maid adjusting green and gold ribbons by a window. “I don’t much care for photographs. Don’t trust ’em. I think the Hottentots in Africa were right about that. Steal your soul.”
“You mean the Khoikhoi.”
Sir Arthur struck the floor with his cane again. “I mean the Hottentots.”
The two younger Danforth sons had arrived home and Kipp was out on the lawns walking with Victoria. He took a white silk scarf out of the pocket of his heavy leather jacket and wrapped it around his sister’s throat.
“There now,” he said. “You’re all ready.”
Victoria laughed. “Ready to do what?”
“Ready to fly.”
“Is that all it takes?”
One side of Kipp’s mouth curled up in a half-smile. “Pretty much.”
“Well, at the very least it will help keep me warm while we wait for Papa and his coach to come through the trees. He’ll be so happy to see you and Robbie. He’s missed you both very much. We all have.”
Kipp grinned. “Papa and his coach. When will he break down and get a motorcar or two? And while he’s at it, he could get the whole estate wired for electricity.”
“Ah, you know our father. The incurable romantic. He says mother looks lovely in candlelight. And so she does.”
“You can have electricity and still use candles and lamps when you want.”
“How long are you with us?”
He shrugged. “I got here on Friday, right? Now it’s, what, Tuesday afternoon? May thirty-first? So I told them the wedding would be on the first of June and they want me back three days after that.”
“Oh, can’t you stay longer?”
“Probably not.”
Victoria pouted, squeezing his arm with her hands. “It isn’t fair, is it? I’ve got my two favorite brothers at home with me and it’s only for a few short days.”
“Well, there’s a war on, love.”
Her emerald eyes flared in the sunlight. “How I wish there wasn’t a war on. I wish the whole beastly thing would disappear into a great dark hole and leave all the men and women behind. Alive. Unwounded.”
“Always dreaming, Vic.”
She folded her arms over her chest and dark green cloak. Her eyes turned jade. “There is not much else to do stuck at Ashton Park.”
“Stuck? Would you like to visit France?”
“And spend my days in a muddy trench wrapped up tight in barbed wire? No, thank you. Now if I could be up in the air with my golden-haired brother and flying through the fleecy clouds, that I might consider.” She looked behind her. “And speaking of brothers, I thought Robbie was going to join us.”
“I’m here!” A tall young man in army uniform called to them from the stables. “Be with you two in just a tick.”
Victoria stared. “I thought you were in the house with Mum. What are you doing down there?”
“Checking on my mare. Checking on Majestic.”
“All’s well?”
“Very well. Had her out yesterday. Either of you fancy a ride over the property this evening after Dad’s arrived?”
“You’re on!” called Kipp.
Victoria smiled at them. “I can’t very well let you two go gallivanting off alone, can I? After tea then?”
Robbie walked across the lawn from the stables and joined them. “You don’t suppose Cath or Em would have a go?”
“The night before her wedding?” Victoria lifted her eyebrows. “She might or might not. Cath won’t.”
“Are you sure?” asked Robbie.
“You see how glum she is. Worse than usual.”
Kipp grunted. “Why is that?”
“Oh, who knows? She and Albert maybe?”
Robbie put his arm around his sister. “So maybe a ride is just the thing.”
“Well, you can ask her at tea, if you’d like.” Victoria looked her youngest brother up and down. “You’re none the worse for wear after Dublin, are you?”
Robbie looked ahead at the avenue lined with sweeping oaks. “They were gentlemen, Vic. Never had any intention of doing me harm. Did everything in their power to keep me safe from British machine guns and artillery. Then let me go when all was
“You mean the Khoikhoi.”
Sir Arthur struck the floor with his cane again. “I mean the Hottentots.”
The two younger Danforth sons had arrived home and Kipp was out on the lawns walking with Victoria. He took a white silk scarf out of the pocket of his heavy leather jacket and wrapped it around his sister’s throat.
“There now,” he said. “You’re all ready.”
Victoria laughed. “Ready to do what?”
“Ready to fly.”
“Is that all it takes?”
One side of Kipp’s mouth curled up in a half-smile. “Pretty much.”
“Well, at the very least it will help keep me warm while we wait for Papa and his coach to come through the trees. He’ll be so happy to see you and Robbie. He’s missed you both very much. We all have.”
Kipp grinned. “Papa and his coach. When will he break down and get a motorcar or two? And while he’s at it, he could get the whole estate wired for electricity.”
“Ah, you know our father. The incurable romantic. He says mother looks lovely in candlelight. And so she does.”
“You can have electricity and still use candles and lamps when you want.”
“How long are you with us?”
He shrugged. “I got here on Friday, right? Now it’s, what, Tuesday afternoon? May thirty-first? So I told them the wedding would be on the first of June and they want me back three days after that.”
“Oh, can’t you stay longer?”
“Probably not.”
Victoria pouted, squeezing his arm with her hands. “It isn’t fair, is it? I’ve got my two favorite brothers at home with me and it’s only for a few short days.”
“Well, there’s a war on, love.”
Her emerald eyes flared in the sunlight. “How I wish there wasn’t a war on. I wish the whole beastly thing would disappear into a great dark hole and leave all the men and women behind. Alive. Unwounded.”
“Always dreaming, Vic.”
She folded her arms over her chest and dark green cloak. Her eyes turned jade. “There is not much else to do stuck at Ashton Park.”
“Stuck? Would you like to visit France?”
“And spend my days in a muddy trench wrapped up tight in barbed wire? No, thank you. Now if I could be up in the air with my golden-haired brother and flying through the fleecy clouds, that I might consider.” She looked behind her. “And speaking of brothers, I thought Robbie was going to join us.”
“I’m here!” A tall young man in army uniform called to them from the stables. “Be with you two in just a tick.”
Victoria stared. “I thought you were in the house with Mum. What are you doing down there?”
“Checking on my mare. Checking on Majestic.”
“All’s well?”
“Very well. Had her out yesterday. Either of you fancy a ride over the property this evening after Dad’s arrived?”
“You’re on!” called Kipp.
Victoria smiled at them. “I can’t very well let you two go gallivanting off alone, can I? After tea then?”
Robbie walked across the lawn from the stables and joined them. “You don’t suppose Cath or Em would have a go?”
“The night before her wedding?” Victoria lifted her eyebrows. “She might or might not. Cath won’t.”
“Are you sure?” asked Robbie.
“You see how glum she is. Worse than usual.”
Kipp grunted. “Why is that?”
“Oh, who knows? She and Albert maybe?”
Robbie put his arm around his sister. “So maybe a ride is just the thing.”
“Well, you can ask her at tea, if you’d like.” Victoria looked her youngest brother up and down. “You’re none the worse for wear after Dublin, are you?”
Robbie looked ahead at the avenue lined with sweeping oaks. “They were gentlemen, Vic. Never had any intention of doing me harm. Did everything in their power to keep me safe from British machine guns and artillery. Then let me go when all was
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