A Rural Affair

she’d been talking to. Chad looked undecided a moment, waved over-heartily and stuck by his wife.

‘They’re busy,’ I told Dad, sinking back into my saddle.

‘Ah.’

Luckily I’d spotted Angie, looking drop-dead gorgeous in skintight jodhpurs and a dark blue hunting coat, blonde chignon netted and tied with a velvet ribbon. Ah yes, hairnet, I thought, aware of my own locks tumbling rather luxuriantly down my back. If she had the sartorial upper hand, however, she nearly fell off her horse when she saw me.

‘Poppy! Good God. Whatever are you doing here?’ She muscled her classy chestnut through the throng towards me, open-mouthed.

‘Surprise!’ I grinned. I was feeling slightly pissed now, courtesy of that hip flask. ‘Dad lent me a horse. I thought I’d see how the other half live.’

‘Well, you might have told me! I could have lent you some clothes,’ she said gazing at my jacket, somewhat aghast.

‘D’you know, I wish I had,’ I said, leaning forward confidentially, meaning it. ‘It’s all been a bit of a nightmare. What with keeping Thumper in the back garden and –’

‘You didn’t!’

‘No, but almost. And I could have popped him in with yours, couldn’t I?’

‘Of course you bloody could! Oh, honestly, you are an idiot, Poppy.’ Her eyes were still bulging, though, which was quite satisfactory. ‘Can you ride him?’ She jerked her whip at Thumper.

‘Of course I can,’ I said confidently, remembering now why I’d wanted the element of surprise. I’d quite forgotten. I straightened up in the saddle. ‘Don’t forget I grew up with horses, Angie. You remember my dad, don’t you?’

‘Of course.’ She smiled down, seeing him for the first time. Dad raised his flat cap. ‘Hello, Mr Mortimer. I imagine you were in on this, then?’

‘Peter,’ he told her with a grin. ‘Yes, all the way. And Poppy’s quite right, she did grow up with them, but very much in the proximate sense. They were in the paddock and she was in the house doing her mascara. She took a great deal of interest from the window.’

‘Dad,’ I protested as they both roared with laughter. But worryingly, he had a point. Although I’d ridden as a child, as a teenager I’d been a bit more interested in Cosmo than Horse and Hound. Had I bitten off more than I could chew? Hands fluttering, I gratefully accepted a glass of port from a girl proffering a tray.

‘Have you had one?’ I asked Angie.

‘Oh God, yes, three. Always do. Makes it less painful if I come off.’

‘We’re coming off?’ I said alarmed.

‘Well, not necessarily, but who knows? Depends where we go. But you stick with me, Poppy. There are a lot of idiots out today, always are at the opening meet, and those are the ones who do the damage. Cut you up at fences, refuse slap bang in front of you. And hold on tight. I don’t want to be playing nursemaid when I’ve got other fish to fry.’ Her eyes darted around. ‘Have you spotted him yet?’

‘Who?’

‘The new master.’

‘Why would I? I don’t know what he looks like.’ She wasn’t to know I had my own fish to fry.

‘Well, he’s obviously going to be in pink, isn’t he? There – on the chestnut.’

I’d been busily scanning the broad-shouldered black coats for Sam, and was unprepared, therefore, for the man in pink, the one she indicated, to lift his hat as he greeted a friend, present his chiselled profile, and for it to be one and the same.

I stared for a long moment. ‘Sam Hetherington’s the new master?’

‘Yes.’ Angie turned, surprised. ‘You know him?’

‘He’s my solicitor.’

‘Is he?’ She looked astonished. ‘Oh yes, someone said he was a lawyer. Good God – you never said!’ She rounded on me accusingly.

‘Well, I didn’t know you knew him, did I?’

She gazed at me; blinked. ‘I suppose I don’t, yet,’ she admitted. ‘I will, though. He’s gorgeous, don’t you think? All mine, by the way,’ she added quickly and not for the first time. ‘I’m landing this one. He’s divorced, apparently, and this is his manor house, and very soon I’ll be installed within, doing up the drawing room. If you’re very lucky I’ll ask you to dinner.’