Side Story 2: What Enola Wants
A woman Olivia didn’t recognize was standing outside the restaurant looking at the “Closed” sign with consternation.
Olivia opened the door and asked, “Can I help you?”
The woman, in her forties most likely, looked relieved and said, “I’m sorry to bother you while you’re closed, but you wouldn’t happen to have cherry tea, would you?”
“I would.”
“My name is Mildred. I’m a servant at one of the mansions nearby.”
Olivia saw the woman struggling with what she was going to say next, so she invited her into the restaurant.
“My master would like to speak with you…” she said once inside. “But he can’t leave the house because of an injury he had six months ago.”
“He wants to talk to me?”
“I don’t know what about, specifically. I understand it’s a lot to ask since you have your business to look after, but would you please consider going to see him?”
Mildred’s heart was as apologetic as her words, and also filled with a strong compassion towards her master.
Refusing would make things very difficult for her, thought Olivia. And she doesn’t seem to want to cause me any harm.
Aloud, she said, “All right. I’d be happy to visit as long as I can wait until the day my restaurant is closed. Where do you live?”
Olivia’s acceptance seemed to take a weight off Mildred’s shoulders. She quickly told Olivia the address then left, saying she’d send a carriage for her on the day.
On the day the restaurant closed, a carriage came just as promised at the agreed-upon time. They were going to the next village over. Olivia didn’t remember ever hearing the name of Mildred’s master, Henry Archibald, but one look at the carriage as she got in made her think it had to be a wealthy household.
She was even more taken aback by how luxurious the mansion was when they arrived.
This Henry Archibald must be nobility, she thought.
The front door opened while Olivia was still feeling flustered, and Mildred jogged over. “Ms. Olivia, thank you for coming. My master is eager to meet you. Please come in.”
Olivia entered the mansion as Mildred urged. She then led Olivia to a room where a man in his fifties was waiting in a wheelchair.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you, sir,” said Olivia. “My name is Olivia Eagleton Dariu.”
“And it’s a pleasure to have you. Thank you for coming. Please, take a seat,” he said.
Mildred said she was going to prepare some tea and left the room, then Henry broached the subject. “I once visited your restaurant while on a hunting trip ten years ago. I imagine you wouldn’t remember me.”
“Were you… Yes, you were riding a pure white horse, weren’t you?”
Henry looked surprised, an expression that turned to joy. “You do remember. The horse’s name is Enola. She’s here in the mansion still. The problem is my condition. I’m unable to properly exercise her.”
“Couldn’t you ask someone else to do that?”
Henry shook his head. “Enola won’t let anyone but me ride her, though I think you may have a chance. If she does let you ride her, I’d like you to take her. Would that be too much of an imposition?”
Olivia quickly skimmed Henry’s heart, but she couldn’t pick up anything.
“You said something to Enola that time ten years ago when we visited,” he continued. “I was watching from up in the saddle. You’d only just met her, but she let you touch her. I couldn’t believe my eyes.”
Olivia listened without saying anything. She didn’t want to say anything she shouldn’t.
“It’s incredibly rare for Enola to allow someone she doesn’t know to touch her. Even my attendants were shocked. It turned out there was a small thorn stuck in her leg, wasn’t there?”
“Like I explained at the time, it just seemed from the way she was walking that there was something wrong with her leg.”
“Even so, it made me believe you and Enola could get along very well.”
Mildred came back then with cherry tea, which the two drank together.
“Ah, it’s wonderful,” said Henry. “There are shops that sell cherry tea in the capital as well, but the aroma of this one is far superior.”
“I’m sorry to rush things, but may I see Enola?” asked Olivia.
“Of course. Let’s go right away.” Henry rang a gold bell and Mildred quickly came back into the room. “To the stable,” he said.
“Yes, my lord.”
Mildred pushed Henry’s wheelchair out of the room with Olivia walking behind, her mind racing. I wanted to talk to Enola alone, but I don’t think that’s going to happen. How do I check how Enola is feeling without revealing my ability?
Enola was just as white and beautiful as she was ten years ago. She stared at Olivia and the others as they approached.
“There’s someone I’d like you to meet, Enola,” said Henry, and Enola’s moist black eyes turned to Olivia.
“Hello, Enola,” said Olivia. “We met ten years ago. Do you remember?”
You make thorn pain go away.
Olivia nodded in confirmation without saying anything. “My lord, may I touch her?” she asked.
“Please. Just be careful.”
Olivia reached out and gently stroked Enola’s muzzle.
“I knew it,” said Henry. “You are special. She’d normally back away or shake her head to prevent anyone from touching her.”
“I see.” Olivia now turned to Enola and said, “Enola, I’d like to try riding you and taking you for a run. Would that be all right?”
All right.
The answer was clear to Olivia, though it just sounded like a snicker to everyone else.
“Could I perhaps borrow some riding breeches?” she asked.
They quickly found some riding breeches, and Olivia changed and climbed quickly into the saddle. Henry and Mildred’s eyes went wide.
Olivia and Enola first walked slowly around the large track, gradually picking up speed until they were running at quite the pace. That’s when Olivia started talking to Enola.
“Your master wants to give you up.”
No want leave.
“I didn’t think so. You want to stay with him, don’t you?”
I stay here.
“All right. Here’s the plan: if I talk to you in front of him, shake your head when I say something you don’t like. Try it.”
Enola vigorously shook her head.
“That’s it. Now, if you are happy with something, nod your head up and down. Try that, too.”
This time her head went up and down by a lot.
“Do that if I talk to you, but also if your master talks to you. All right?”
Enola nodded.
Olivia drew Enola up in front of Henry, who had been watching, and dismounted. “Enola’s a smart horse,” she said. “She’s actually responding when I talk to her. She wants to stay here. Isn’t that right, Enola? You want to live here?”
Henry’s jaw dropped open when he saw Enola nod. “Incredible. That’s not just a coincidence, though, is it? Enola, I can’t ride you anymore. But this woman will care for you and exercise you. I want you to live with her.”
Enola shook her head. Henry frowned, and his eyes went misty.
“She is really clever,” said Olivia. “Enola, you want to stay near Lord Archibald, right?”
She nodded.
“With that being the case, I’m afraid I won’t be able to take Enola,” said Olivia with a smile.
Henry went quiet. Enola moved closer to him and gently rubbed her huge head against his.
“Oh, Enola. What a lovely girl. You want to live here?”
There were tears streaming down his face, and Mildred’s.
“Enola,” he said. “Promise me you’ll let others ride you. That will make me feel so much better. If you want to stay here, let others ride you. All right?”
Enola nodded vigorously over and over.
✦ ✦ ✦
🍲🍲🍲
OLIVIA watched Mildred and Enola fade into the distance after dropping her off home and thought, I’m glad.
Glad what?
“Oh, Snow. I’m glad that white horse will be able to live with the person she loves.”
Hm. I love here. I love Olivia.
“I love you too,” said Olivia as she picked Snow up, and Dale came running over too.
Pick me up too!
“All right, here’s a cuddle for Dale.”
Snow quickly slipped from Olivia’s arms.
Olivia mine! said Dale.
Snow turned to him and meowed. Olivia Arthur’s mate.
Meh! I know!
Olivia laughed.