A Chance Meeting in Glasgow

Chapter 8

Of Andrew’s two goals that day, the first – evaluating his horse - was more easily achieved, and he headed up the Clyde watercourse to do just that. Andrew’s original plan was to look for a good breeding draft stud near the end of his trip to Scotland.  He wanted a solid horse to send to his farm in New Zealand to improve the stock there.  He was out looking for a nondescript little saddle horse just for his own transportation his second day in Glasgow when he heard about Duke.

He’d paid a pretty penny for Duke seven days prior, and he found the horse was worth every bit and quite a deal more.  Duke wasn’t just a handsome fellow; he was every inch a champion.  He had a quick, showy walk, an indefatigable trot and a thundering gallop.  He was responsive to both rein and leg control, but calm, tractable and a delight to ride.  He varied speeds easily.  He was supremely strong and willing.  Andrew had never experienced his equal.

Upon evaluating the horse, he realized Duke was of a quality that even a man who pursued fine horses was likely to possess only once or maybe, if he searched long and hard enough, twice in his life.  Andrew bought him on the spot.  That he was trained for saddle was a bonus.

The only question that remained for Andrew was if the young horse would prove to be popular with the mares.

So it was on to the second goal, sorting out the intriguing Miss Cameron, and that proved more elusive.  Considering her characteristic parts was impressive enough, but to Andrew’s arithmetic adding up the sum proved even greater.  She’d gotten under his skin; he was attracted to her in excess of his good judgment.  His actions must be regulated and that good judgment must be ridden as hard as he was ridding Duke.  They turned north.

Andrew took stock:  Mary had gotten him used to the company of a kind, gracious, intelligent and above all clever woman, so of course he would have a natural affinity for Miss Cameron.  Was it really so different with little Rebecca Gordon – well apart from the small fact that Miss Gordon was a child and Miss Cameron was an adult woman close to his age?  Perhaps the attraction was also being driven by his aid to Miss Cameron in a crisis – those events formed a bond between them even before they knew each other.  Yes, just so.

Posting on Duke’s broad back was wearing him out; they turned back to Glasgow.  It occurred to Andrew that while the horse fitted into his future plans hand-in-glove, the woman did not.  The delights of her being a part of his life over the short term were undeniable, but the complications over the long term seemed insurmountable – beginning with the reality that there was no long term for him in Glasgow. 

Of course, many of his peers, wealthy men of position, had no problem maintaining a stable of women, adding and abandoning them at will, and it seemed that society was willing to wink at this behavior if you had enough money.  Hmph.

To be sure, his interaction with Miss Cameron was innocent enough so far: they’d shared a meal and transportation together.  But Andrew’s life was not unencumbered, and he couldn’t – and wouldn’t – draw Miss Cameron into a situation of evaluation compounded by his shortness of stay in Glasgow.  Could he maintain just the polite friendship he offered her in the growler? 

He was honest with himself.  The way she affected him when they were together, it would be a challenge. 

He walked Duke back through the center of Glasgow, cooling the big horse carefully after their ride.  There was just the one thing for it: he should minimize being in the company of Miss Cameron for the remainder of his stay in Scotland.  There was still helping her buy a carriage on Monday to be gotten through, but after that…  He turned Duke into the stable.

The restorative powers of a hot bath assuaged the ill effects of the workout Duke had given Andrew, and he was in good mettle when he met his partner Ian in front of the Wallace.  He let out a low whistle followed by a broad smile.  “Nice horse and gig, Ayson.”