Shadow of Shame: Book 1 of the Shadow series (5 page)

What could he possibly do about it?

When Ivy, Peggy, and Boyd arrived back at the Iverson’s’, Mrs. Iverson called Peggy into the house to help her put a lace curtain on a stretcher.

“I’ll be back in a few minutes,” Peggy called over her shoulder as she rushed into the house.

Boyd gestured to a chair on the front porch, and Ivy sat in it. He took the chair beside her.

“So, you’ve chosen the gelding. Good choice,” he said. “I liked the Arabian that Peggy and I were looking at. I plan to go back and get it. I could take you to pick up your horse then, if you’d like?”

Ivy felt a headache coming on. She sensed, in vibes, rather than actions, that Boyd was pushing himself at her, and she didn’t feel anything for Boyd. The way he’d laughed and giggled at the stables when Jonas had to explain the embarrassing words to her made him seem even more juvenile than the young men on the straw ride. What could she say to dodge his offer?

Finally she said, “I’m not sure when I’ll pick him, up. I haven’t even told my parents I was buying a horse. I'll have to clear out a space in our small barn for him, and make sure it’s all right with them first.”

“Of course. If you’d like to send word, I’d be happy to escort you to pick him up.”

Ivy simply smiled, but she shouldn’t have, because she thought maybe Boyd had misinterpreted it.

“I’d also like to see you again, if that’s possible.” Boyd said.

What had she done to deserve this? She tried to keep her face from showing her dilemma. She didn't want to see him again—all her thoughts were on Jonas—but she couldn’t be rude. She must have hesitated too long, because she saw his face drop. “Maybe sometime,” she said.

“There’s the annual Harvest Barn Dance coming up next week. Would you consider going with me?” he asked.

Ivy had heard about the dance. Peggy had mentioned that Jonas and Quinn seldom went to the barn dances, so she said, “Oh, I don’t know—”

“Have you ever been to a barn dance?”

“No,” she admitted.

“You won’t want to miss it. They are spectacular. Even if you don’t dance, you’ll have fun, I promise. You won’t regret going.”

Ivy sighed. “I’ll go with you, but as a friend, all right?”

Boyd smiled and stood. “Absolutely. I’ll pick you up at seven sharp, next Friday.”

Ivy nodded with a weak smile. Oh, what had she done?

Ivy’s parents agreed to let her have the horse, since it was a gift, and she cleaned out a stall in the barn in preparation for her new horse. She was more excited about seeing Jonas again, than about getting the horse, she had to admit.

Her father had offered to accompany her, so she had to stretch the truth a bit, which was something she seldom did. She felt guilty about it, but there was nothing else she could do. She’d told her father that Peggy would most likely accompany her, and maybe her brother, too. She just had to know what this attraction to Jonas was, and if it would last.

When Ivy approached Jonas’s stables the following day, he was walking her horse around the corral. He quickly leaped over the fence to help her dismount. When he placed his hands on her waist, it nearly undid her. Why did he have to remove them so quickly after she'd touched the ground? Why couldn’t his hands have lingered on her waist as Boyd’s had?

He greeted her, and motioned her toward the corral. She could still feel the warmth of his hands on her waist as she followed him.

“I had a feeling you’d be back today, so I took your horse to the corral. Have you named him yet?” he asked over his shoulder.

“I wanted to name him Ginger when I first saw him, but once you said he was a male horse, I just couldn’t do that to him,” she said.

Jonas laughed. It was a husky, manly laugh that Ivy craved to hear more often.

“No, he wouldn’t like that name,” he said.

“I feel fortunate that you aren’t charging me for him. You see, I really wasn’t sure I had enough money to buy one of your horses, and so I think I’ll name him Lucky.”

“He
is
lucky,” Jonas said in an almost whisper as he watched Ivy stroking the horse’s back.

Ivy’s head snapped up. “Really?” She blinked up at him, and searched his face. “Why?”

Jonas cleared his throat. “Because…he’s going to a good home, and with someone who’ll love him.”

Ivy nodded. She still felt as if she wanted to be with Jonas longer, and thought about how she might delay her visit. This magnetism she felt for him was maddening. She liked everything about him. She loved his wavy dark hair, his big brown eyes, and the twinkle that appeared in them whenever he looked at her. She could look at his muscular arms that practically made his shirt burst at the seams, all day. But most of all, she loved the way his eyes sparkled when he smiled at her, as if he were flirting with her, without crossing the line of propriety.

“Do you want me to transfer your saddle to Lucky, or do you want to lead him home with a rope?” he asked.

“I’ve never owned a horse before. I was hoping you could show me how to care for him—if you have time, that is.”

“I have time. I’d love to show you. Come with me.”

He led her and Lucky to an area at the end of the stable, about the size of two stalls, with a wooden wall around it and a gate. He opened the gate and led Lucky inside. Ivy held back.

“Come in,” he said. “This is where we groom the horses.”

Ivy stepped inside and stood close to Jonas in the confined area.

Hanging on the wall were brushes of all shapes and sizes. On the floor was a bucket and sponge. Hanging on a hook on the other wall was a watering can. Tools of every shape and size hung on the far wall.

“The first thing I do is to secure the horse. No matter how well trained, a loud noise or sudden movement could cause a horse to bolt.”

She watched him tie the horse by his lead to a hook on the wall. “Watch the knot I use to tie him,” he said. “It’s called a quick-release knot. That’s so if he does get scared and tries to bolt, he won’t break his neck, kick you, or pull the whole wall down.”

He must have seen the frightened look on her face, for he said, “Don’t worry, it seldom happens. It’s a safety precaution, more than anything else.”

He showed her how to clean the horse’s hooves with a hook. “You do this after every ride in case a stone or something gets caught under his hoof.” Then he took a round brush, told her it was a currycomb, showed her how to comb him, and how to care for his mane and tail.

“That’s all there is to it,” he said. “Unless you run him hard, and then you need to cool him off by sponging him.” He pointed to the bucket and sponge. “Use cool, not cold water, and walk him around a bit.”

“How often do I brush him?” she asked.

“Daily.”

“Oh my!” she exclaimed. “You groom all these horses every day?”

He laughed again, and she loved the sound of it. She reminded herself to say something humorous often, so she could hear it.

“No. I have a large staff working for me. Most of them are on lunch now, and some are training in the larger corral on the other side of the stables.”

Ivy tried to think of a way to further extend her visit. She’d worn her riding skirt, since she'd ridden the family horse there. “Do you suppose I could ride Lucky before I leave? To be sure we’re compatible?”

“That’s a good idea!” he said. He led her back to the stable where he removed a saddle from a rack on the wall. “This is a woman’s saddle, and I don’t have much use for it.”

Jonas led the horse out of the stable, and Ivy followed. He wished Ivy had never come to him for a horse. The way he felt about her was unhealthy, given his situation. The more he saw of her, the more he wanted to court her, but that was forbidden for him because it wouldn’t be fair to her. He had to steel himself against her obvious charms and keep his head and heart in line.

When she looked up at him with those huge blue eyes, it left him helpless as a turtle on its back.

He proceeded to saddle Lucky. The name fit the horse perfectly, because he was indeed a lucky horse.

After the horse was saddled he steadied him so Ivy could mount. Ivy was petite, and he had to adjust the stirrups for her. She thanked him in her whisper-like voice. He’d never met a woman with such a soft, sweet voice.

After the stirrups were lowered, Ivy eased Lucky into a trot around the yard in front of the stable.

After she circled the area several times she turned to him with an excited look. “Do you suppose we could both ride out in the fields so I could try him at a gallop?”

Jonas hesitated too long.

“Oh, I’m sorry. You’re probably busy. I can—”

She looked crestfallen but she seemed to accept that he couldn’t. Of course, he could—he shouldn’t, but he would.

“I’m sorry. Of course I will. I only hesitated because we aren’t properly chaperoned, and if someone should see us…”

“You said you had staff here. I’m sure it'll be fine. It'll only be a quick gallop, and then I’ll leave you to your work. I promise.”

He couldn’t refuse those blue eyes anything.

“All right,” he agreed.

He followed her out to the fields behind his house, on his stallion, Brutus.

After stopping and staring at his home, Ivy said, “Is that your house?”

He nodded.

“It’s beautiful!”

He smiled at her remark. Naturally he was proud of his house—a modest, two-story, brick home, with a wrap around porch. He'd painted the trim white with black shutters.

She gazed around the fields and pointed to a tree about a quarter of a mile away. “How about we race to that tree?”

“Perfect, but promise me you'll be careful. You're new to Lucky. He should be fine, but take it easy, please,” he warned. “I don’t want to have to carry you home.” He winked at her.

She gazed at him with a teasing smile. “Ready?”

He nodded.

She took off like a bullet. He galloped just behind her, watching for any sign of trouble. He didn’t expect any, for he knew Lucky well, but he didn’t know Ivy, or how well she rode.

Jonas, again, remarked to himself about her poise on the horse. She even looked good at a gallop, with her blonde hair fanned out around her. She didn’t flop with the gallop like some people do. She squeezed the horse with her knees, and kept her body fairly steady. She looked so beautiful on the horse, she took his breath away.

She reached the tree with him just behind her, and turned Lucky around to face him. Her face was flushed with excitement. “I love him!” she squealed softly.

He felt his heart being squeezed. “I’m glad,” was all he could manage to say.

“Thank you for allowing me this delightful romp with Lucky. I had to be sure we were compatible,” she said, still slightly out of breath.

“I think you’ve bonded with him already,” he said.

She grinned. “I’ve kept you from your work long enough. Thank you again.”

“Nonsense. I have a staff that does most of the work. I usually just train, groom, or do paperwork.”

He just had to ask. As much as he dreaded the answer or what she’d think of his question, he
had
to find out. “So, is Boyd courting you?”

“No!” she said without hesitation. They walked the horses back to the stable. “Well, not exactly. You see, I couldn’t think up an excuse fast enough when he asked me to the barn dance on Friday, so I’m afraid I’m stuck.”

“Stuck? You don’t care for him, then?” he asked, keeping his voice brotherly.

“He’s all right, he's just not my type.” She gave him a smile that nearly set him to melting.

Was she encouraging him? He was wrong if he continued the conversation, and wrong if he didn’t. “What
is
your type?”

She shrugged. “I’ve never been courted, so I’m not sure what my type is, but I do know what isn’t, and it's Boyd. There’s something about him. Oh, he’s nice enough, but I don’t feel as comfortable with him as I do with…” She looked up at him and bit her lower lip.