The Race

For both André and Julie, the morning had passed far too quickly. They were discovering that they liked each other, beyond the first flush of physical attraction that had passed between them. The idea that they could be friends as well as physically attracted was a pleasant relief to both of them. Julie found herself anticipating the lively conversations and the fun they could have together. For André, the sudden understanding that they thought in the same manner brought with it that same anticipation. He liked smart, adventuresome woman, and this one was both. She was also unconventional, a thought that appealed to him more then he liked to admit. This woman, he thought to himself, would never bore him. On impulse, he asked Julie if she would like to have lunch together at the Inn.

Julie looked at him for a long time, weighing the decision. She wanted to continue with the pleasant morning, but also was keenly aware that she was not dressed to dine, and that would send tongues wagging in town. She was also aware that those same tongues had most likely been wagging all morning. The dark looks that crossed her face were not lost on André, who mistook them for disinterest in him or worse, distaste because of who he was and what he owned. It was the first of many times he would misunderstand her, but this time she stopped it before he did anything rash. She gazed at him for a moment, seemed to make up her mind, and agreed to lunch at the Inn, provided he allow her to go to her office and change first. This was not an unreasonable request; he was used to women wanting to look their best. Smiling, he agreed to her terms.

As they turned their mounts toward town, André said the worst thing he could possibly say. “Delilah really is the perfect horse for you. A small horse for a small woman.”

To Julie, this innocent statement set off two responses. First, she was angry that everything she had told him about her youth had gone in one ear and out the other. Second, it was so similar to the things that all those idiot boys had said to her in her youth, that she could neither curb her irritation nor the need to prove him wrong. Smiling a smile that, had he known her, would have immediately put him on his guard, she walked Delilah around Seizmain and stopped briefly at his rump ... and gave it a sharp smack with the back of her hand, along with a loud “HA!” Seizmain, startled by the slap, took off running, catching his rider completely off guard. André’s back throbbed, as he was jerked backwards. His feet, loose in the stirrups, flew out to the side as his long limbs flailed uncontrollably. He struggled for control as he watched Julie and Delilah cross the flatland at full gallop. He was also positive he heard a loud laugh as they drew up the dust on the valley floor.

Finally gaining control of Seizemain, André lay forward against the neck of the stallion and took off after Julie. The sound of their hoof beats thundered across the valley floor. Dust flew in large clouds behind each horse as they raced full gallop toward town. André found he was enjoying himself more then he had in months as he closed in on the Julie and Delilah. He smiled broadly, as he realized that he now had his chance to regain some of his lost honor from his earlier fall and her getting the better of him before she took off riding. He was closing easily on her; sure he would win the race. He would need to make her pay for her blatant cheating when she lost. He was thinking on a number of lessons he could teach her as he drew closer.

Julie turned her head to the side as he closed in next to her. She could tell from the look on his face, that he thought that Del was going as fast as she could. Feigning a surprised look, she looked forward again as if she was riding at top speed and was a bit worried. André took that look at face value, smiling broadly as he passed her. She watched the magnificent animal pass her, drawing up billowing clouds of dust, and leaned closer into Delilah’s neck. As she matched André again, she flashed him a brilliant smile as the mare burst into her true speed. This time, it was she who heard a laugh. He was appreciative of a good race, and she could almost feel him urging Seizemain to really give all he had. The stallion did not disappoint.

The race went on this way for several more miles. Julie knew she could beat him, even though they were evenly matched, if she could only find a way to gain the upper hand. Looking around for something, anything that might give her an advantage, she spied a small stone fence that stood on the outskirts of town, about four streets away from its center. She pulled Del off to the left, making a straight gallop toward the fence. André ignored the movement, not seeing it for what it was, and continued toward the path into town. He watched, stunned, as Julie galloped Delilah straight for the fence. He was aware of his mistake too late. He watched horse and rider soar over the fence and disappear into town. Not giving up, he galloped harder toward the street that was now visible from the meadow.

Knowing she had won, Julie slowed as she got closer to the center of town. By the time she reached the street behind the church she was walking along, pleasantly thinking about the various ways she could collect her “winnings.” She was smiling at these thoughts as she came up on the parsonage. She looked into the yard and saw Clyde busy with a hoe, and Reverend Stanton sitting pleasantly in the shade with a glass of lemonade. Clyde looked up from his work, smiled and waved. Not really wanting to be pulled out of her revelry, but not wanting to be rude, she walked Delilah to the fence to say good morning.

Clyde was excited to finally have a garden. Having lived in the city most of his adult life, gardens had been almost impossible to grow. When he accepted the post of reverend of Mountain Junction, one of the first thoughts had been the pleasing idea of having his own vegetable garden. He had grown up in the farm country of the Midwest and the memory of his mother’s vegetable garden filled his thoughts when he had received his confirmation letter. The garden was something he wanted to start on right away. He knew that the day after his welcoming social would be a slow one, so he had attacked the small area of earth directly after breakfast. Stanton had come out to join him eventually, although the only thing he had offered was advice on where to plant certain vegetables.

Clyde had been surprised to see Julie. He had thought she would already be in the kitchen of her restaurant and seeing to setting the Inn back in order. He was even more surprised to see her riding astride her horse, dressed in buckskins. Thinking back on the two times he had seen and talked to her, the woman in front of him seemed to be a stranger, one that he was not sure he liked. Memories of the motherly woman who had placed a blanket on Money and the vision in the ball gown did not seem to fit with the red faced, manly dressed women on the small silver mare. When she smiled and spoke, however, she was the same woman he had met and laughed with, and he relaxed. They stood at the fence, talking about his garden and his excitement over it for a few minutes.

“I planned on this garden from the moment I got this assignment,” Clyde said. “I used to help my mother with her garden at home. I love to work with the soil, and I did not get the chance to do that in the city.”

“No, I suppose not,” Julie said distractedly, looking over her shoulder.

“I was thinking of planting vegetables. Any ideas on what would grow best?” He could not help but notice that she kept looking toward the end of the street. He wondered why she kept looking off, but said nothing.

“What were you thinking of planting?” Julie asked as she turned back to him.

“Vegetables,” they both said at once, and laughed.

“Oh I am sorry, Reverend,” Julie quickly said. “Vegetables are a marvelous idea! The ones that come in on the train — Yuck! I don’t know how many heads of lettuce, and broccoli I have thrown away at the restaurant. There are times when half the crate is useless.”

“Please call me Clyde, and yes I know from the city that broccoli from the train is as limp as a willow bough most of the time.”

Julie had to laugh at the description; she had thought the same thing many times. “You know, Clyde,” she said, “If you grow enough of both, I would be willing to buy them from you for the restaurant and the store, as would others I am sure.”

“What about horseradish?”

“Horseradish? Oh my, I have not had that in so long, and I could use that at the restaurant too!” Julie said excitedly. “It’s nice to finally meet someone who actually likes to use it. So many think it sounds so bad that they wont try it. But,” she added with a mischievous glint, “I don’t have to tell them until after they taste it, now do I?”

Clyde laughed, thinking to himself how much like his mother she was. His mother never told anyone she used horseradish until after the guest had eaten two or three helpings. By that time, they were hooked. “You are welcome to lemonade, if you like,” he said, “You look a bit ... done in.”

Julie couldn’t help but laugh at that remark. If he only knew, she thought to herself. “Oh no Clyde,” she said instead. “I am on my way to the Inn. It can wait until I get there.”

Clyde was disappointed that she did not seem to want to join him, but hid it behind a smile. Not wanting to let her leave, his mind raced in an attempt to find something that she might like to talk about. Finally, inspiration came to him as Delilah shook her head and moved a bit restlessly. “Your Arabian, is she Ayer stock?” He asked.

Julie looked at him in surprise. “Why yes, she is. How on earth did you know that?”

“Oh, My Father was friends with Old Mister Ayers, the owner of the farm for many years. I used to travel with him every summer to look at the new foals. I recognize the lines.”

Julie looked at Clyde with new interest. This man was an intriguing one. He knew horseflesh, was an accomplished dancer, quick witted, and polished. Yet there was a quiet serenity and hominess about him that she could not help but find appealing. He reminded her of Michael. Michael had also liked to work the soil; he had always said that he liked to feel as if he was part of the earth. Somehow, she knew that Clyde felt the same way. She could not help but try and envision André with a hoe, or pulling up weeds. The image just would not come. He would never get on his hands and knees to pull a weed, or a carrot from the earth. Julie looked at Clyde with curiosity wondering how else he would surprise her.

Clyde said with a grin, “I love Arabians. They are beautiful, fast and can keep going when many other horses would drop. And,” he added slyly, “most don’t realize that, until it is too late.”

For Julie, that last remark was the best revelation of all. Remembering the expression on André’s face as she passed him on the meadow made her laugh out loud. “To true. What do you ride?”

“At the moment, nothing.” Clyde sighed. “I sold my horse when I got this assignment, it was cheaper then bringing him with me. I am looking for a good mount, though.” He moved closer to Delilah at the fence and was surprised when she backed up slightly. “Bit skittish. What’s her name?”

Julie stiffened at the remark. “Delilah has never been fond of new people.” Or any others, she thought to herself. “She is a bit standoffish, but she is perfect for me,” she added pointedly.

Clyde chose to ignore the last remark, instead focusing on the mare’s name. “Delilah, eh? Brings down all the stallions does she?”

The bells in the church steeple suddenly began to loudly toll the noon hour. They drowned out the loud laughter that came from Julie and Clyde over the joke that had hit so close to home. They also kept them from hearing the approaching hoof beats of Seizemain. When André suddenly appeared at the fence, both were surprised to see him.

Julie looked at him with laughing eyes. “Took the long way, did you?” She asked with a grin.

“You madam, are a cheat and shall pay for that,” André quipped, feigning irritation.

Clyde watched this exchange with a smile that hid an irritation he had not felt in a long time. He knew he was somehow out of the conversation, and was not pleased at the apparent ease the two had with each other. It was different than what he had seen the night before. It was too friendly, too comfortable. He suddenly realized why she had been so distracted when she first spoke to him. His chin went up a bit as he looked at André, who had moved Seizemain closer to Delilah. “Nice horse,” he said simply.

André looked at Clyde for a moment, attempting to read his blank expression. Finally deciding to take the compliment at face value, he answered in his usual way. “Seizemain is the finest, fastest mount in the valley, Sir.”

A small cough came from his left. “Not anymore.”

Clyde could not stop the laugh that burst from his lips. Suddenly the entire situation became clear to him and he understood the laugh his earlier comment about underestimating Arabians had elicited. He was secretly admiring the quiet way that Julie had put André in his place as well. This woman, he thought to himself, is not one to be trifled with.

André, too, smiled at the joke. He leaned toward Julie as if he was going to say something quietly only she would hear. She instinctively moved closer to him, eager to hear his remark.

“You were eating dust for so long. You have a smudge,” he said as he moved in closer to her.

The thought of touching her cheek brought a pleasant rush to his fingertips. For Julie, the thought of his touching her cheek put pink across her cheeks. For Clyde, the thought of that touch brought stiffness to his lips that he was glad his beard hid.

Suddenly she felt the brown floppy hat being pushed back from her head and fall to the road below. Her long unruly black curls came down and spilled across her shoulders and down her back, and her large green eyes seemed even bigger from the surprise. The effect was very captivating, and the look of desire that momentarily crossed Clyde’s face was not lost on André, or Julie. Looking quickly away in embarrassment at her reaction to Clyde, Julie turned her eyes on André. He was sitting on his horse, looking quite pleased with himself at showing his playful side. So pleased, in fact, that Julie could not help but roll her eyes in mock exasperation. She was about to say something to him, when Clyde moved around the fence and handed her hat back up to her with a smile. A renewed pink crossed her cheeks as her fingers grazed Clyde's when she took back her hat and placed it back on her head without bothering to put her hair back up. From the corner of his eye, Clyde watched amused as André’s eyes narrowed slightly.

André was disappointed. He had expected at the very least a gruff huff from Julie as her hat hit the ground at Delilah’s feet. Instead, he had seen a spark between her and the new preacher. Never quite comfortable with playful banter, he knew that somehow the joke had taken a wrong turn, and he did not like it. He was still expecting her to make a clever retort, but was only rewarded with “I believe you owe me lunch Sir.” He hid his disappointment well, but secretly he could have throttled the preacher who had distracted her from the joke. It never occurred to him that the joke would have not pleased her had they been alone.

“You Madam owe me, and I never forget a debt.” André replied. He trotted Seizemain next to her. “Unfortunately I have an appointment that can not wait. I was ... longer away this morning then I planned to be.”

“Good day, Reverend Clyde, Stanton.” She said simply, as she turned Delilah toward the center of town.

The two walked along in silence toward their respective business in the center of town. They were thinking about the events of the morning, glad that they had felt the urge to ride to the mountain they both loved. They were deep in thought as they walked down through the center of town together, and never noticed the looks from the faces of the people in the streets or looking out of the windows of the shops. They reached Andre’s office first. Julie stopped as he dismounted and tied Seizemain to the front post. He walked to Delilah, and held her by the reins as he looked in Julie’s eyes. Delilah stood placidly next to him, and nickered. “I hope to see you again soon. Madame.”

Julie looked into his starburst eyes, seeing the hardness in them but also warmth that was barely visible. “You may call me Julie, if you like, Sir. And I look forward to our meeting again.”

André released Delilah and turned toward the sidewalk. He never looked back, but entered his office building. Julie rode to the Inn, handed Delilah to an employee and walked in to start her day. Neither of them saw the broad smiles of the other.

But others did.

Chapter 1 ... André
Chapter 2 ... Julie
Chapter 3 ... Clyde
Chapter 4 ... The Welcoming Party
Chapter 5 ... Sunrise
Chapter 6 ... Tabletop
*Chapter 7 ... The Race
Chapter 8 ... Missed Lunch
Chapter 9 ... Something To Chew On
Chapter 10 .. Back to Business
Chapter 11 .. House Work
Chapter 12 .. Idyllicus Interruptus
Chapter 13 .. House Repair
Chapter 14 .. Day’s End
Chapter 15 .. TBA
Chapter 16 .. TBA
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