“I knew you’d say that. But she got comfortable real fast on our trail ride. I let her ride it alone on the way home. Breezy is a sweet horse, not jittery around other horses. But I agree, Maizie needs lessons and practice. She wants to learn. We have time.”
“Capp, she isn’t a toy like Josie. I fear she could be taken advantage of.”
“Mary, to imply that Capp would take advantage of Maizie is unfair. Give him a break. Let him work with Maizie. For God’s sake, the whole backside will be watching.”
Capp felt emboldened by James’s remarks. “Mrs. Glidewell, the lesson would be on the track in the afternoon. Just lessons. That’s all.”
Mary remained quiet but resolute.
“Mary, please, Capp’s a good person. I trust him with Maizie. You continue to make this bigger than it is,” said James.
“Capp is twenty years old. Maizie is just sixteen. How often do I need to remind you, James?”
Wil put down his glass. “My boy knows what’s right. We had a long talk. There won’t be any problems.”
Mary hesitated for the briefest of moments, took a sip of her port and looked at all three men, “Seems I am outnumbered. I guess if Maizie wants the lessons and she is well supervised, we could allow it. That is the only fraternizing I’ll allow. No unchaperoned trail rides or walks around the ranch. And NO PARADE.”
Capp could see that James was biting his tongue. As far as Maizie was concerned, it was obvious to Capp that Mary was the one to make the decisions.
Maizie came into the room with small canapés of egg salad and caviar with a sprig of fresh parsley from Ol’ Jon’s herb garden. “Thank you, Maizie,” said Mary as she picked one up off the tray. She looked up at Maizie before she took a bite. “Maizie?”
“Yes?”
“Would you like to take riding lessons with Capp?”
Maizie beamed and immediately looked at Capp. “I would. I mean I want to.”
“Then you shall. Late afternoon you can walk to the backside for lessons,” said Mary. “But there will be no trail rides.”
That was the end of the conversation about Maizie, parades, and horseback-riding lessons. Mary informed them that Josie’s dismissal would allow her to make some staffing changes. The men started to relax, realizing they could now move on to a new topic.
“I’m moving Claire up to the main house. She wants to work with Ruby again. I’m going to give her a try and hire new folks to work at the backside.”
Wil’s face opened with a rare smile and floated an idea. “Sugar Jackson from Kentucky needs a job. She raised Capp after my wife left; kept the house tidy and cooked down-home food. I’d bet my life you wouldn’t be disappointed. And you won’t find her in any closet or stall either.”
James chuckled, but Mary’s look indicated she was more than upset with Wil’s remark. Capp not only saw it, but felt it, leaving him to understand that Maizie was not a girl to mess with—not now anyway.
Chapter 21
Maizie’s Diary
June 10, 1931
Josie was sent away. Leon took her to the train. He told me Josie cried the whole way there. Leon said Josie loved Capp and that’s how she got in trouble. I guess she wasn’t just doing small favors after all. I love Capp too, I think. Or at least I really like him. What if Mrs. Glidewell finds out I love him? I don’t know much about living with fancy folks. I wonder if I could be sent away too, like Josie. Seems it could happen. The problem is I don’t have a daddy in Tupelo or anywhere.
Mrs. Glidewell is beginning to confuse me. I heard her arguing with Mr. Glidewell the other day. He was saying Capp didn’t do anything wrong. I couldn’t make out the whole thing, but Mrs. Glidewell was mad about something. Probably Capp. But then she tells me I could have horseback-riding lessons with Capp, but no trail rides. If she’s not happy about me spending time with him, why let me? And then she says she wants come watch my lessons. That would make me nervous, I think.
You know that guardian angel thing my mama told me? About when something good happens you got to look around for the guardian angel. Guess I’ll never know for sure about angels cause my mama is gone. Seems in Mama’s case her angel forgot to show up when she needed help the most. Guess that could happen to me too. If I can’t stay at Glidewell, where would I go? Some days I’m just scared, not of this place but of the world beyond the thorny fence.
Bonne nuit, mon ami,
Maizie Sunday Freedman
Chapter 22
The Riding Lesson
Maizie dressed for her riding lesson in Mary’s old riding pants, shirt, boots, and hat. Mary met her in the hall outside her office and a warm heartfelt smile crossed her lips. Maizie did not give her the gift of a genuine smile in return. Mary was crushed, but she put on a cheerful air. They walked together to the track making light conversation about the weather. When they got to the saddling stall, Capp looked like he had been hard at work all day, his boots and Levi’s dusty, his shirt stained with sweat. James was right. Capp is a hard worker, Mary thought to herself. She watched while Capp helped Maizie into the saddle. Mary found a good vantage point to observe the lesson without intruding. From that distance, she couldn’t hear what Capp was saying, but she could tell by the seriousness on their faces that it was all business, no nonsense. Mary felt better.
Maizie seemed to be taking Breezy around the ring by herself in a walk then a trot. She appeared in control and confident. Mary
