Fate's Intervention (16 page)

Matthew
did
gawk at Marcelle then,
“
Y
ou
don
’
t really . . . you can
’
t seriously think . . . ,
”
he sputtered.

“
Oh, you can relax, Mr. Daragh,
”
Marcelle said, glancing briefly at
the
watch
draped on the chain about her neck
,
“
it
’
s been
six
minutes between glances, so you
’
re in the clear.
”

Matthew spotted the twinkle of mischief glinting in her brown eyes and resisted the urge to finish the strangulation that Clifford started.

“
So
, not only are you a devil with a
pitchfork
tongue, but you
appear
to be
a devil of a tease as well
.
”

Marcelle
’
s smile turned downward. She didn
’
t like the thunderclouds that appeared in his eyes. The
blue
color darkened
to sapphire,
and his dark brows knitted into a frown.

“
I
’
ve upset you and for that I
’
m truly sorry. I guess I
’
m so used to locking horns with my
father
that teasing has become second nature to me. I suppose I owe you an apology, especially if I
’
ve offended you, which your expression tells me I have
; a
nd
here I am trying to offer you a job, which is one
reason
I felt that calling me by my given name would be inappropriate of you being in my
father
’
s employ, if you accept the position, that is. Will you?
A
ccept
the
position
?
”
Marcelle took in a huge breath
, having
expended her last one completely
with
that
extended
clarification
.

Matthew
’
s eyes widened and then he burst into laughter,
“
W
ell
, that was quite a mouthful, dear lady.
”

“
Well, if you wouldn
’
t take offense so easily, then I wouldn
’
t have to expend so much energy on explanations
; and
you never answered the question. I
’
m offering you gainful employment. Will you take the position?
”
Marcelle was now irritated with the man, but couldn
’
t really understand why. Maybe because she felt the need to defend her quirky personality, something she didn
’
t need to do with her
father
. She never did so with potential suitors, either, but that was because she depended upon that quirkiness to drive undesirable prospects away.

“
Okay, okay,
”
Matthew smiled, putting his hands up in surrender.
“
Keep your pantalettes on. I
’
ll take the job.
Are
you sure your
father
is taking on new employees?
”

Marcelle didn
’
t answer right away. She was still reeling over his acceptance of the position without bothering to know what the job entailed.

“
Miss
Weatherman
?
”

“
Oh! Well, my
father
sent me to do his business today,
”
Marcelle stated with more confiden
ce
than she felt,
“
so
I
’
m sure he
’
ll accept your employment without argument. Now, as first order of business, I want you to help me obtain the horses I need for the few clients my
father
still has
; t
hat Clifford Stanharbor hasn
’
t managed to steal away, that is. Starting with this one.
”

Marcelle turned her attention back to White Star.

“
A
s
I said,
”
Matthew said,
“
you have good taste in horses.
A
re
you
certain
you can afford
him? His bid price may be more than a small enterprise can afford
, a
nd
yours is, isn
’
t it?
A
small enterprise?
”

“
Yes, but I
’
m not so concerned about that. Is he gelded?
”

“
No.
”

“
The
n if we can secure him, he
’
ll be worth his weight in gold.
”

“
How so?
”

“
If I understand correctly, Stanharbor relies on horses caught in the wild, or horses of mediocre worth that he finds at auctions like this, to provide to his clients. I know from first-hand experience that the horses that he sells aren
’
t worth the price paid. It amazes me that he
’
s still in business,
”
Marcelle said.
“
A
ny
way, I
’
ve had an idea for a few years
now that
might help put
Weatherman
Stables on the map again.
”

“
What idea?
”
To
Matthew
, Marcelle
’
s
excitement
was
nearly
tangible.

“
If we can acquire
good
quality
horseflesh
, beginning with this stallion as the stud male,
”
Marcelle explained, hand waving about excitedly,
“
A
nd
purchase a few
highbred
mares, then we can produce a better breed of horse to offer our clients. In doing so, perhaps reacquire some buyers that Clifford stole away.
”

“
From the way you
’
re talking, not only is your ranch small, but it
’
s suffering financially.
A
m I reading you correctly?
”

“
Not suffering, so much as not as
well off
as it was before
we began competing with
Clifford Stanharbor.
A
ny
way, with your help, I
’
m sure we can turn things around. I just feel it.
What do you think?
”

“
I think it
’
s a sound idea and one that I proposed to Stanharbor, myself, for his stables, but
he
rejected
it
. What makes you think your
father
won
’
t reject the idea as well?
”

“
Well, I am his voice today, and therefore decisions regarding the stables are mine to make. I did hire you, didn
’
t I? Besides, if my
father
didn
’
t trust me, he wouldn
’
t have sent me to do his business for him. Even you said you had a similar idea. Did you mean it? Do you really think it sound?
”

“
I think that if we can purchase White Star as the stud, we can breed championship quality horses. That
’
s what I think. I also think that if we
’
re going to start breathing life into your
father
’
s oxygen-deprived business then we better head on over to the auctioneer
’
s stand. Bidding starts in about ten minutes.
”

“
So
, does that mean you accept the position of head trainer?
”
Marcelle smiled back.

“
You are one fruity female,
”
Matthew sighed.
“
I wouldn
’
t be
‘
head
’
trainer, I
’
d be the
only
trainer, which means that, yes, I
’
m taking the job, or I wouldn
’
t be escorting you to the auction.
”

“
A
h, isn
’
t my charming personality
reason
enough for you to act as escort?
”
Marcelle laughed.

“
Without a doubt
.
”
Marcelle didn
’
t miss
Matthew
’
s
sarcastic tone.
“
Now shouldn
’
t we get going?
”

“
That
might be a good idea since the auction starts in about eight minutes,
”
Marcelle
smiled.

“
Lord
have mercy,
”
Matthew muttered with a laugh, following behind Marcelle,
“
what have I gotten myself into? Rules of engagement, gee
z
. Well, catch me gawking now, Miss
Weatherman
,
”
he murmured, his gaze remaining deliberately glued to her derriere.

“
You didn
’
t have to do that, you know. Why did you?
”
Marcelle asked, her voice
r
ising
to cover the distance separating them. She wished she didn
’
t have to walk with such a wide gap between them. It made their conversation not only difficult,
but also
avai
lable to any prying busybodies; however,
White Star was too excited about the mares and the mares were too nervous about White Star for them to be close to each other right now. They
’
d have to introduce them slowly once they reached home.

“
A
ccording to you, you nearly spent your entire budget for White Star alone. Had I not helped you with the rest, then the plan you had for breeding the finest horses would have been over before we
even
started.
A
fter
all, White Star can
’
t breed with himself
,
and
if White Star can
’
t breed, then I
’
m out of a job as fast as I hired on, wouldn
’
t you say?
”

“
I still can
’
t believe we got White Star. Wow, what a coup. I
’
m just glad that our only real competitor had to leave suddenly or we may have lost him.
”

“
That
was
fortunate,
”
Matthew agreed.

“
Still
, you spent a good portion of your savings to help and it may take some time before dad can repay you in full.
”

“
A
ctually, I have a plan for that,
”
Matthew said. His tone gave Marcelle pause, and she halted and eyed him suspiciously.

“
What sort of plan, exactly?
A
nd
remember before you say
it that
my dad has to approve.
”