I was so excited about the prospect of tomorrow’s lessons that I hardly took in anything from the rest of the evening. I was going to learn to ride! To ride! To fly across the country on the back of a horse and be free! How could I think about anything else but that? I couldn’t! Nothing could catch my attention! Nothing, except…
A strong, hard hand landed on my shoulder
‘So, Miss Linton,’ a familiar cool voice drifted to my ear. ‘I hear you’ll be taking riding lessons on the morrow?’
Crap.
‘Um, well…’
‘I had no idea you were so interested in horses. You seem less than enthusiastic about most animals.’
My back stiffened. I didn’t have to explain myself to him! I didn’t have to apologise for what I wanted. Turning, I fixed him with a fiery glare.
‘That’s because they persist in not doing what I tell them to.’
‘I know the feeling.’
‘Riding will be different. I’ll be in control. I’ll be learning something useful. Something I might very well need.’
‘Need?’ Cold eyes boring into me, he cocked his head. ‘When would you need to ride, Miss Linton?’
Not evading his icy stare, I lifted my chin. ‘You know very well what I am referring to. Certain…expeditions might require certain…skills.’
Silence.
Not because he didn’t want to say anything, but because, in this instance, not even Mr Ambrose could find a reason to object. His jaw tightened.
‘I hope you enjoy your “lesson”, Miss Linton.’
And he was gone.
Just in time. A moment later, Lady Samantha appeared, little hearts still blinking in her baby blue eyes.
‘Lillian, my dear!’
Holy…! I had been promoted from ‘Miss Linton’ to ‘Lillian my dear’ in one evening? I had to say, I was thoroughly impressed with myself. My tactics really had to be working their magic.
‘Oh, Lillian, my dear! I’m so glad your brother asked to invite you. It must have been fate.’
Only if you count a trip to the local tailor as fate.
‘I had no idea my son and you knew each other this well.’
Trust me - you still have no idea.
‘Do you think it’s possible that…’ Blushing, she sidled up to me. I felt my body stiffen. I had wanted this, hadn’t I? I had wanted to win!
Well…yes. I had wanted to chase the hyenas away, and impress Mr Ambrose’s mother. But impress her this much? The look she was giving me made me slightly nervous. Like I was an incredible treasure from the bottom of a bottomless gorge of despair.
‘Do you think it’s possible that you…you and my son…’ More colour rushed to her cheeks, and she lowered her eyes. ‘No, forget it. Forget I said anything. I’m just babbling aloud the dreams of a silly old woman. And…Oh God! I called you Lillian, didn’t I?’
If it was at all possible, the colour in her cheeks deepened even more.
‘Please forgive me, Miss Linton! I didn’t mean to insult you. I was just so…so…’
‘I know.’ Impulsively I reached out, taking hold of her hand. Her skin was papery and wrinkly, but in that moment, I wouldn’t have exchanged it for the hand of the most beautiful angel in heaven. ‘Lady Samantha?’
Cautiously, she glanced up at me. ‘Yes?’