Thankfully, when Libby made it back to the small house, no one but Nathan paid her any attention. At first she was nervous. After all, she’d been gone in the future for several weeks, but it was obvious no more than an hour had passed here.
Nathan ran up to her and grabbed her hand. “Libby, I’ve finished my chores. Do you want to play checkers before bed?”
Smiling at his eagerness, Libby let him lead her to the table. “I guess I could play one game.”
“Great. What color do you want to be?”
“Hmmm.” She stroked her chin, appearing deep in thought. “Black. I need to warn you, I’m pretty good at this.”
Nathan giggled. “So am I.”
Once Libby sat, he went over to a cabinet and retrieved a checkerboard and a cup that held carved round wood pieces painted either red or black. As Nathan laid the board on the table and proceeded to place the pieces on the checkerboard in the appropriate spaces, Libby wondered how to go about getting her hands on Colin’s deed. It wasn’t as if she was experienced in this type of thing.
“Since yer my frien’, you can go first,” he said, looking up at her.
His smile was so engaging that Libby was drawn out of her thoughts. Tomorrow was soon enough to figure out how to be a thief. “OK. Prepare to be beaten.” She moved her piece one space and the game began.
“King me,” he said, jumping two of her pieces and landing at the end square.
Libby grunted and did as he asked. The little guy played a lot of checkers. She’d always thought it was a simple game requiring a basic skill, but Nathan seemed to have a strategy. Within the next five minutes, he soundly beat her. She stared at the board in awe, unable to believe a ten-year-old boy had trounced her so quickly.
“Best two out of three,” she said, while setting up the board again for another round. “And this time, I’m putting on my boxing gloves. No more Mr. Nice Guy. You are clearly a worthy opponent.”
Nathan laughed, clearly pleased by her praise of his abilities. The second game took fifteen minutes longer, but the outcome was no different than the first game. Nathan emerged the winner. When that happened, Libby eyed him speculatively. “I think I’ve been hustled.”
Chuckling, Gus came into the room and walked toward the gas wall sconce as Berta followed, only to disappear into the kitchen. “Nathan’s been playing checkers since he was in nappies,” he said, turning out the flame. “He loves the game and he hates to lose.” He moved to the other one across the room. “It’s a good thing you lost. Otherwise, he’d never let you walk away from the table until he won. Come on, it’s time for bed. We all have a long day tomorrow. You can try for a win tomorrow night, Libby.”
“I guess I am pretty tired.” She got up from the table. Near Nathan’s chair, she placed her hand on his shoulder and squeezed. “Come on, friend. I’ll have to work on my strategy.”
By the time she and Nathan were nestled in their beds, a little over an hour had passed since Libby was transported back in time. She wasn’t tired at all. Then she remembered it was afternoon when she had left the future. She mused that she was probably suffering from a time zone change of sorts.
Lying there, she could only marvel at how similar this experience was to the last time she was here.
This entire process no longer frightened her. Now it seemed like an adventure or quest she had to conquer before she could go home for good. Until then, she planned to enjoy her visit here in the past. After all, everything about this farm was worth the trip—the people, the horses, and the land. Sighing, Libby brought her arm around and put it under her head. Everything would work out in the end. Somehow she just had to believe that it would.
The next morning’s rituals were no different than those other mornings she’d previously spent in 1874. Berta was in the kitchen when Libby returned from the privy. The toothbrush, bowl, cloth, and soap were on the counter. She promptly pumped water into the bowl, added a bit of hot water, and washed. After brushing her teeth with the weird-tasting powder and emptying the basin and rinsing it out, she turned to go to the table.
Breakfast was also much the same affair as always, but this time Libby had come to accept the camaraderie of the family and joined in. When she’d lived with her father before she went to college, nothing had ever been this easy. Libby couldn’t remember what it had been like when her mom was alive, having very little memory of everyday happenings. Mostly the big events were what stayed in her mind. She wasn’t sure if her mother’s death changed things.
Soon Gus pushed away from the table and gave his wife a peck on the cheek. “We have a full day ahead. Come on, Libby,” he said, glancing at her. “We’d best get started.”
After waving at Berta and pretending to hit Nathan’s shoulder, Libby followed.
The June morning was crisp and cool, with very little humidity in the air as she fell into step next to Gus.
“Colin is leaving this morning, so we’ll need to take over his duties,” he said on the way. “That shouldn’t be a problem, since you’re so good with horses. I’m thinking you ride as well as you work with them?”
Libby shrugged, holding in her excitement. “Yeah,” she said as nonchalantly as she could. “I can ride. I was hoping you’d let me.”
Gus only grunted. “I’m working on training two of the mares for racing. You can take over for me. That way I can then work with the stallions. Our track’s out by the north pasture. Early morning is the best time to give them a couple of runs. We usually work two at a time—they run faster when they have a little competition.”
Libby cleared her throat. “I’ve never raced on a track before. I’m used to riding thoroughbreds and giving them a good run,” she said, swallowing her disappointment. “I’m not sure I’m ready to race on a track.”
“Ha!” Gus clapped her on the back. “If you can race through the countryside, you can race on a course. The horse may be a bit faster, but the even ground more than makes up for the extra speed.” He practically cackled in glee. “You’re in for a treat. Nothing compares to running these beauties around the track, encouraging them to reach their peak speeds.”
Open-jawed, Libby could only stare at him. Oh my God. She was going to race a horse. That alone was worth the inconvenience of having to return to 1874. Her grin widened. Every bit of the excitement running through her system came out in her voice as she said, “OK, I’m game.”
They entered the stables amid shouts and activity. Libby had to step back to avoid running into two men leading horses in their direction.
“Come on over here and meet the four we’ll be working with this morning,” Gus said, walking up to the beauty she’d seen him with on her earlier visit. “This is Zeus and here we have Asapurna, Fortuna, and Hercules,” Gus said as he took her to each horse, introducing her one by one.
Libby rubbed Asapurna’s neck and the mare nuzzled her in greeting. Up close she was gorgeous. All of them absolutely stole her breath with their magnificence. The thought of riding any one of them overwhelmed her. It was like she’d gone to sleep and a dream she hadn’t ever known she had was turning into reality.
“Once we exercise them, we’ll set them out to graze,” he said, handing Asapurna’s reins to one of the handlers.
“Do you put them to pasture because it’s summer,” she asked, wanting to know all there was to know about how horses were trained in the past.
“Ja. We also do it in the winter as much as we can. The grasses here in Kentucky are better than any grain we can buy.” He stopped for a minute to grab some tack off the wall. Then he began to help ready the four horses for their workouts. “The only problem is we have to monitor how long they are out eating. Otherwise the horses have a tendency to get fat.”
“So the grasses really make better horses?” Like everyone else in her century, Libby had come to take for granted what was right in her backyard. The grasses became a background, hardly noticeable because they were forever present.
Gus nodded. “Our soil’s rich in nutrients. Some believe the limestone in the natural terrain leaches out into the grass, which in turn, is eaten by the horses and helps build a strong skeleton on the young foals.”
“All that from grass,” she asked distractedly, brushing Asapurna. A native of Kentucky, she never thought about something as simple as grass being so important.
“Ja, bluegrass and bear grass are considered indigenous to this part of the country, but we don’t know if it was always here or if other settlers brought it,” Gus said, warming to his subject. “Many farms harvest the seed to sell in other parts of the US. Doesn’t matter to Colin or me. We only care that these native grasses help make the thoroughbred stronger and better. Before the war, most races were endurance races of at least four miles and for sure the horses were fast. Now races are shorter distances, usually about a mile or so, but the horses run much faster. Of course the horses from our stables do both—run faster and last longer. They have the endurance to last four miles or longer and are some of the fastest horses alive.” Pride rang out loud and clear in Gus’s voice.
“Well, these horses are definitely superior,” Libby said, putting the brush down and following him through the stable.
Until that moment, Libby never understood how important the landscape was to the health and well-being of the horses. The terrain seemed forever green—whether rolling hills or neighborhood yards—always the lushest in the late springtime and early summer after the spring rains. No wonder the best thoroughbreds in the country were raised within a fifty-mile radius of this land.
When everything was ready, they headed in the direction of the course. Along the way, Libby could only stare. The scene could be part of a Monet painting. The various greens of the grass and the lush deciduous trees, with their assorted shades of brown trunks that dotted the landscape, contrasted sharply with a sand-colored stone wall that circled the pasture. The focal point of the entire scene was the reddish-brown sand and clay track, surrounded by a white fence and centered in all of the hues of greens and browns. Libby sighed. This truly was an adventure. There was nowhere else she’d rather be at that moment in time than here, preparing to race thoroughbreds.
“I thought you’d be halfway to Louisville,” Gus said, drawing her attention to a man she hadn’t noticed—Colin Thorpe. He was dressed more formally, wearing a jacket and necktie, than when Libby last saw him.
Pretending her heart wasn’t beating wildly, she followed Gus and Colin over to the head trainer she’d met earlier. Jake took the reins to all four horses they’d been leading.
“I had a little time to kill before my train departs.” Without looking at Libby, Colin nodded in her direction. “What’s the lad doing here?” he said in an accusing voice that made her back straighten with determination to convince him that she belonged here, even if she didn’t.
“He’s proven his mettle,” Gus said, taking the sting away from Colin’s comment. “He says he’s ridden before, so I’m trying him out with the mares.”
“Really?” He then gave her a cursory glance and grunted. “He must’ve impressed you if you’re letting him ride one of the thoroughbreds. You’re usually very protective of them.”
“I still am. Just watch. See if I’m not right,” was all Gus said before nodding to Libby for her to follow him.
“I’ll watch, all right. I’m very interested in what the lad does after last night,” Colin said, then turned and walked toward Jake.
Libby tried not to let the comment bother her, but something about his tone of voice struck a nerve. She risked a glance back at Colin and watched as he and Jake exchanged a few words. Unfortunately, he chose that moment to look up and catch her staring. Averting her gaze, she inhaled deeply, praying her face wasn’t as red as it felt. She did not want to find that blue gaze so compelling, especially when he already seemed suspicious of her. “Remember, Libby, you’re here for a purpose, so don’t get sidetracked,” she said under her breath. She needed to make a good showing during the race to ensure her job here. Going home without a copy of the deed wasn’t an option.
The men scrambled about setting up for the race. Mounting Asapurna, Libby allowed the excitement of the moment to help her shove Colin and his compelling gaze out of her mind. Gus rode Zeus. A handler, keeping a grip on both reins, walked with them to the starting point.
Jake held a stopwatch in one hand and gun in the other. He looked to Gus to give him the signal before firing.
At the sharp report, Asapurna leaped onto the course and took off with surprising speed. Libby quickly caught her balance and leaned forward, moving in sync and watching the scenery whiz by. Spurring the mare on, she’d never felt more liberated or happier. “Come on, girl,” she whispered, laughing at the rush she felt, knowing they were ahead. Riding this mount, with the wind blowing through her hair as the mare’s gait ate up ground, was indescribable.
She saw Gus on Zeus out of her peripheral vision, riding at warp speed, catching up fast. As the other horse and rider slowly took the lead, she leaned in and urged, “Come on, you’re too good to let him win.” Libby whooped and hollered as Asapurna did her damnedest to regain the lead, staying less than a length behind the stallion until the end.
When the race was over, both riders allowed their mounts to slow to a steady walk, then guided them back to where the group had gathered.
Gus dismounted and handed his reins to one of the other handlers. “Cool them off. They both gave a good showing.” Then he looked to Jake. “What’d he do? It has to be good.”
“It was.” Jake grinned. “Knocked two seconds off his best time. The mare set a record too.”
“I thought so.” Laughing, he walked over to Libby, who still sat atop of Asapurna. “I’ve never seen anything like it. Asapurna’s never run that fast. I had to push Zeus to keep his lead.”
Pure delight welled up in Libby. With her gaze on the ground, she dismounted with Gus’s help, just as Colin walked up.
“Where did you learn to ride like that?”
She looked up and noted those startling eyes again, only this time rather than being filled with suspicion, they held approval. As Colin continued holding her focus, her mind went blank. Not the best time to be tongue-tied. Geez, why did this guy affect her like this?
Finally, she was able to clear her throat and managed to croak out, “I don’t know. I’ve always liked horses and they like me. I’ve been told I have a way with them.”
And even more disconcerting? During their brief stare-off, she sensed a connection. He seemed as bothered by it as she was, considering afterward he quickly looked away, appearing embarrassed.
“Whoever told you that spoke the truth,” he said, recovering almost immediately. The warmth in his voice wrapped around her being like a blanket, casting off the rest of his earlier coolness.
“Our job just got easier,” he said, looking at Gus, practically beaming, which added another ten degrees to the heat spreading throughout her system. “Are you going to work the other two now? I can’t wait to see what they can do.”
“Ja,” Gus said. “This should be good.”
Libby kept quiet as they all headed to the starting point where Fortuna and Hercules stood waiting patiently for their turn. Never in her life had she felt such a pull as when Colin held out his joined hands to give her a lift up. The instant attraction filling her senses unsettled her. For God’s sake, even though she and Dave still hadn’t worked things out, she wasn’t free to go daydreaming about horse breeders who lived in the wrong century.
When the gun went off, Libby had no more time to contemplate her love life. She had her hands full with Fortuna. The mare was that much faster than Asapurna and every rider’s dream. Libby was bound and determined to make a good showing.
“Come on, girl, show me what you’ve got,” she said, leaning into the mare, feeling the rush as the wind hit her face and the landscape flew by in a whirl of greens, browns, and grays. Instantly, it was as if she and the horse became one with a common goal. Fortuna, responding to her slightest touch and voice commands, stayed with the other horse, trying with all her might to take the lead. Hercules crossed the finish line first, but if the race had been longer, Fortuna might have won.
Libby eventually slowed to a walk to cool down the mare, honored to be sitting atop this special thoroughbred bearing the heart and the soul of a champion. The experience of riding this horse would stay with her for a lifetime.
Gus, having already dismounted, strode toward her with a big grin on his face. “Fortuna has never run that well against Hercules. What did you do to get her to run like that?” He grabbed the reins to steady the mare. “You, my boy, have a magical touch.”
Libby’s smile matched his. “It’s easy when you have such a good partner.” She then bent from the waist to nuzzle the horse and whispered, “Next time, we’ll beat that ol’ Hercules.” Fortuna bobbed her head several times, pulling out of Gus’s grasp. Her strut became more pronounced and Libby laughed in pure enjoyment.
Colin hurried up to them, his gaze trained on Jake. “Was that a record for Fortuna?”
Jake nodded. “By eight seconds and Hercules cut three seconds off his best time, Mr. Thorpe.”
“You were right, as usual.” Colin clapped Gus on the back, practically gloating. “I’m as impressed as you are.” Then he turned to Libby and said, “Can you ride like that all the time?”
Shrugging, Libby struggled to act nonchalant as warmth spread up her neck. Thankfully, he refocused on Gus, too busy talking to pay her reaction any mind. “This boy certainly has a knack for getting the best out of our mares. I’ve never seen anything like it. Next race, you let him ride Hercules against Zeus and see what happens. Then I want you to let him ride Fortuna against Asapurna. Do the same tomorrow. Mix it up a bit while I’m gone.” His disquieting gaze settled on her once more. “When I get back, I want to work with you. You have the makings of a good jockey.” He shook his head. “By God, I’ve never seen anything like that performance.”
Having never had such praise before, Libby didn’t know how to respond other than, “It’s not hard when you have such a good mount.”
“All the mounts in our stables are good—better than good.” Colin grunted. “No, you can’t dismiss your talent. You, my boy, take your mounts to the next level.” He took his watch out of his pocket and flipped the gold timepiece open. “Damn, it’s almost eight o’clock. I have to leave.” With resignation, he turned to Gus. “I’d love to stay and help, but I have to go or I’ll miss my train.”
“Don’t worry. You’ll be back before you know it. The boy’ll be here when you do. He and I will start working together, then you can take over.”
Not if I complete my mission first, Libby thought, watching Colin head back the way he’d come. She needed to find the deed, and soon, so she could go home. His trip away gave her the perfect opportunity for snooping. Her time in 1874 was only temporary—the people only a means to an end. Becoming attached wasn’t an option when she had a life to return to.
Thoughts of returning home brought on a sudden twinge of sadness. This whole adventure was taking on a new dimension and made her wish for the best of both worlds. Ignoring the thrill of excitement humming through her body, she decided to stick to the basics. Work on getting the deed, then making it back to her own time without getting any more involved here in 1874 than she already was.
Without the distraction of one sexy stud farmer, Libby was able to focus more on racing.
The sun rose higher, along with the temperature.
Finally, Gus called it a day and said, “We need to check out the pregnant mares. I’m worried about two that are soon to foal.” He continued talking, telling her they were separated from the other horses and stabled when it was close to their due date. The farm had fifteen mares expecting and several were due any day. That by itself was an adventure. Gus showed her how to check out the mare, making sure the placement of the foal in the mare’s belly would present no problems for delivery. Even though she’d done this sort of thing in her own time, Libby was fascinated that other than not having the use of fancy X-ray machines, not much had changed in regard to the birthing of horses in over a hundred years.
“It’s important that the feet and head come out first, otherwise complications set in. It’s usually not a problem. But if it is, we can turn the foal if we catch it in time,” Gus said, walking into one of the pregnant mare’s stalls. Watching the nervous mare calm when Libby started stroking her, he grunted. “I think I’ll have you with me all the time on my daily checks.” Libby’s face lit in pleasure as he added, “We have a couple of foals already out in the pasture. They’re up in a matter of minutes and soon running all over the place.” After they finished with the last pregnant mare, he said, closing the stall door, “Come on, I’ll show you how we work on the young foals until they’re weaned to get them used to being handled.”
Libby followed him outside to one of the pastures.
As they neared the gate, he started speaking again. “When they’re old enough, the training becomes a little more intense. June is a busy time here on the farm. We have foals being born, foals being conceived, and yearlings being sold. The whole process can take two or three years and is ongoing. During it all, we’re always on the lookout for specific traits. Colin usually spots them. He has a good eye and knows what he wants. When we see certain traits in a foal or yearling, we pull ’em and then we work with that horse separately. If a colt or filly shows promise, he or she may join our small stable of thoroughbreds. So far we’ve averaged about one a year.”
Gus spent a couple of hours showing Libby what he did with the foals. He told her that when they finished here, they’d be working with the yearlings. Libby followed his actions. It wasn’t long before the foals were nuzzling her and following her around if she didn’t get too far away from their dam. Their playful, curious antics charmed her.
After they left the foals, they went to the house and ate lunch. It was well past one in the afternoon and Libby was starving.
When lunch was over they headed for another pasture. All of the land they’d hit during the course of the workday amazed Libby. Colin’s property went on forever and most of it was being used for one purpose or another.
Gus stopped at the gated fence, circling a vast area where the young horses grazed. “The yearlings stay out here most of the time.” He re-latched the gate once they were inside. “Most of these will be sold soon. As soon as they carry a saddle and can follow a lead, they’re ready to be sold. But rest assured, the minute they are gone, there are new yearlings to take their place.”
It didn’t take Libby long to get the knack of working with these wonderful, quick animals. With every new chore and every new horse, she began to fall a little more in love with the place. She loved all aspects of working on this farm. The work was hard and there was so much to learn, but she’d never had so much fun.
Gus came up to her just after she’d finally gotten a yearling named Jessie to take the bit into her mouth. “Time to quit.”
Surprised it was so late, she glanced up.
“You’ve earned your pay for today. Come on, Berta’ll have dinner ready soon.”
Libby stretched. Her muscles told her she’d put in a good day. Smiling, she asked, “What time is it?”
Gus chuckled. “A little past six. We’ve been at it almost twelve hours. A normal day for me. The other hands don’t work as long. Things will slow down eventually. Then I won’t be too busy to take Nathan fishing.”
Thinking of the boy, Libby remembered her promise. “You know, Gus, Nathan asked me if he could help with the horses. Have you ever thought of training him?”
“Ja. He would love it and probably be good at it. But he’s still too young. I don’t have the time to deal with his childishness.”
“What if I work with him a couple of hours every day? I’ll start with something simple—like working with the foals or yearlings. Surely he can do that?” Frisky for sure, but much easier than dealing with high-strung adult horses.
Gus thought about her offer for a long moment before nodding. “Ja, Nathan is eager to learn. Maybe it would work. But I have to warn you, he can be a handful.”
What an understatement, Libby thought, laughing inwardly. “He can teach me to play checkers and I’ll teach him to work with yearlings.”
Grinning, Gus grunted. “It seems you know him well. He’s a natural with horses. I just haven’t found the time to spend with him.” He remained quiet for several more minutes. “You’re a godsend. You’ve been here for less than a week and already you’re making an impact.”
Libby thought about his comment, wondering if she could actually make a difference while on her quest. The idea provided a heady feeling for someone whose father and fiancé considered her an immature screw-up unable to hold a job. Since she had a few days before Colin would return, there was no reason not to spend some of that time with Nathan, passing on her skills.
As the two walked back to the caretaker’s house nestled behind the big house, she decided on a bigger issue that weighed heavily on her mind. Tonight would be a perfect time to snoop for Colin’s deed.