Harnessed Passions (24 page)

Daniel spent his afternoon in a pile of
horse manure and soiled hay, fighting to keep images of his young
bride from invading his mind. He helped clean the stalls, spread
fresh straw on the floors for the horses, fill the oat box and
clean the water bins. He inspected a number of hooves, most in need
of new shoes and checked more horses’ mouths for decaying teeth
than he cared to remember. Finally with over twenty thoroughbreds
brushed and groomed, he was able to think about returning to the
main house for supper.

Between his work in the stables and his
training of Roustabout, getting him ready for next year's races,
Daniel was exhausted and by six o'clock he was in desperate need of
a hot bath and a soft bed. It had been too many years since he did
this sort of labor and he felt worn clear to the bone. He didn't
want to complain in front of the hired hands so he saved his belly
aching for when he was alone.

He was on his way back up to the house when
Rally Overton hollered at him to hold up. He had another man with
him who looked vaguely familiar, but in his present state Daniel
wouldn't be able to distinguish Adam from Eve.

"'Scuse me Mr. Brownin'," Rally drawled.
"This 'ere's Dourn," he motioned to the man next to him with a wave
of his thumb. "He's in need of place ta stay 'n I's been tellin'
him 'bout the stables needin' a few good workers 'n he'd like ta
apply fer the job." Daniel looked at the man, inspecting him
cautiously. He was taller than Rally, yet still a good half foot
shorter than himself. He had dark curly hair and small grey eyes, a
thin scare slashed across his cheekbone and another that ran along
his chin, showing signs of a seedy past that had definitely left
its mark. He wore a pair of old jeans and a faded cotton shirt, a
red bandana tied around his neck and a sun-bleached hat was pulled
down over his forehead, making him appear even more hauntingly
familiar.

"Have you ever worked with thoroughbreds
before?" Daniel asked, shaking the man's calloused hand.

"Yes sir, I have. I's worked fer a couple
down Texas way fer the past year, ‘n right near five years up in
New York. Ya can say, I's done pert near ever'thin' there is ta do,
when it comes ta horses."

"Fine, we'll give you a try," Daniel said,
with a tired smile. "Overton will show you the place and get you
settled in. The pay is fifteen dollars a month, free room and board
in the bunk house and three square meals. You can start work in the
morning." He turned around and left the two standing alone in the
pink and orange light of the setting sun.

Daniel swore he knew the man from somewhere,
that much was for certain, but he couldn’t place where. His voice,
his eyes, even that small scare across his cheek were all familiar,
but he just couldn't put a name to him. Daniel made a mental note
to ask Harold to check into Dourn's story for him, but right now it
was probably safer to keep him under a close eye than to allow him
to run loose in the small town. At least Daniel felt comfortable
about leaving the man in Rally Overton's care. There wasn't another
man in all of Kentucky, who knew everything that went on in
twenty-four hours, like Rally did. He was worse than the town’s
spinster when it came to gossip.

"Now ya just play yer cards right son,"
Rally drawled again, once Daniel was out of sight. "Ya'll be 'ere
fer a long spell, if'n ya don't screw up, like last time."

"Come on Pa," the younger man said, heading
back to the stables. "Ya know last time, weren't none of my fault.
That ol' man, just got antsy and blamed me fer nothin'."

"Ya tried ta screw his wife. What did ya
think he'd do, shake yer damn hand?"

"But she was a real looker, that one. Worth
loosin' my job over, that's fer sure."

"Well, ya just keep yer distance from that
there house now, ya hear? That Mr. Brownin', he's got Miss Julia
fer a new wife and I's ain't gonna relish havin' ta bury ya once he
shoots ya, fer comin' on ta the little gal."

"Well Pa, I's always did
think she was worth bein' shot over," the younger man snickered at
his father's expression. "Aw come on Pa, ya know
Miss Priss
ain't ta my
likin', no matter how perky them a her's are. As fer fancy
breeches, I ain’t gonna take the time fer him to get ta know me. I
think its best I stays outta his way, lessen he ‘members where he
met me ‘fore."

Rally shook his head gently
as he ran a large weathered hand across his sweaty brow, sighing
his surrender. There just wasn't any getting through to this one.
He only hoped Julia had enough sense to stay away from the stables
and away from Michael
Dourn
Overton, before something serious happened to
her.

Julia arrived at the house just after
sunset. She had spent a wonderful afternoon shopping with Louise,
visiting with Margie Leonard and her new baby, Harrison, while the
Leonard’s three year-old daughter, Maggie, sat on her lap, playing
with the string of pearls around her neck. They ate lunch at
Margie's then shopped nearly every store in the small town before
returning to the Leonard's home, where they ate supper and played
with the children until it was time for them to go to bed.

Besides Jeremy, Harold was the only one who
suspected the truth about Julia and Daniel's situation. She didn't
really expect Daniel would keep his problems confidential from his
partner and best friend and could see the suspicions in the man's
honey brown eyes, though he never said anything to her about
it.

Margie told all sorts of stories about the
life of a newlywed and even mentioned a few things about settling
in as lovers, that shouldn't have been told. Of course, the subject
was mentioned briefly and only when Louise wasn't within earshot,
however, Julia’s deep blush was a telltale sign in itself. Margie
had a way of making a person feel comfortable, and Julia felt very
relaxed around her. It was no wonder Daniel valued her as his
friend.

Julia could imagine herself as having a best
friend again while she sat laughing at the way Harold was bossed
around by his wife. Margie was as gentle and loving as she was
energetic, forcing Julia and Louise to pick up their pace while
shopping with her. Where most women would be resting after giving
birth a little more than a week ago, she was eager to explore the
town with her new friends. She hurried from one place to another
with the pram carrying both Maggie and Harrison. They stopped at
one shop after the next and then remember something she had seen in
the first, turning and dragging the two back down the street with
her.

By the time they arrived home, Julia and
Louise were more exhausted then either could ever remember being.
Their feet throbbed inside their heeled boots, their knees
threatened to buckle beneath their weight and their cheeks ached
from so much smiling and laughing, they thought their faces would
permanently freeze that way.

Julia went straight into the house and up
the stairs, eager to avoid Daniel for as long as possible. Some of
the things Margie had told her about enjoying a man’s touch had
made her remember the way her husband touched her that very day,
and she wasn’t eager for him to know how deeply she wished him to
touch her like that again.

She went into her new room,
depositing the many packages on the oversized bed. Margie helped
her pick out several petticoats, chemises and silk stockings, as
well as insisting she buy four very revealing nightgowns and an
expensive bottle of cologne, to aid in the
mood
as she put it. She had three new
dresses being made, and brought home two pair of shoes, neither of
which was appropriate for the life she lived at the stables. She
had a multitude of cloaks and wraps, hair combs and earrings,
necklaces, corsets and dusting powder, all of which she quickly
unpacked and once again examined.

Julia stored the items where they belonged,
before choosing a rather risqué nightgown to wear and ordered
Bridget to fill the tub for her. With that out of the way, she
stripped down to her thin chemise and sat at her vanity to wait her
bath. She looked up at the reflection staring back at her in the
mirror and actually blushed. She couldn’t wait to try some of the
cologne and dusting powder, and a small wicked twinkle in her eyes,
warned her of what Daniel would say when he saw her; or what he
would do.

A strange sensation came
over her and she walked back to sit on the edge of her bed. Thought
of
driving Daniel crazy,
as Margie had suggested, drifted easily into her
mind. Her slender fingers sliding across the silky smoothness of
her night clothes, and she couldn’t resist inspecting the diamond
and gold ring twinkling up at her through the room’s lamp light.
Perhaps it was just the ideas her new friend had given her that
made her feel a degree braver, or perhaps it was the memories of
being in his arms that mingled with those new ideas that made her
feel daring. Either way, she felt an urgency to look appealing for
her husband.

Her legs throbbed from her foot race with
Margie, her feet ached from her toes to her knees and her head felt
like a lead weight on her shoulders; but she felt strangely relaxed
and happy. Shopping in Boston had never been this much fun, she
thought as she rested her back against one of the large posts at
the foot of the bed, and sighed deeply. She was tired and
exhilarated, both at the same time.

Margie had made her evaluate her present
circumstances in a different light. She began to remember Daniel as
the man he was a few short weeks ago. He was erotic and sensuous
and more handsome than any man had a right to be. She began to feel
a strange tingle traveling across her lower limbs, which caused a
tight knot to form inside her stomach. If she didn't know better,
Julia accused herself; she'd swear she was beginning to fall in
love with her own husband.

The door opened and Julia looked up to see
Bridget and one of the other maids her mother had hired on after
the funeral, bringing up the water for her bath. The door to the
large luxurious wash closet opened and she jumped when Bridget
screamed, dropping her water to the carpet. Julia ran to the door
and gasped at the angry curses of a man’s deep voice echoed from
inside the room. The girls turned and ran back into the bedroom,
blushing profusely at the events that had just transpired.

Daniel sat in a tub filled barely half full
with water, trying to cover his lower body from the maids and
cursing up a blue streak at them. Julia glared at him for a brief
minute trying to comprehend the meaning of the words he spit out,
before she turned back to the two maids.

"It would appear my husband has already
filled a tub," she interjected calmly, trying not to allow the
amusement to show in either her voice or on her face.

"Leave what’s left of the water," she
continued looking at the second maid who quickly sat the pail of
water on the floor. The two girls bobbed a quick curtsey then left,
allowing Julia to return her gaze back to Daniel.

"And how was your day, darling?" she asked,
aware of his obvious embarrassment. The sight of the man naked in a
tub of water brought the strange knot back to her stomach, as
desire began to burn a path to her lower regions.

"What the hell do you think you're doing
sending those two in here?" Daniel's embarrassment was vivid, his
tone angry and his red face burning hot with his naked attire. He
remained in the tub, but no longer found the need to try and hide
his assets beneath the small rag.

Julia leaned against the door frame,
crossing her arms over her chest. She couldn't help finding the
amusement in his predicament and openly smiled at his humiliation.
He looked so funny as he cussed and screeched like a wild boar
caught in a hunter's trap. He splashed water all over the floor of
the bathroom as he called the girls names Julia had never heard
before.

"I did not send them to you, Daniel. I asked
them to fill the bath so I could bathe. I had no idea you would be
in it."

"If you want a bath so damned bad, come
along and take one. I'm not stopping you," Daniel's tone eased as
he eyed the woman. The color was vivid in her cheeks, and his
intent stare forced her to lower her lashes to him. Now it was
Julia’s turn to be embarrassed at her attire, or lack thereof.

"I think I'll wait until you're finished."
Daniel threw the wet rag at her, hitting the wall next to the door
as Julia turned to leave, spraying her with water. She offered the
man an angry glare as she picked the wet cloth up from where it lay
on the carpet.

"Would you hand that to me, Princess?" he
asked her, his tone so light and innocent she felt the urge to
stuff the washcloth down his throat. Instead she stepped closer to
the tub's edge and squeezed the water out of the rag; on top of his
head. Water ran down his face and shoulders causing him to gasp
with the shock of her actions. Julia smiled, hearing the low growl
from the man then screeched as she felt her feet leave the floor.
He wrapped his arm around her waist so quickly she had no chance to
escape and tugged across the edge of the porcelain basin with a
hard jerk.

Julia found herself sitting in a tub of warm
water her chemise drenched and clinging to her wet body as
transparent as cheesecloth. Actually the water was cool, she
quickly surmised squirming against the man's grip, but the body
beneath her was what made it seem warm.

"Daniel Browning what do you think you're
doing?" she hissed, struggling to get off his lap.

"I owed you for that little stunt, Princess,
not to mention embarrassing the living hell out of me in front of
those children."

"I must not have embarrassed that much hell
out of you, if you can pull me in here while I'm still
dressed."