Sally James by At the Earls Command

that he could go any day. They are astonished that he is still alive. But he has a will of iron, and was determined to see Kate before he died. It was a sudden whim, we none of us expected it. Adam had just left for a quick visit to Rhydd Grange and he may have felt lonely. Adam's a good boy, he spends time with the old man every day when he's in London.'
    Of course he did, Kate thought scornfully. He was the heir. He would be bound to keep on good terms with her grandfather, just as he'd weakly given way about something he obviously didn't want to do. Then she realized that Mrs Rhydd was talking to her, and had to drag her thoughts away from the aggravating problem.
    'Forgive me, dear, but your grandfather has never talked of you before he ordered that you be sent for. He would fly into a rage if anyone so much as mentioned your mother or yourself.'
    'Why did he want to see me?' Kate asked curiously. 'He can't be lonely with so many servants, and surely he still has friends who come to see him?'
    'He's outlived most of his friends. Besides, old people often want to put things right when they are facing death,' was the reply. 'He did not treat your mother well. I believe he now realizes that and wants to make amends.'
    'Didn't my grandmother try to persuade him?'
    'She was much younger than he, and always in awe of him. He blamed her that they had no other children, and broke her spirit. She never defied him, not even to keep in touch with her daughter.'
    Kate's eyes gleamed. 'I'd never submit to that! It's barbarous!' she declared.
    'True, but he's perhaps repenting now. I do hope that you will do all in your power to comfort him during these last few days.'
    Kate willingly promised, for despite her resentment at the way in which her parents had been treated, and herself totally ignored until now, she felt deeply sorry for her grandfather.
    It wasn't until she was on the point of going to bed that she recalled her arrangement to ride with Chloe, and that she didn't possess a riding habit. 'What can I do? I just didn’t think, I don't bother at home.'
    Mrs Rhydd shook her head, but she was in a generous mood and once more ransacked her wardrobe for an old habit of her own.
    'I haven't ridden for years, but it will have to do, and if you decide to take up riding we'll have one made for you.' She sighed. 'When your grandfather dies, you won't be able to do a great deal, socially, but you are permitted to walk and ride.'
    Kate was nervous the following day, but Chloe had obtained such a plodding hack that Kate was soon castigating him for a slug when he refused to break into a trot.
    'Where is your brother?' she asked, when Chloe rode up attended by an elderly, dour-faced groom.
    'He had another appointment - with the ivories last night. Or the cards, I forget which,' Chloe chuckled. 'He didn't get home until after dawn. Papa was furious. But Thompson is a wonderful teacher, he taught all of us to ride. He'll be better than Martin.'
    Indeed, by the time they'd made one circuit of the Park Kate was feeling thoroughly confident. She even persuaded her mount to break into a sedate trot as they set off again. Then Chloe waved her whip and hailed some riders approaching. Kate looked up and saw Adam, accompanied by a startlingly lovely girl a few years older than herself. She was seated on a magnificent black mare which pranced and sidled playfully all the time they halted to exchange greetings.
    'Good morning, Kate. You've progressed from riding donkeys, I see,' Adam said.
    'At least I haven't fallen off,' Kate retorted. 
    He laughed, and presented Kate to his companion. 'And this is Annabelle Wilson, some sort of cousin of mine on my mother's side.'
    The beauty smiled down at Kate, but the smile, Kate decided, didn't reach her eyes which were icy blue, cold and calculating. 'How long do you stay in Town?' she drawled. 'I always think it's so dreary in the summer, I shall be glad to get away to some secluded spot in the country. I