For the first time in two long years she felt contented with her lot. She believed she was finally turning the corner and could start to live her life without the support of her beloved husband. Still smiling, she leant over and gently tugged the bell rope. She would rise and take a bath. Using the bathing room again after so long would be a novelty.
Edwards appeared beside her. “Yes madam? Are you ready to rise?”
“I am, Edwards. But first I would like a bath. I do not intend to go down this evening so lay out an old gown, any will do.”
Her dresser beamed. “The water is on its way. I heard you sit up and sent word down. There is a note come up for you, my lady, will you read it now?”
Lady Althea held out an elegant hand, the veins showing blue through her pale skin. She unfolded the paper and seeing the contents laughed out loud. A sound Edwards had not heard for far too long.
“Excellent! The Earl has arranged for Madame Ducray to come down from town bringing a selection of materials and ready sewed gowns, for us to choose from. She will be staying at Westerham until all four of us have completely renewed our wardrobes. Is that not splendid news?”
Edwards nodded. “Yes, madam. It's high time you all had new gowns.”
The sound of clattering buckets was clearly heard from the adjoining bathing room and Lady Althea got out of bed with enthusiasm.
“I think I shall have my hair washed as well, Edwards. Perhaps you should cut it for me; it has become far too long and straggly, has it not?”
Two hours later Lady Althea was resting comfortably in her sitting-room, her hair freshly styled and her navy blue eyes alert. She was awaiting a visit from her younger daughters. What had become of Emily, she had no idea. Edwards had sent a message with one of the chambermaids to her room but had found it unoccupied.
Serena and Millie were outside in the passageway and she smiled to think that now her precious girls would be able to grow up in the same luxurious surroundings as she had. If she had had any inkling of exactly what her normally sensible and sedate eldest daughter was doing, at that very moment, she would have been horrified.
Sultan stamped his huge hooves impatiently, he was eager to return to his cosy stable. Being ignored again, he snatched his bridle from his master's hand stretching his nose high into the air. It had the desired effect.
“Stand, sir. Enough of that nonsense.” Sebastian said, laughing at his mount's antics.
“I believe he's trying to tell you that he wishes to be in his stable, not standing about here.”
Emily reached up and stroked the velvety nose. She was already in love with this horse. She would dearly love to ride him but knew her cousin would never agree to such a thing. But something prompted her to ask.
“Would you permit me to ride Sultan? He's similar to the stallion I was forced to sell after my father died.”
Sebastian's eyebrows shot up under his hair. “Good God! Are you saying you have ridden such an animal yourself?”
Emily laughed, delighted she had surprised her cousin. “Indeed I have; and I'm not ashamed to say that I always rode astride. I have a habit specially made for that purpose.”
“I do not believe it. No girl alive could ride a horse like Sultan safely.” She bristled and her smile vanished. How dare he call her a liar! Emily threw back her head and challenged him.
“Give me a leg up and you will see just how wrong you are.”
For a moment Sebastian hesitated; it was an outrageous suggestion. Then he saw the fury in her remarkable eyes and decided it would not hurt her to learn a sharp lesson. He would call her bluff.
“Very well; we will take him somewhere safer. The back paddock will do.” He viewed her dusty old-fashioned dress as they walked towards the field. “Do you to need to change into your habit?”
She shook her head. “No, this skirt is full enough; I shall manage.”
Sultan, on discovering he was not to be put into his box, began to show his displeasure by sidling and throwing his head about. Emily was beginning to regret her rash decision but she would not back down; she wished her cousin to discover that, unlike the usual debutantes, there was more to her than feminine fripperies and inane chatter.
It quite escaped her attention that so far, in their brief acquaintance, she had not shown the slightest sign of being either feminine or a chatterbox.
“Are you certain you wish to go through with this, cousin? I will quite understand if you feel you are not up to riding Sultan when he is in this mood.” If he had not accompanied the suggestion with a superior smile Emily might have agreed. In spite of her prowess as a horse woman, she was starting to think that she would not be unable to a control the overexcited animal.
“No, definitely not. I have said I shall ride him and ride him I shall.” They had reached the three acre meadow in which the house cows and miscellaneous poultry lived. The gate latch was stiff and Sultan refused to stand still and allow Sebastian to open it. Without a second thought Emily stepped up and removed the bridle from her cousin's hand.
“Stop that, silly boy!” she murmured as she walked him in a small, tight circle. The horse was so surprised to be led by such a small human that he lowered his huge head and nuzzled her back. “That's better; I don't understand what all the fuss is about.”
“The gate is open. Bring him in,” Sebastian snapped, annoyed that his horse was behaving like a donkey with his smug cousin.
Emily led Sultan into the field and heard the gate clang with an unnecessarily loud bang behind her, making Sultan shy violently, lifting her off her feet for a second.
“It's all right, boy, it's only a silly gate. Slammed by a silly person. Calm down now.”
Sebastian almost snatched the reins back. “You had better adjust the leathers to suit you. I shall hold him for you.”
She held the stirrup under her arm, the quickest way to judge the length she needed, and moved the buckle up five holes. She went round to alter the other and was then ready to mount. She knew Sebastian was expecting her to back down; she would not give him the satisfaction. She gathered up the reins. She could barely reach the horses withers; she bent back her leg and felt
Sebastian take it and then she was in the saddle and Sultan was her responsibility.
She settled herself more securely and slackened the reins, allowing Sultan to flex his neck, or had he so desired, to take hold of the bit and bolt off with her. She heard a sharp intake of breath beside her and knew her cousin was regretting his rash move and was about to step back and grab the bridle.
She clicked her tongue and squeezed her legs firmly and the horse moved away smoothly into a perfect, balanced trot. Emily relaxed; the handsome chestnut was a joy to ride, the most responsive mount she had ever had
She pushed him into a canter and took him in a figure of eight around the paddock. On the second circuit she asked him for a flying change and he obliged. She forgot everything in the exhilaration of the experience. She was unaware that she was showing an indecent amount of leg or that she had attracted a large audience of grooms and stable hands as word of her exploits had spread round the yard.
She rode Sultan for twenty minutes before deciding it was time to allow him to return to his box. After all, he had already been ridden hard by his owner all afternoon. She reined in smoothly at the gate, her face flushed and her eyes sparkling. It was only then she noticed the row of grinning faces lined up against the fence.
Good heavens, had the entire staff of Westerham come out to see her? She also became aware that her cousin was not sharing her pleasure. Sebastian was standing, arms folded, his full lips curled in supercilious disdain.
Her heart plummeted. Why had she allowed pride to push her into such a situation? She could feel the warm afternoon breeze cooling her bare calves and knew she had made a dreadful error of judgement. In the space of twenty short minutes she had destroyed her precious reputation. She had also brought disgrace to her mother and her grandfather.
Shamefaced, she did not wait for assistance to dismount. She swung her leg over the saddle and dropped expertly to the ground. She patted Sultan's neck, after all it was not his fault she had made an exhibition of herself and outwardly calm she handed his reins to a waiting groom.
Without bothering to speak she turned and walked through the open gate, and head held high, the sun
