four
After Winchester’s chatty daughter declared Zeus was in danger, Tristan hesitated for a moment before following her out of the study.
From the moment his family had regained their fortune, people often tried to trick him, using the most outlandish claims, from telling him his roof was about to collapse to diagnosing him with an incurable disease, only to steal money from him. Hence his lack of trust towards people. But she sounded genuinely concerned for Zeus.
“Are you sure Zeus is sick?” he asked.
“Very.” She went down the corridor.
The butler handed her a coat. “Will you be gone for long, my lady?”
“It depends on the horse.”
“Will you need the carriage, my lady?”
“No. I’ll be at the stables for a while.” She rushed outside with Tristan following her.
Zeus was pawing the ground, his muscles tense and his eyes wide.
“Mate.” Tristan ran a hand down Zeus’s neck, feeling the tension under the horse’s coat.
“Quickly. He’s starting to feel pain.” She untied the reins and beckoned at him to follow her again. “He’s growing nervous.”
It was true. Tristan had been so enraged when he’d ridden to Archer Hall that he might have overlooked Zeus’s state.
He sped up, caressing the horse’s side. A sickening lump was growing in his throat at the thought of Zeus dying. It would be his fault. In the park, his mind had kept drifting to business matters, and he hadn’t paid attention to what Zeus had been doing.
“I’ll take care of you, mate.”
“I’m Lady Effie, by the way.” She cast him a glance as if expecting him to say something.
But he didn’t understand what—the memory hit him when the sunlight played in her shining hazel eyes.
“Lady Effie. I believe I met you before.” For a handful of moments nearly sixteen years ago. But he never forgot that night when she’d knocked on his door or the gratitude he’d felt. He’d met her father occasionally, but not her.
“We did. Briefly.” She waved a dismissive hand. “Let’s think about Zeus first.”
She led him under a stone arch and into a secluded, cobbled alleyway lined with stables. “This is the second time we see each other, but on both occasions, we weren’t introduced formally. Not that I mind.”
He said nothing. She always caught him off guard, and it wasn’t exactly pleasant. From the little he remembered, she didn’t seem to have changed much. Her spectacular hazel eyes struck him as extraordinary, the same as they had done years ago.
“I’ll be right back.” She disappeared behind a door.
Tristan stroked Zeus’s muzzle again. “I’m sorry,” he whispered to him only. “I’m an ass.”
The horse made a noise between a snort and a squeal.
“Here we are.” Lady Effie returned with a bucket of water. “I dissolved some chloride of lime in the lukewarm water. The stomach isn’t too distended. This trick should work to solve the problem. I also added some apple juice. It does wonders to encourage a horse to drink.”
He was taken aback again. “Chloride of lime corrodes metal.”
“But in very small doses, it helps with intestinal gas. Trust me. It’s a sure remedy and a safe cure. I tried it several times with great success. The dose makes the poison.”
He watched Zeus closely as he drank small sips from the bucket.
Lady Effie leant against the wooden stall. “Please be careful next time. No cold water, especially in the morning. After he finishes that bucket, I’ll give you some asafoetida. It’s perfect for curing stomach problems. Then light food and light exercise until we’re sure he’s safe.”
“How do you know so much about horses?” He caressed Zeus’s neck and abdomen gently; it was bloated, but not too much.
