“Bring them to the rear paddock,” George called over his shoulder.
Those words broke Juliana from her shock, and she blindly raced to the next occupied stall, her aching muscles and throbbing ankle notwithstanding. The horse inside was wild-eyed and frightened by the commotion and the smell of smoke.
“Alert the house,” Leo called to George. “We require as much help as can be offered.”
George bowed quickly, as though he were accustomed to taking orders from Leo, and fled the stables.
Juliana’s racing pulse drummed in her ears, but it couldn’t drown out the whinny of the terrified horses. Her stomach clenched, she sped to the next stall and swung the door wide, then did the same with the next door, and the next. She and Leo worked together until all of the occupied stalls had been emptied.
Shouts came from beyond the stable’s walls as the household staff called out and began what Juliana knew was their plan for such emergencies.
Tears pricked and blurred Juliana’s vision as she spotted a wild-eyed mare at the rear of her opened stall.Mona. The space between them was filled with thickening smoke, and the horse’s fear was palpable.
Juliana slowly approached. “Come here, my sweet. We must get you to safety.” A cough caught her by surprise.
The flames in the far corner of the stables lapped up the walls toward the hayloft. Once the hay caught fire, the interior of the stables would be engulfed.
CHAPTER18
Water sizzled as it reached the fire. Leo turned, handing the empty bucket into awaiting hands before accepting a full one and splashing it upon the flames.Tssss!His back burned with each movement, ached with every breath, and his skin felt scorched by the heat of the fire. But he continued on.
He’d guided the cattle from the stables then united with the servants in putting out the blaze. Only minutes had passed, but they’d felt like hours.
Tsss!Another bucket of water. Men and women surrounded him in organized rows, passing buckets to be filled at the water pump and a nearby pond, and others threw handfuls of snow. With each splash of water, the flames grew less intense. If it had not been for the time of year, the dampness of the wood, and the deep snow that covered the ground and the stables’ roof, Leo was certain that it would have caught aflame entirely.
Despite the focus on his task, Leo kept stealing glances toward the others in search of a familiar swath of pale skin and curling brown hair. He had lost sight of her while they were releasing the horses from their stalls, and worry for her safety began to gnaw at him.
Tssss!
The sizzle of water on flames was swiftly followed by a muffled, terrified whinny.Juliana. His heart squeezed and his throat all but entirely closed around the scorching smoke. With only one thought on his mind, Leo abandoned his post, leaving the footman behind him to toss the next pail of water, and ran toward the stables’ entrance.
He dragged an empty bucket as he ran, scooping up a mound of wet snow. He skidded through the large doors only to jump back as a horse and rider dashed out. A plume of smoke billowed out behind her and dissipated as she brought the beast toward the gathered horses.
Relief hit Leo hard before he recalled himself. Content with knowing that the confounding woman was safe, he returned to the front line of the fire and tossed the snow upon the low flames.
* * *
In the excitementof the predawn hours, Juliana’s aches and pains had fled to the back of her mind, but now that the fire had been put out and the horses had been found warm, temporary homes on neighbouring estates, she felt every ounce of the weariness and pain in her body.
And, with one glance at the banked fury in Leo’s eyes as they were ushered into her familial home, Juliana knew that they had a difficult discussion ahead of them. It had been impossible to withhold her true name, particularly once the fire began, and at that moment, she wasn’t certain how she felt about it.
She was apprehensive, to be sure, but an undercurrent of relief flowed through her. She was finally free of the deception that had held her truth prisoner.
Their steps echoed on the marble foyer, and the servants’ voices rang out as her housekeeper issued demands for hot baths and fresh clothes.
“I do not intend to stay, Mrs. Blyth,” Juliana said, slowing her steps.
The housekeeper frowned, her grey eyebrows puckered with worry and determination. “His Grace has been searching for you, my lady. I would be remiss if I did not keep you safe at home while we await his return.”
“Our home is not safe while I am in it!” Juliana gripped the older woman’s hand in hers and squeezed it. “Do you not see? The fire did not merely start—it wasstarted. I must go to Jasper in London.”
And she would leave directly, whether or not the staff approved. She could not risk their lives. Instead, she would gratefully take her bath, refill her saddlebags, secure provisions, and be on her way.
The skin on the back of her neck prickled, and she slid a glance toward Leo. His blue eyes were stormy and intent, his cheeks smudged with soot, and his long hair rumpled from sleep and activity. The sight made her knees tremble.
“Surely you require a chaperone, my lady.” Mrs. Blyth’s curious gaze followed Juliana’s.
“I cannot risk a chaperone being lost or frozen on my account, Mrs. Blyth. Mr. Notley rescued me after a carriage accident and jeopardized his own wellbeing to aid me on my journey. I owe him the debt of my life, and I trust him to keep me safe.”That is,ifhe joins me on the journey, she reminded herself. She’d intended to continue on her own to London, whether he wished to join her or not. As much as she craved his company, she could not endanger Leo any more than she could her familial staff.
