providing a mount
for someone who had been forbidden to ride in public, her guardian arrived in a
flurry of scattered gravel and stamping hooves.
Expertly he
calmed his chestnut stallion and swung one leg casually across the horse’s neck
smiling benevolently down at the assembled group.
‘Morning, my dears. It appears I am to have a double
delight! Two lovely companions instead of one.’
‘You are to be
even more rewarded, sir; we are to collect a third, Lady Arabella, at Great
Bentley.’ Marianne paused, unable to decide if she should tell him the rest.
For all his bonhomie, she believed she detected a certain rigidity in his pose.
He raised his
eyebrows and stared at the extra horse now held by a mounted groom. ‘I had no
idea Lord Hawksmith had closed his stables. No matter – it’s not my affair.’
Not allowing a reply he sat back in the saddle and rammed his boot loudly into
the dangling stirrup-iron. ‘If you will get mounted, my dears, we shall depart.
Lucifer here does not take kindly to delays.’
Marianne and
Emily hurried to their mounts and were thrown up by the waiting grooms. Emily’s
pretty bay mare arched her neck and pricked her ears eager to be away. Sultan
still being unavailable Marianne was riding the bay Billy had ridden from Upton
Manor. She had ridden him once before and knew him to be lively.
The cavalcade
trotted down the drive, Sir Theodore leading the way sensibly keeping to the
grass verge and avoiding the many potholes. Marianne dropped back allowing
Emily to ride behind her guardian. She indicated that John should come beside
her.
‘John, this is
an unmitigated disaster. How dare Lady Arabella involve us in her
disobedience?’
‘Too late to
repine, miss, there’s little we can do apart from pray Lord and Lady Hawksmith
don’t get to hear of it.’
‘It’s not them I
am concerned about. I think I may have underestimated Sir Theodore. Did you not
detect his displeasure at being obliged to escort this circus?’
John frowned and
then his face creased and he nodded towards the tall man conversing with Miss
Grierson. ‘Not him, miss. He’s more concerned with the cut of his coat than
anything else. Look at him doing the pretty - does he look perturbed?’
Marianne was
obliged to admit that he did not. ‘I hope you’re correct. I’ve no wish to fall
out with my guardian. This would be laid at my door you can be sure of that.’
The short
distance along leafy lanes to Great Bentley was soon accomplished and she
recognized the smart barouche pulled up in the cobbled yard of The Lion.
Emily nudged her
mare forward. ‘I do hope we haven’t kept you waiting, Arabella. See, I have
brought Peggy for you. She’s prettily behaved and will be ideal.’
Her ladyship
stepped down from the carriage and Marianne’s mouth dropped open. The abundance
of gold frogging on the girl’s habit caught the sun almost blinding her. Even
Emily was speechless.
‘You have a new
habit, Arabella. Red and gold - so very bright,’ she finished lamely. Even her
partiality could find nothing favourable to say. Marianne ducked her head
hiding her amusement.
What was obvious
even to a casual observer was that Arabella had dressed to impress. The person
all this splendour was directed at was already on the ground and - surely not -
yes, he was actually kissing the wretched girl’s gloved hand.
Marianne’s
good-humour evaporated. How could he be so gullible? He was taken in by a pair
of flashing eyes and fluttering black lashes. She watched lips compressed as
Lady Arabella fussed and flirted her way to the docile mare. Sir Theodore
tossed her into the saddle and began to adjust the single leather and tighten
Peggy’s girth.
Disgusted to see
him making a cake of himself Marianne shortened her reins and dug in her heel.
She would wait on The Green for them. But her mount leapt forward and taking
hold of his bit bolted across the grass.
As she was an
excellent horsewoman she was in no
for someone who had been forbidden to ride in public, her guardian arrived in a
flurry of scattered gravel and stamping hooves.
Expertly he
calmed his chestnut stallion and swung one leg casually across the horse’s neck
smiling benevolently down at the assembled group.
‘Morning, my dears. It appears I am to have a double
delight! Two lovely companions instead of one.’
‘You are to be
even more rewarded, sir; we are to collect a third, Lady Arabella, at Great
Bentley.’ Marianne paused, unable to decide if she should tell him the rest.
For all his bonhomie, she believed she detected a certain rigidity in his pose.
He raised his
eyebrows and stared at the extra horse now held by a mounted groom. ‘I had no
idea Lord Hawksmith had closed his stables. No matter – it’s not my affair.’
Not allowing a reply he sat back in the saddle and rammed his boot loudly into
the dangling stirrup-iron. ‘If you will get mounted, my dears, we shall depart.
Lucifer here does not take kindly to delays.’
Marianne and
Emily hurried to their mounts and were thrown up by the waiting grooms. Emily’s
pretty bay mare arched her neck and pricked her ears eager to be away. Sultan
still being unavailable Marianne was riding the bay Billy had ridden from Upton
Manor. She had ridden him once before and knew him to be lively.
The cavalcade
trotted down the drive, Sir Theodore leading the way sensibly keeping to the
grass verge and avoiding the many potholes. Marianne dropped back allowing
Emily to ride behind her guardian. She indicated that John should come beside
her.
‘John, this is
an unmitigated disaster. How dare Lady Arabella involve us in her
disobedience?’
‘Too late to
repine, miss, there’s little we can do apart from pray Lord and Lady Hawksmith
don’t get to hear of it.’
‘It’s not them I
am concerned about. I think I may have underestimated Sir Theodore. Did you not
detect his displeasure at being obliged to escort this circus?’
John frowned and
then his face creased and he nodded towards the tall man conversing with Miss
Grierson. ‘Not him, miss. He’s more concerned with the cut of his coat than
anything else. Look at him doing the pretty - does he look perturbed?’
Marianne was
obliged to admit that he did not. ‘I hope you’re correct. I’ve no wish to fall
out with my guardian. This would be laid at my door you can be sure of that.’
The short
distance along leafy lanes to Great Bentley was soon accomplished and she
recognized the smart barouche pulled up in the cobbled yard of The Lion.
Emily nudged her
mare forward. ‘I do hope we haven’t kept you waiting, Arabella. See, I have
brought Peggy for you. She’s prettily behaved and will be ideal.’
Her ladyship
stepped down from the carriage and Marianne’s mouth dropped open. The abundance
of gold frogging on the girl’s habit caught the sun almost blinding her. Even
Emily was speechless.
‘You have a new
habit, Arabella. Red and gold - so very bright,’ she finished lamely. Even her
partiality could find nothing favourable to say. Marianne ducked her head
hiding her amusement.
What was obvious
even to a casual observer was that Arabella had dressed to impress. The person
all this splendour was directed at was already on the ground and - surely not -
yes, he was actually kissing the wretched girl’s gloved hand.
Marianne’s
good-humour evaporated. How could he be so gullible? He was taken in by a pair
of flashing eyes and fluttering black lashes. She watched lips compressed as
Lady Arabella fussed and flirted her way to the docile mare. Sir Theodore
tossed her into the saddle and began to adjust the single leather and tighten
Peggy’s girth.
Disgusted to see
him making a cake of himself Marianne shortened her reins and dug in her heel.
She would wait on The Green for them. But her mount leapt forward and taking
hold of his bit bolted across the grass.
As she was an
excellent horsewoman she was in no
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