White Horses

Inside, the Lipizzaners, the Arabians, Coco and four of Gabrielle’s carriage horses were eating quietly from their separate piles of hay.

It was a mild, pleasant evening. Leo found himself very curious about Gabrielle’s work. “What do you do when it’s raining?” he asked. “Do they stay out in the rain?”

“I put them in the stable tent when the weather is inclement.”

“And do you make a profit with this circus?”

“Papa did. I hope I can do the same.”

“Is this your first season running the show?”

“I finished up the last weeks last year. This will be my first whole season.” Leo thought she sounded a bit less assured than usual.

As they were speaking, one of the horses left his pile of hay, went over to another of the horses, nudged him out of the way and began to eat his hay.

“Jacques, don’t be a bully,” Gabrielle called.

The other horse stood looking sadly at his hay being devoured by Jacques. Gabrielle ducked through the ropes and went up to him. “Come along, Tonton,” she said, and led him over to the pile of hay that Jacques had deserted. The horse lowered his head and promptly started to eat. Gabrielle came back to stand beside Leo.

“Poor Tonton,” she said. “He is low man in the pecking order and I worry about him getting enough to eat.”

“He looks fat enough,” Leo said.

“That’s because he was fed in his stall all winter.”

As they watched, Jacques deserted Tonton’s pile of hay and went over to reclaim his own. Once again Tonton was without food.

“Mon Dieu,” Gabrielle said. “My poor Tonton.” She went back to the wagon, and when she returned she was carrying a lead rope. “The corral opens over here,” she said to Leo, pointing. “Hold it for me, and I’ll bring Tonton out. He can eat out here with us.”

She took down the rope and went in after the large bay horse. Leo watched, amused, as she led him out, handed him to Leo to hold and went back for Jacques’s pile of hay. She brought the hay outside of the corral, dumped it on the ground and went to take Tonton’s lead. She held the lead and Tonton lowered his head and began to eat.

“I’ll have to tell Jean and Cesar to leave Tonton in the stall tent where the horses are tied. We did it last year—they must have forgot.”

“You take good care of your horses,” Leo said approvingly.

“They deserve good care,” she returned. “They are the heart and soul of our show.”

They stood quietly, side by side in the darkening light, as Tonton munched away on his hay. Leo suddenly found himself acutely aware of her presence. All of his nerve endings seemed to be attuned to her, and he scowled, not liking the feeling at all.

Gabrielle broke the silence and called to the grooms. “I am going to tie Tonton to the corral. Make sure you put him back inside when he has finished his hay.”

Cesar came over to them. “I forgot about Tonton. Is Jacques still stealing his food?”

“Yes.” Gabrielle was busy tying a knot in Tonton’s lead rope.

Then she turned to Leo. “Let’s get back to the hotel.”

They walked back to their wagon, and as Gabrielle put her foot on the step to climb up, Leo put his hands around her slim waist and lifted her. She was light and buoyant as he swung her up to the seat.

“You don’t have to do that,” she said from her place above him. Her voice sounded a little breathless.

“A husband helps his wife,” he returned as he went around to the other side of the wagon.

“Nevertheless, I can get into the wagon by myself.”

He climbed into the seat beside her. “If we want to present the picture of a happily married couple, you are going to have to be less independent,” he told her sternly. “I’m not the sort of man to stand by and let his wife climb into a wagon by herself.”

With this, he pulled the reins from her hands and started the horses on their trip back to the hotel.

Eight

It was dark by the time Leo and Gabrielle got back to the hotel. Leo parked the wagon in the stable yard next to the other one. No groom appeared to unharness the horses, so he did it himself. Then he and Gabrielle put the horses into their stalls and returned to the stable yard.

Leo looked at the two wagons and said, “I’m wondering if I should plan to sleep on Colette’s sofa. I don’t like leaving the wagons unguarded for the night.”

Gabrielle shook her head decisively. “Your job is to do everything you can to fit into this circus. If you start sleeping in one of the wagons, everyone will wonder what is going on.”

“My job is to protect the gold,” he corrected, “but I suppose you’re right.”

“I know I am, so come along.”

Together they went into the hotel through the back door. They found Emma in the lounge, knitting, the Maroni brothers playing cards, and Mathieu and Albert playing chess.

“Here they are,” Emma said, looking up over her spectacles.

“Everything all right with the horses?” Gianni Maroni asked.

“Everything’s fine,” Gabrielle reported. “Where is everyone else?”

“Gone to the café down the street,” Mathieu reported.

Leo walked over to look at the chessboard. Mathieu was winning.

“Would you care to have a glass of wine before going to bed?” Gabrielle said to Leo. “We could walk down to the café if you like.”

Leo agreed and Gabrielle said, “Let me change into something besides this skirt and boots.” As Gabrielle left the room, he turned his attention to the chess game. “Whose turn is it?” he asked.

“Mine,” Albert said. He picked up a piece and Leo said, “Are you sure you want to move that?”

Albert gave him a surprised look. “Why not?”

“Look at your bishop,” Leo recommended.

Albert looked. “Oh,” he said, and hastily moved his bishop out of danger.

When Gabrielle finally reappeared, Mathieu greeted her return with a disappointed “Oh, are you going to take Leo away? He is helping Albert and giving me a little bit of a challenge for a change.”

“If I’m so terrible, then I won’t play with you at all,” Albert retorted. “It’s no fun for me to get beaten all the time.”