

"She sensed your fear," Felix replied flatly. 

"But I wasn't afraid of her" was her soft response.

"I didn't mean Tempest" he grunted. Athena's heart rose into her throat. She took a deep breath and slowly turned her head to face him. 

"I am not afraid of you either Sir…if that is what you are suggesting"

In silence he slowly turned his head to look at her, his huge frame towering above her. They stood facing each other closely enough for what felt like an eternity. 

Her green eyes looked upwards into his with an intensity he had never experienced before. Felix tried in vain to remain impassive yet felt himself slipping under a spell.  

Athena searched his deep brown eyes for a clue into his mystery. His firmly set, clean shaved jaw gave away no secrets. He was as solid as granite yet as she stared up at him, she was sure there was something else behind those eyes, something more than cold regard. His incomprehensible wealth did not intimate her but his eyes shook her.

Not breaking eye contact Felix slowly removed his hand from around her arm. It seemed to float in the air for a second too long as if it wanted to return to her. Instead, he quickly turned to Tempest and gave her a reassuring pat. 

"Don't be overconfident on her tomorrow. We don't have a doctor for several miles."

Then with a pace as quickly as when he rescued her, he turned and left. Athena couldn't help but put her other hand against the still warm place where Felix had held her and looked up to the ceiling with a sigh.

What sexual deviance had he encountered in Europe and why did she want to experience it so badly?