the niceties done, she mounted Allegra from the ground, adjusting her split skirts to fall gracefully on either side of the saddle.
Callia was out on her stoop, sweeping the threshold, when Kate rode by, and she stopped to give greetings to the midwife.
“Don’t dismount, girl, stay where you are,” the little woman said. She came over to talk to her, and held the mare’s rein. Allegra snorted at the indignity. “A fine lady like you, you should keep your place.”
“Being a fine lady is not all it’s cracked up to be,” Kate said, her voice low. She and Callia had become friends and what she dared not say to anyone else, she could say to her.
“Ah, girl, don’t talk like that. You must act the part, else they will not have you. Haven’t I taught you anything?”
One thing Kate had learned was that Callia was not quite the drunk she had come across at first. Sure, she liked a nip or two or five, but Kate had a sneaking suspicion that Callia used the spirits to let her say what she wanted.
She lifted her shoulders. “It’s harder than it looks, to play the fine lady.”
Callia gave her a stern look. “Would you have me believe that you are just a smallholder from common villagers yourself?”
“Well...” True, her parents were a lawyer and company division executive vice president. They were hardly smallholders. Then again, it wasn’t that different. When Lady Sarita was in North Salem, she acted the great lady she was, and everyone thought it was normal because she was rich.
“I thought so,” Callia said.
“Okay. I’ll try.”
Callia tsked. “By the by, I have a gift for you and your young lord.”
“Oh?” Kate heard the dubious note in her voice. What was Callia planning? The midwife gave her an arch smile and put a finger next to her red nose.
“You’ll see. When you see him next, he will be delighted.”
It would be something totally embarrassing. Callia would give it to her in front of Lady Beatra, and Kate would have to explain that she had nothing to do with it.
“You know, you don’t have to give me anything.”
“Now my young lady, you don’t worry your head about it. Callia will make sure that all will be well. Ride on! Ride on!”
She curtseyed, and Kate gathered the reins, and gave Allegra her heel. Whatever Callia was up to, it was out of her hands. She just hoped it wasn’t one of the midwife’s completely inappropriate ideas.
After a sedate canter up the avenue toward the House, Kate pulled Allegra up so that she could cool the mare off before she was put away. She could only imagine what the householders would say if she brought the mare in soaking wet after a hard gallop, not that she ever would, since it was bad for a horse. Anyway, a demure Aeritan lady only rode her horse at a gentle trot at best. It was infuriating to always be looked at askance, no matter what she did. I’m wearing their clothes. I’m wearing the kerchief. What more do they want?
Allegra snorted and jumped sideways. Kate barely moved in the saddle, and tsked in annoyance. “What was that about?” she scolded. Movement caught her eye, or a faint rustle, but when she turned to look, it was just the wind in the ladies’ bower. They were near the turnoff toward the grotto, and she smiled, remembering. It had been weeks since she and Colar had gone swimming.
She missed him so much. When he gets back, I won’t complain about how we have to keep our distance ever again.
Kate clicked to Allegra to move her along when she pulled up suddenly and turned around again, frowning. A shiver of concern touched her spine. Yes, there was the wind through the tangle of dried grasses, but there was something else. She peered closely, squinting at the backlit weeds. They waved in the slight breeze, quivering in the crisp air. Kate pushed Allegra forward a step. She told herself she was just going to see what could be there, but it was probably nothing.
This is Aeritan and you are weaponless.
It was as
Callia was out on her stoop, sweeping the threshold, when Kate rode by, and she stopped to give greetings to the midwife.
“Don’t dismount, girl, stay where you are,” the little woman said. She came over to talk to her, and held the mare’s rein. Allegra snorted at the indignity. “A fine lady like you, you should keep your place.”
“Being a fine lady is not all it’s cracked up to be,” Kate said, her voice low. She and Callia had become friends and what she dared not say to anyone else, she could say to her.
“Ah, girl, don’t talk like that. You must act the part, else they will not have you. Haven’t I taught you anything?”
One thing Kate had learned was that Callia was not quite the drunk she had come across at first. Sure, she liked a nip or two or five, but Kate had a sneaking suspicion that Callia used the spirits to let her say what she wanted.
She lifted her shoulders. “It’s harder than it looks, to play the fine lady.”
Callia gave her a stern look. “Would you have me believe that you are just a smallholder from common villagers yourself?”
“Well...” True, her parents were a lawyer and company division executive vice president. They were hardly smallholders. Then again, it wasn’t that different. When Lady Sarita was in North Salem, she acted the great lady she was, and everyone thought it was normal because she was rich.
“I thought so,” Callia said.
“Okay. I’ll try.”
Callia tsked. “By the by, I have a gift for you and your young lord.”
“Oh?” Kate heard the dubious note in her voice. What was Callia planning? The midwife gave her an arch smile and put a finger next to her red nose.
“You’ll see. When you see him next, he will be delighted.”
It would be something totally embarrassing. Callia would give it to her in front of Lady Beatra, and Kate would have to explain that she had nothing to do with it.
“You know, you don’t have to give me anything.”
“Now my young lady, you don’t worry your head about it. Callia will make sure that all will be well. Ride on! Ride on!”
She curtseyed, and Kate gathered the reins, and gave Allegra her heel. Whatever Callia was up to, it was out of her hands. She just hoped it wasn’t one of the midwife’s completely inappropriate ideas.
After a sedate canter up the avenue toward the House, Kate pulled Allegra up so that she could cool the mare off before she was put away. She could only imagine what the householders would say if she brought the mare in soaking wet after a hard gallop, not that she ever would, since it was bad for a horse. Anyway, a demure Aeritan lady only rode her horse at a gentle trot at best. It was infuriating to always be looked at askance, no matter what she did. I’m wearing their clothes. I’m wearing the kerchief. What more do they want?
Allegra snorted and jumped sideways. Kate barely moved in the saddle, and tsked in annoyance. “What was that about?” she scolded. Movement caught her eye, or a faint rustle, but when she turned to look, it was just the wind in the ladies’ bower. They were near the turnoff toward the grotto, and she smiled, remembering. It had been weeks since she and Colar had gone swimming.
She missed him so much. When he gets back, I won’t complain about how we have to keep our distance ever again.
Kate clicked to Allegra to move her along when she pulled up suddenly and turned around again, frowning. A shiver of concern touched her spine. Yes, there was the wind through the tangle of dried grasses, but there was something else. She peered closely, squinting at the backlit weeds. They waved in the slight breeze, quivering in the crisp air. Kate pushed Allegra forward a step. She told herself she was just going to see what could be there, but it was probably nothing.
This is Aeritan and you are weaponless.
It was as
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