Page 11 of Linenfold (The Alice Chronicles #4)

I t is shortly before midday dinner that a drumming of hooves draws Alice to the kitchen window.

Splashing into the court bursts a rider on a fine big-boned bay and slithers to a halt.

A bay well known to Alice, one she has seen on many occasions since she arrived at High Stoke last spring.

But the rider is entirely unknown. She opens the kitchen door.

Sat confidently astride, small boots just pulling out of the stirrups, the rider deftly hitches her habit, throws a leg over the saddle and jumps down.

Thick dark hair falls in curls about her temples, with a touch of bronze detectable even in the late autumn gloom, under a wide-brimmed hat with a broad, pin-tucked silk band.

Eyes blue as a springtime sky, sparkling with the air and exercise of a run from the neighbouring property of Freemans, ‘You must be Alice,’ she pants.

‘Where can I stall this great beast of my cousin’s?

’ Reaching a finely gloved hand to his muzzle.

‘Such a pleasure to ride. He is fearless.’ She strokes affectionately, briefly resting her cheek against the bay’s neck, and the animal blows against her crimson-striped doublet, a mutual appreciation.

Alice reaches out hands in greeting to a young woman probably a year or two her junior. ‘I am Alice, yes,’ she says, ‘and I hazard you are Juliana?’

‘Ohh, sorry! Yes, Juliana Egerton. Jack’s cousin.’

‘I realised you were from Freemans, I recognise his mount,’ Alice says. ‘I had no idea he allowed anyone other than Olivia to ride him.’

‘Oh, he doesn’t,’ is the airy answer. ‘I just borrowed him to come over and meet you. Jack accompanied me down from London in a hire coach yesterday, you see. Well, I was in the coach, he was riding, which was horrid because I said I wanted to ride as well, and it was only windy, not wet, but he wouldn’t hear of it, droned on about not grasping the point or something.

’ She rolls her eyes in exasperation. ‘We were all going to come over and visit you in the afternoon but then the rain came again and it was so awful , we couldn’t have ridden, it would have ruined my hat, but Olivia has so often spoken of you that I simply had to come over.

She and I planned to come this morning instead, but with this wretched fog she thought better to wait until it thins, but that could be an age and I can’t wait that long, and Jack was about to leave straightway for London again and the horse was ready saddled and I thought, well, if he can ride in this fog, so can I, so I decided to just fly over. ’

Alice laughs. For Juliana, the thought is the deed. They could have done with her resolve in the battle of the coaches and the barn. But Jack’s pride and joy? ‘You know he’ll kill you, don’t you?’

‘I’ll be back before he notices. So here I am and—’

‘I hazard they don’t know where you are, then?’ Alice asks.

‘It’s all right, I’ll tell them when I get back. I must tell you, I met your lovely little boy Sam.’

‘Ah, Sam,’ Alice says. She is always pleased at every new commendation.

‘We talked horseflesh,’ Juliana says. ‘My goodness, he’s knowledgeable.’

‘He’s always been interested and has learned much from Jack. Those two made friends over this handsome bay the first time they met. Sam’s with Cicely’s children for a few days, but if this fog clears, I’ll come and collect him this afternoon.’

‘You are riding at present?’ Juliana asks, a brief glance at Alice’s hand resting over the swelling under her skirts.’

‘At a walk only.’

‘I don’t want to discommode you, just to meet you and you are exactly as they described, but now I’m here I can smell cooking so you must be busy, so I won’t come in, I’ll just—’ The flow suddenly cuts off, and Juliana’s face takes on a look of surprise.

Not, Alice realises, an unpleasant surprise either.

Behind her, footsteps, and she turns to see Philip Sewell halt, equally at gaze, arrested by the windblown beauty before him.

Philip is the first to recover, dragging his eyes away to address Alice.

‘Mistress Jerrard, your pardon. I came to ask a favour on behalf of one of the Mesdemoiselles who would like to enjoy some healthful exercise before we travel again – but I see your attention is taken. I shall wait in the kitchen until you are free.’

‘No matter, sir.’ She turns to Juliana. ‘May I introduce Master Philip Sewell who is here along with his party. Master Sewell, this is Mistress Juliana Egerton, my neighbour’s cousin on a visit to his home.’

‘At your service, mistress,’ Philip declares with a flourishing bow. ‘May I stable your mount while you conduct your business with Mistress Jerrard?’ He moves round Alice to take the rein.

‘I’m not staying, sir, just passing through. I really must be going. Back to Freemans. That’s where I’m staying, that way.’ She points for Philip’s benefit. ‘I only came to say hello.’

‘Allow me to conduct you back to Freemans, mistress.’

‘Oh, no need. I’ve ridden here dozens of times.

’ She turns to Alice. ‘I used to come over and see Henry and once he let me ride his grey. Such a vision of horseflesh, I’ve never forgotten how kind he was because that animal was his – oh!

I’m so sorry! My wretched tongue. I’m truly sorry to mention his name so carelessly, Alice—’

‘Don’t be,’ Alice says gently. And finds somewhat to her surprise that the involuntary reminder has not wounded her.

‘Henry must have been so pleased that you understood his pride in the grey. But even so, I know my husband would never have allowed you to ride back to Freemans alone, especially in weather like this.’

‘I shall be back there in an instant.’

‘Not if your mount loses you in the fog,’ Philip says.

‘He won’t. He’s steady as a rock, aren’t you, my beautiful?’ And she rests a glowing wind-whipped cheek against the bay’s muzzle.

‘Master Sewell’s party fell in the ditch,’ Alice tells her.

Juliana bursts out laughing. ‘Heavens! How did you do that? Oh, I shouldn’t laugh, I know, but it’s the thought!’ Another peal of merriment.

‘The horses went in first,’ Philip says, laughing himself, ‘and then our coach tipped over, quite slowly, and we all landed on top of each other. I blame the ducks.’

‘The ducks?’

‘Some wild ducks flew across the road and startled the horses,’ Alice explains.

‘My uncle’s secretary fared the worst,’ Philip goes on.

‘He was underneath. Wet leaves and mud through the window on one side and the two of us squashing him on the other. I had the softest tumble, on top of the two of them. Then Mistress Jerrard appeared like an angel of mercy and offered us ale and a fire. So you see how essential it is that I conduct you home so that you will not need to be dug out of a ditch yourself.’

Juliana shrugs. ‘There’s really no need, sir,’ she says, taking back the rein, ‘and anyway, the fog is clearing. Look up there, you can see the shape of the sun.’

Alice glances, can see nothing but solid white. ‘Juliana, Joe can see you back, he is familiar with the way. He’ll not be very long saddling up. Do give me a moment while I find him.’

‘No, I must go,’ Juliana insists.

‘Then come again, or I will come over to Freemans.’ Alice has an instant liking for Juliana’s exuberance, the sense of fresh air she carries in her wake.

‘I shall. Do you give me a step up, sir,’ Juliana says and straightway Philip is at her side, linking hands to throw her up. She manages with commendably careless elegance to slide her leg over the horse’s withers and find the stirrup. ‘Goodbye, Alice.’

‘Let’s talk properly soon,’ Alice suggests. ‘I’m often over at Freemans.’

‘I look forward to it.’ A smile tossed over her shoulder and then she is urging the bay forward.

Alice turns to Philip, to find that he is unhitching his horse and drawing it out of its stall.

‘Well, now I’ve helped her to mount,’ he says, ‘I’d better follow and make sure she comes to no hurt!

’ He vaults easily onto the unsaddled back, clutching the mane and driving in his heels, and chases after the diminishing figure.