Miss Montgomery nodded, and Sherborne felt the weight of his financial burdens lift a little more.
"It's true! Fortune is going to have her foal tonight?" Emily peeked into the stall, her gloved hands wrapped around the upper bars.
"Let's hope it is tonight." Eli's gaze slid from the mare to Miss Montgomery before he turned away quickly, berating himself for looking at all. One glance had been enough to note her flushed cheeks, upturned lips, and the sparkle in her eyes. Lord, those eyes. They were going to haunt him the rest of his life.
"How perfectly vexing." She sighed dramatically.
"More vexing for Fortune than for you, I should think," Eli said.
Miss Montgomery's laugh echoed through the stable. "Oh, Mr. Linfield. You are so amusing. I am going to miss you."
And I you. With a pang of regret Eli realized this might very well be the last time he saw her. He had promised to stay until Miss Montgomery's horse was safely delivered of her foal, but no longer, preferring not to witness Emily's developing affection for Sherborne.
Eli had not shared with the baron or his family the particulars of his new position, only that he must take it to honor a promise made long ago. Sherborne and he were the only two privy to the particulars of their arrangement.
The wedding wager, Eli thought bitterly. What a foolish child he'd been when he'd both boasted of marrying Miss Montgomery and then wagered ten years of his life on it.
Though the prospect of never seeing her again was painful, it was best. It had been difficult enough watching Sherborne court her the past month. Living nearby and seeing them together as a married couple would be far worse.
"I meant no ill wishes toward Fortune and would very much like to be by her side, if I might." Emily cast a glance toward the open double doors. "But the earl is on his way, even now, to take me for a drive."
Now that is vexing. Eli continued scrubbing down the far wall, making every surface Fortune or her foal might come in contact with as sanitary as possible to avoid the possibility of infection. He'd never lost a foal or its mother on his watch, and he intended to keep it that way.
"I'm sure you'll have an enjoyable time," Eli managed to say with a neutral, if not entirely cordial, tone. "I promise to watch out for your horse. She'll manage quite well and be fit for riding again soon enough."
"Thank you, Mr. Linfield. I don't know what we'll do without you. I wish you didn't have to leave."
"That's kind of you." Eli didn't delude himself that she'd meant it in any reference other than his work here. But if she had … It was all too easy to imagine a different scenario. And all the more reason it was time to move on. Even without the wager to fulfill, he would still be leaving. He'd known that for the past five years, when he'd decided to work for the Montgomerys. It had always been a temporary post. Just until Emily married and was settled.
"No need to be late for your drive," Eli said, noting Emily hadn't budged at all during his musings. "Lord Rowley's not a man who likes to be kept waiting-I hear," he amended quickly, lest she wonder how he knew of Sherborne's temperament.
"I suppose not," Emily said quietly. Her hands slid from the bars, but she made no further move to go. "I imagine it comes from the pace of life in London. He quite likes it there and has numerous tales of his adventures."
Instead of sounding impressed or excited, she sounded melancholy.
"This concerns you?" Eli said quietly. He left the wall and walked carefully around Fortune to stand on the opposite side of the stall gate, facing Emily through the bars. A fitting metaphor. Just as in life, he was separated from her, perpetually on the wrong side.
She shrugged. "I am not certain the earl and I suit, but Father wants this match. He feared I'd become an old maid, so now to have Lord Rowley express interest … "
"An old maid?" Eli scoffed. "You are all of-twenty-two." He pretended his uncertainty, though there was none. He was more than aware of her age, having noted her birthday each year for many years now.
"My coming out was five years ago. I am definitely an old maid-and quite content with my lot."
"Content is good." Eli chose his words carefully, wanting very much to lift her spirits. "But what if there is something beyond that waiting for you? What if marriage will bring you a happiness you've not yet known, or even imagined?"
Emily lifted her face so their eyes met. "I do not think that is possible with the earl. I do not doubt he is a good man, but I fear I will not be able to keep pace with him. London society and I did not complement each other, and it seems Lord Rowley is all for returning to London as soon as possible, both to be nearer his mother and because he is most comfortable in the city."
That was all true. Sherborne had found little to satisfy his interest the two summers he'd spent at Collingwood, so after his thirteenth year, he had not been required to return. Instead, his family had moved their primary residence to London. Only the late earl had returned here somewhat frequently, and only Eli knew the reason he had.
"Perhaps London will surprise you the next time," he said, wondering at his encouragement of this match. But Emily loved her parents, particularly her father, and when it came down to the question of whether or not she would marry Sherborne, Eli felt little doubt that she would agree, for the sake of pleasing them. "The theater is splendid-I've heard. And Hyde Park is a pleasant place to ride. I am certain the earl would not object to Fortune accompanying you to London." No doubt Sherborne would be grateful to add Fortune and her foal to his possessions, his own stock having been depleted rather severely over the past few years.
"Thank you, Mr. Linfield. I appreciate your kindness. Thank you for taking the time to listen to the concerns of a silly girl."
"You are not a silly girl." He started to raise his hand, as if to reach through the bars and touch her, but remembered himself in time.
Emily appeared not to have noticed as she stepped back, her gaze on the stable entrance once more. "I believe I just saw the earl's carriage pass. I had best go."
Don't. Don't marry him. There is another option. Eli nodded, his throat thick with the words he could never say.
She turned from him and began walking toward the doors, a ray of afternoon sun guiding her way and shining upon her as if she was an angel descended from Heaven itself.
Eli pressed a hand to his heart, as if doing so might somehow keep it from breaking. All these years it had belonged to Emily, and she would never know.
She stopped suddenly, turning within that shaft of light to face him once more.
"Truly you shall be missed, Mr. Linfield. More than you may know. Father says you're the best worker he's ever had."
Eli forced a smile and gave a curt nod as she once more turned away and retreated down the wide walkway between the stalls.
The best worker, but not nearly good enough for his daughter.
Fortune's bandaged tail switched with agitation as the mare struggled to her feet once more.
"Easy, girl," Eli said in hushed tones. In the low lantern light, he watched Fortune carefully for signs of stress as she labored. "It shouldn't be long now." It had better not be. He was prepared-arm scrubbed, sleeve rolled up to nearly his shoulder-to help her if need be, but pulling a foal from within a mare was not his preference. It was always better when nature worked as it should and the mother took care of things herself.
A door creaked behind him, startling both Eli and the mare, who tossed her head and whinnied pitifully. Eli glanced over his shoulder, then gave a start himself at the white figure moving toward them.
"Is she delivered yet?" Miss Montgomery held a lantern in her hand, its light reflecting against her long, white dressing gown, making her appear even more angelic than she had earlier.
Eli shook his head and brought a finger to his lips. "Put out your lantern," he whispered.
She obeyed and slowed her steps toward them.
Another contraction seized Fortune, and Eli's attention was all for the mare, particularly her straining hind quarters. She was tiring quickly. It had been almost thirty minutes of hard labor. She needed to birth the foal soon, else they both would be in danger.
"Is she all right?" Miss Montgomery stood at the gate again, much as she had earlier. "I couldn't sleep, for thinking of Fortune and her baby. Shouldn't he be here by now?"
"Soon," Eli whispered. "We must be very careful not to spook her. She'd prefer to be alone, though I've need to watch her in case."
"In case?" Miss Montgomery worried her lip, momentarily distracting Eli.
"Sometimes a foal is not in the correct position and needs help to be born." He waited, then watched as another pain gripped Fortune. Something's not right. She was pushing, but no forelegs had appeared.