Mr. Pearson smiled.  "Oh, that she is.  We are thinking she will be a winner in the coming show.  Aren't you, Bonnie?"  He rubbed his hand along her flank.

"This is the new maid, Mrs. O'Conner."  Mrs. Pearson introduced Delilah to her husband.

"Well, welcome to the staff, Mrs. O'Conner.  When if ever you need a horse or a carriage, just come right in and find one of us.  We'll see to you just right."  He tipped his hat to her before he spoke.  Bonnie nodded a nose toward Delilah with a sniff as if to say hello as well.

Mr. Pearson laughed.  "I think you have her approval as well."

She reached out a hand to touch the nose of the beast. Aye, she was going to love it in the Vaughn household, that was for certain. Her eyes filled up with moisture but she quickly looked away. Clearing her throat, she said a soft, "T'ank ye," to both of them, and her hand pet between Bonnie's eyes. She was reminded of how fond Ian was of his mare, Daisy. "Me husband had a mare almost as pretty as Bonnie," she smiled a little sadly, "It pained me ta sell her after he was killed. I wonder if she is still alive. Ian was killed eleven years ago when he was just a lad of 19 and we had only been married fer about a year." She sighed and said, "Oh, don't mind me. I babble."

She was quite the talker though.

The couple glanced at each other with empathy for the young widow.  "Do you remember who you sold her to?  I mean its been a long time since then, but most of us working in the business keep up with the buy and selling.  I could look into it for you.  Name of the buyer and where it was sold can give me something to go from."  Mr. Pearson suggested.  A horse was a family member and he could understand how hard it must have been to sell the horse.

Mrs. Pearson nodded.  She knew if anyone could find out where the horse ended up, it would be her husband.  "You a widow so young, you poor dear, and now alone all this time?  Well, this mister you have courting you might help that."  She smiled at her mister.  The romance was in the air around the Vaughn household, and she was a bit of a matchmaker, so once she met the man, she would likely do a few things to help that relationship moving along.

"I think his name was John Rivers, and he was up near the Scottish border, but I cannot remember where exactly. Her name was Daisy and me husband loved her almost as much as he loved me. I didn't wish ta sell her but I had ta pay fer his burial and ta eat and I wasn't about ta eat the horse." Her hand continued to pat the nose of the mare fondly before her hand dropped.

"T'ank ye, I don't know if I could afford ta buy her back now, but knowin' she is still alive would make me heart feel good." Her smile was radiant again.

"Aye... I hope so. I hope so."

Mr. Pearson nodded.  "I'll see what I can find out."  He rubbed the mare.  "I better walk this girl around to warm up before her training session.  Nice to meet you again, ma'am."  He then winked to his wife.  "See you at dinner, Lovey." 

Mrs. Pearson blushed a bit but smiled brightly all the same.  They were always flirting but not in the main house, and not around Mr. Vaughn.  Well, not her, Mr. Pearson had a fun time of it, making her blush.  Mr. Vaughn thought it was cute and funny as well, but tried to hide his responses.

Mrs. Pearson indicated that they continuing going past the front of the stables.  It took a way, as it was a huge building.  "There are, as you saw coming up to the main road here beside us that there are various sections all around the central property with each a different kind of horses."

"Up here though..." she indicated another small road off the main property road  that branched out into a series of alternating cottages on either side of the lane which also went on to other sections for the various breeds of horses.  "There are the bigger cottages and the smaller cottages.  All modern thanks to Mr. Vaughn.  He started doing it when he first moved in here.  The last one down on the far end finally got finished just last month.  Inside there is electricity, hot and cold water, gas heaters and stoves, inside water closet with a large claw-footed bathtub like he likely showed you in the floorplans."

She then went up on the lane.  The side on the same side of the lane had first a big cottage and then the first smaller cottage.  That was the one Mrs. Pearson led Mrs. O'Conner to.  "This is yours.  Well, yours alone for now."

She smiled indicating that Delilah using the key she had given to her earlier to allow the young widow be the first to have her first sight of her new home.  It was very clean and freshly painted in white with light blue curtains.  There was a couch and a pillow-covered set of chairs in the living area, and the dining area had a small table with a white table cloth with a wooden bowl of various colors of yarn inside it.  In each of the bedrooms, there were a dresser and a wardrobe, and a chair with a simple lamp next to the bed with linens folded at the foot.  The bathroom was as she had described it, with white towels and soap for her usage.

She used the key and opened the door, then smiled widely and excitedly at the sight of the interior. Ahh, this was more like a home to her. She was glad to be moving in. "Tis lovely!" she exclaimed and looked around with a wide grin. She could hug the woman but she did not. "I'll be here as soon as I can pack me t'ings!" not that she had much to pack. The house she had rented came furnished and she had just her clothes and some personal effects to pack.

Mrs. Pearson smiled seeing the young woman's expression seeing the house.  She had been proud to be asked by Mr. Vaughn to make sure the insides were comfortable and welcome to those that might end up living in them.  He had given her a budget of course, but like everything the man did, it was generous. 

"I am glad you like it.  You can paint your own paint colors in your room, of course, but the main areas should stay white, please.  As for the curtains and any other decor, that is up to you and whoever ends up sharing it with you, of course."

"You do have neighbors here along this row of cottages of course.  Right now that larger cottage on the corner there beside you is Mrs. Calloway with her little baby twins, the laundress at the moment.  After the wedding that cottage will be empty of course as she will be at the big house."

"Then here in this small cottage will be you, of course.  The other big cottage beside you on the other side is currently empty.  But the small one on the other side of it is the Head Gardener, sharing rent with the Ground Keeper, Robert Smith."

"Here in the small cottage across the lane here on the other corner is the main house Cook - Miss Cora and the Kitchen assistant her niece, Miss Bella who also share their rent.  Straight across from you in the large cottage where my husband and four boys live."

"Then another small cottage next to me is where the Butler, Mr. Tinkerman lives alone.  I believe you met him when you arrived.  Miss Hiedi has named him, Mr. Tink.  Just in case you hear her call him that."  She chuckled.  The next larger cottage is shared by the other three maids:  Miss Molly, Miss Pheobe, and Miss Tabitha.  They decided they wanted the bigger rent but sharing it is not bad on the rent.  There is one more small cottage and one more large cottage at the end that are rented for various grooms and stable boys that work here live in the loft of the stables."

"Oh,  by the way, we address the cook, assistants, and maids Miss with their first name.  I hope that is not an issue?"

She was starting to feel overwhelmed in the best kind of way. Not only did she get dodge a bullet by getting away from the toxicity of the Carrington house, but she got a new job with a lovely family, a possible beau, and a new place to live. And now she was making new friends to boot. She couldn't help bursting into happy tears as it was the first time in her life since her husband, that a lot of good was happening all at once. Please, God, she thought, let this be it for me and don't take it away!

"Oh, nay, tis no problem. Please do call me Delilah."

She nodded with a pleasant smile.  "I will do that in private but of course in the big house it will be Miss Delilah."  She indicated the door.  "Shall we head back to the main house?  I know it is a nice walk, especially in the rain or winter, but still much better than the hour and a half carriage ride back and forth to town each day."  She raised a brow as if to consider it herself and not liking the idea.

"Did you hire a carriage here today?  If not, we can get you a carriage to go back to town."  She suggested helpfully.

"Oh, aye, tis quite a walk from here to town. I took a carriage." She nodded softly and mopped up the moisture that had fallen from her eyes. Her mouth gave a tremulous smile and she sighed. "I don't mind the walk to t'e house at all. Tis a lovely respite, I must say. Especially the gardens. I t'ink I shall plant some of me own vegetables and herbs." Though she was sure there would be plenty from the main house's garden.