Shay.

Shay tucked little Andrew into his bed, kissed his forehead and smiled. "I'll see you when you wake up, boy."

"Shay." Martha Hubbard shook her head. "His name is Andrew. Please use it."

"Sorry, Miss Martha." Shay turned up the side of her mouth in a grimace. When she was with the chimney sweep and his wife all the lads were called boy.

"We have to get you out of that habit." Martha smiled and added, "Master Thomas won't like it if he hears you. Promise me, you'll remember to call the boys by their names." Martha was a gentle woman and she was very grateful to have Shay's help. It had made a massive difference in just two weeks. Her job was now a lot easier. Shay had a way of keeping the children busy with games and stories. The boys loved her, Julia and Elizabeth adored her. Hannah treated her like she was their sister.

"Can I go for a walk, Martha? Julia and Hannah are having their lessons and the bo... ah... Thomas, Andrew and Izzy are resting."

Looking down on Shay, Martha said, "And where would you be going on such a cold day?"

Twiddling her fingers, Shay peered up at Martha and twisted up her mouth before saying, "Perhaps to the stables to look at the horses or to find Lily and say hello."

"You be sure to ask one of the stable boys if you can go in first," Martha said with seriousness before rubbing the top of Shay's spikey head. The hair had grown just enough to cover her scalp. Martha thought she could pass for a boy if it wasn't for her eyes. She took Shay's chin in her hand and gave it a little shake. "Some of those horses are worth a lot of money. It wouldn't be wise if you were to frighten them."

"I promise I won't go in if no one is there," Shay pleaded. She liked Martha and never felt her sternness was real because she was always kind.

"Well. Be off with you then. Mind you take your shawl and keep yourself rugged up." Martha's firm words were lit with a smile. "And you be back, before the children wake."

Shay bolted down the stairs, her shawl forgotten, and then wandered around the grounds staying close to the kitchen garden, which was bare of plants, the sty, which now had one less pig, and the hen house. One of the stable boys was raking up hay at the door of the barn. He looked up when he saw her coming. Shay hesitated.

The boy grinned at her and said, "You're the stray. The one master did find naked in the woods?"

Shay furrowed her brow. She didn't like the tone in his voice. It sounded like he was laughing at her and she hated people laughing at her. "I wasn't. Not like you're sayin'. I had a skirt and shawl."

"I didn't mean to make offence. Just Polly from the laundry says you was. Black and blue she says." He shrugged and gave her a sheepish grin. "Me names Jack. What's yours?"

"Shay."

"So, what you doing out in the cold?" Jack shifted the rake from one hand to the other and without waiting for her answer said, "You wanna see the horses?"

"Yes." Shay's face lit up. It had been her plan to look at the horses. Jack was there to show her so she wouldn't get into trouble or scare them and it was cold out. She had forgotten her wrap. To go into the warm barn would be so much nicer.

"If we see Mr. Doyle come in ye'll have ta hide. He don't like anyone who shouldn't be here, ta come in." Shay's face dropped so Jack quickly continued, "It'll be alright. It's his mornin' off. I was just sayin'. You know. In case." He held his hand out to her. "Come on. I'll show you the master's pride and joy."

He led her to a stable where a glossy black stallion was housed. Shay recognised it as being the horse that Master Thomas had brought her to the estate on. She climbed up on the rails and reached out. The horse moved toward her. "What's his name?"

"Dubhan. It means black. Doyle says it's Celtic or somethin' like that."

"He's beautiful ain't he?"

"Yeah, and real friendly, not like a lot of stallions. Some ya can't go anywhere near."

Shay was about to tell him that this was the horse the master had brought her back on, when men's voices carried through the doorway.

"Quick. Hide in here." Jack grabbed her by the arm and added, "Just in case it's Doyle, though it don't sound like him." Pushing her into the tack room, he quickly closed the door.

It was dark. Shay fumbled. Her hand touched something sticky. She sniffed her fingers. It smelt like boot polish. Something pricked her face. Shay gave the spot a scratch, and then rubbed her nose before wiping her hand on her skirt. There was a crack low down in the door. Shay got on her knees and put her eye to it. Jack was raking the loose hay, moving it here and there. The voices got louder. Shay's heart pounded. She heard the master say.

"I have two stallions and three mares. One is in foal."

"Do you plan to extend your stud?" The visitor asked.

Shay put one hand on the straw covered floor for balance and pressed harder on the door, tilting her head a fraction so she could see through the opening better. Her fingers touched something soggy and mushy. She sniffed at it. Maybe horse manure. Scrunching up her face she again wiped her hand on her skirt, and then peered through the hole again. She had never seen the man speaking before. He was a lot younger than the master.

"I would like to but... it's just a hobby at the moment," Thomas said. "Perhaps in a few years I'll have more time."

Shay held her breath as they came closer.

"Ah... Jack. Just the person I need." Shay watched the master smile and heard him say, "Will you bring Dubhan to me?"

"Dubhan is your stallion?" the young man asked.

"Yes. One of them. The other is in the second barn with the cows. I can't keep them together."

The younger man laughed but his face was out of Shay's line of sight. He said, "Of course. My stallion is the same. Not tolerant of others."

Shay shuffled on her knees and pushed her eye closer to the crack at a slightly different angle. The stranger was tall with dark hair and black eyes. He swept his hand over his head to push locks from his face. The light caught his irises and turned them a warm dark brown. When he blinked his thick black lashes kissed his cheeks. His full lips drew back in a cheeky smile showing straight white teeth.

Shay's muscles tightened. She wondered if he was an angel. As she shuffled again to remove a clump of hay and wet mush from under her knees, she put more pressure on the door. It gave and with a loud crack, swung opened. Shay tumbled to the ground and landed at the angel's feet.

"Shay?"

She lifted her head, spat straw from her mouth, and cringed at the sight of the master frowning down at her. Now she was in for a beating for sure. At the sound of laughter Shay looked up at the angel. He crouched down in front of her, a broad smile on his face and held out his hand saying, "So this is Shay."

She swallowed, scrambled to her knees, and then hesitantly put her hand in his. She noticed her fingers were black with polish and horse dung. Before she could pull away, he had taken hold of her and helped her to her feet.

"Yes. This is Shay." Thomas grimaced and looked at his newest addition to the household. "What have you been doing, miss?"

"Just looking, master." Shay yanked her hand out of the angel's hold and clutched it with her other.

"Looking. At. What?" Thomas was trying very hard not to smile. "You have black shoe polish, and heavens knows what else, everywhere, and have just spread it all over the earl's hand."

Shay stared at Master Thomas, and then at the man who had helped her up. He was an earl. She wondered if earls and angels were the same thing. "I'm sorry, Master Thomas. I was hiding." She pointed behind her at the tack room. "In there." Shay held her blackened hand up in front of her, and then looked from it to the young man's. Sucking back a breath of anguish, Shay gushed, "I can clean it. I promise." She lifted the hem of her now grubby skirt and reached out to take hold of the angel's dirty hand.

"Uh, uh. No, you don't." Thomas gave her a stern look and pushed both of her hands down. "Young ladies do not lift their skirts. Nor do they clean with them." He looked over his shoulder saying, "Jack. Can you bring me two pieces of sacking." Thomas shook his head and sighed. "What am I going to do with you? It's everywhere. When Pavey sees this, she is going to explode and I can't imagine what Emerson will say." Jack passed Thomas the cloth. He handed Samuel one piece, and then wiped Shay's hand and face with the other. "Now. Let's begin again."

"Samuel. Please let me introduce you to Shay. Shay this is my guest, The Earl of Irvine, Samuel Denyer."

Shay looked up at him. Yes. He must be an angel because he wasn't angry. Instead, he was smiling down on her. His eyes sparkled with humour. Shay knew this must be one of those moments when she was supposed to curtsey. She had practised a lot since the first time because she wanted to make the master proud. Shay took hold of her skirt, bowed her head and bent her knee. She looked up at the two men, and then focused on Samuel before saying, "Are you an angel, sir?"

"No." Samuel beamed. This young girl was like a doll with no hair. Her large eyes stared out from her too small face. He crouched casually in front of her again. "I am not an angel, though I'm sure you must be."

"Oh no, sir." Shay shook her head. "I'm not an angel. I think I'm called a virgin."

Samuel's mouth dropped open. Thomas groaned and ran his hand down his face.

Shay knew she'd said something wrong. She looked franticly from one to the other, and then added, "I'm a stray too, sir."

Samuel clamped his lips together to stop from smiling. He could see confusion on the girl's face. She had no understanding of what she'd just said and thought she was going to get into trouble. He wanted to save the situation, not knowing if Thomas Lytton would punish her for this indiscretion. He touched her porcelain cheek lightly with his finger. "Well, Shay. I would say you are no longer a stray because you have found a home here with Master Lytton and his wonderful family. The other. Well, it's something young ladies shouldn't talk of. It would please me very much if you never mentioned that to anyone ever again. Will you promise me this?"

Shay nodded. She was always saying the wrong thing and constantly felt confused. Tears welled up in her eyes as she looked at him. "I have a lot to learn, sir. I don't know lots of things and I don't mean to make people angry. I don't want a beating, sir."

Samuel's heart broke. "Now, now. No one is going to beat you." He reached out, patted her hand and added, "Even I have a lot to learn."

"But you're a grown up." Shay lifted her head and frowned at him.

Samuel wondered how old she thought he was. Did he look like an old man at seventeen? He chuckled, "Not quite, Shay. I still have a small way to go."

Oh dear. Shay, Shay, Shay.  What will become of you? ♥

What did you think of our main characters' first meeting?

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