Pricing The Heart

Chapter 18

Eloise was truly taken aback to know the child had no concept of the simplest of compassionate behavior. Had he truly been thus confined and denied?

"To be kind is to be considerate. With every action is a reaction, Adam. When you speak cruel words, or yell at people, you must consider what the reactions of your words are. Think about the time you spoke cruelly to your father. You must know your words had to have hurt him."

"Why should I care how he feels? He doesn't care about me," he said, so brokenly, Eloise was persuaded by an invisible force to shift closer to him and touch his face. She thought she understood him, his need to fight off the world, his need to defend himself. And how could she ask him to be compassionate when he hadn't received compassion—when he knew not what it meant?

In that second, Eloise decided to teach him with every act what it meant to be kind, patient and open-hearted.

"I shall show you, Adam, and you shall learn," she promised.

The next morning, Eloise placed Adam on the horse, pleased to see he showed not the slightest fear as she settled behind him. She let him hold the reins, but kept a firm grip on it as well as they began their first lesson.

Adam was delighted; she heard it in his joyous laughter and loud squeals when their lesson ended and Eloise decided to take the horse on a run around the manor. Keeping one arm around Adam and the other on the reins, she rode at a safe speed. By the time their ride was over, Adam was flushed and sweaty, with a huge smile on his face. Following closely behind, Eloise let him lead the horse back to its stable.

"Mrs Taylor?" Benjamin, the groom, shifted his gaze from Adam to Eloise as they entered the stable.

"Good morning, Ben." Eloise smiled. "I don't suppose you've met Adam, Lord David's son."

He shook his head. "I don't suppose I 'ave."

"Adam, this is Ben. He's in charge of the horses." She motioned to Ben, and Adam nodded. "You should say hello," she encouraged, causing him to turn to her, a frown creasing his face.

"Isn't he the help?" he said, and the young man's face caught fire.

"Indeed. But it will be polite and kind of you to greet people, irrespective of their stations."

Adam turned from her and to Ben, his gaze shifting from his worn brown boots to his faded gray shirt. "Hello, Ben."

"Master Adam." Ben bowed his head slightly. "I will take the horse now." He held out his calloused hand, and Adam placed the reins in it.

"Thank you for letting us use him, Ben." Eloise smiled.

"It is no bovver, you make me job easier."

"Does he have a name?" Adam asked, surprising Eloise.

Ben raised a brow. "Who, him? Why, I never thought of namin' them."

"Would you like to name this one?" She motioned to the white stallion they had used that morning.

"Hm." Adam tapped his forefinger on his jaw for several seconds. "Winter." He grinned. "He's as white as snow."

Eloise returned his smile. "And his companion here—" she motioned to her favorite horse—"is as dark as the night, so we shall call him Midnight."

"Yes!" Adam nodded enthusiastically.

Once Winter and Midnight—the only two horses left in the stable after David's journey—were duly named, the two bade Ben goodbye and returned to the house.

Within two weeks, Adam was riding his own horse, Winter, with Eloise by his side on Midnight, ensuring he didn't go too fast. She was proud of him, not only because he proved to be an attentive, quick learner, but especially because he showed significant improvement in his manners. Indeed, Eloise remembered the look on Sullivan's face the first morning Adam greeted him cheerfully. It had taken an entire minute for the butler to tear his wide eyes off of Eloise long enough to respond. The cook was pleased to find Adam's breakfast trays empty, and just two afternoons ago, Adam had helped Eloise and Greta in the garden.