Page 5

She left the room, her heart unsteady, readying herself to meet the strangers who had taken her in, under duress she feared.

The staircase and hall looked much more friendly as early sunlight spilled in through the large east window.

Ancestral portraits no longer appeared to be following her with suspicious eyes and she could hear a child’s voice somewhere, and the clink of china.

These domestic sounds of a great house come awake settled her nerves.

Eliza was drawn to an open door and peeped in.

There sat a woman, her russet hair in a loose bun, her head bent over a book of accounts with a cup of coffee by her side, its steam curling lazily.

Eliza knocked lightly on the door and the woman looked up, her beautiful hazel-green eyes meeting her own as she rose to her feet.

‘My dear, come in. My name is Corinna Wolfe, I think you met my husband, Mr Wolfe, last night?’

Eliza walked towards her and was not certain if a curtsey was required in greeting. Instead, Corinna grasped her hand and squeezed it. ‘How’s your poor head? May I see?’

Eliza had to remind herself not to slip into the everyday talk used by the circus folk. ‘Mrs Wolfe, I’m very grateful for your and your husband’s care. I won’t impose on your kindness any longer.’ Her voice sounded careful and stilted to her ears.

‘My dear! Of course you’ll stay until you’ve recovered and your memory has returned.

There is no way that we could countenance letting you leave until you know who you are and have somewhere to go.

Now let me see your wound.’ Corinna led Eliza to a chair by the table and poured her a cup of coffee, then walked behind her to examine the back of her head.

Gently parting the hair, she said, ‘Well, you’re lucky it is just your memory you have lost. You must have had quite a bang.

It’s still a trifle swollen but looking good. Do you have any headache?’

‘No. And I slept very well in your lovely room, thank you.’

Corinna walked back to her chair. ‘Well, I hope you will consider it your room until you are restored to health.’

Eliza felt a surge of joy. Such generosity meant she could be safe for a while. She met Corinna’s eyes which were intent upon her face. ‘Now, Miss Eliza, what do you remember? Lord Purfoy said it was clear you were used to horses and liked them.’

‘I do love horses. That much I know. And my name is Eliza but I can’t remember anything more than that.

’ Eliza’s voice wavered as she was clutched with shame at lying to this kind, trusting woman, but she was so determined not to be taken back to the circus that she knew she had to continue with her charade until she had had time to work out what to do next.

‘It must be a most alarming experience. You may have family worried sick about you.’ Corinna’s face was wreathed in concern.

Eliza was saved from answering by a giggle behind her.

The door was pushed open as a blonde child toddled in carrying a cloth doll.

Corinna put her arms out and said, laughing, ‘Meet our little daughter, Emma.’ In one deft movement she lifted the small wriggling body onto her lap.

As she gazed down at her, her face was suffused with love.

The child’s nurse stood at the door. ‘Mrs Wolfe, Miss Emma’s so determined and insisted on seeing Mama. Her talk is coming on wondrously well. She manages sentences!’

Corinna laughed. ‘I know, Meg, she’s a most forward child. I’ll bring her through to you after breakfast.’ She smiled at the small bright face and gestured towards their guest saying, ‘Emmy, this is Miss Eliza.’

Eliza put out a finger for her to grasp. ‘How do you do, Miss Emma.’

‘How do, Miss Eliza.’

Eliza felt her heart skip a beat; did the lively child remind her of her own lost childhood, or was it that she ignited the old longing in her for family?

Corinna was watching the face of this stranger who had arrived like a creature from another world.

She was so simply dressed, and her remarkable hair was coiled in a way that made her look like a maiden from the Norse countries.

The delicate beauty of her face and hands and her slender, athletic build reminded Corinna of a dancer, but she sensed that beneath this ethereal beauty was steely courage and strength.

She was struck with how much she’d like to paint her portrait.

‘Miss Eliza, I’m a painter and I wondered if you’d be happy to sit for me this afternoon? ’

Eliza was taken aback that anyone would be interested enough to want to paint her, but nodded, her eyes bright with the realisation that this relaxed, comfortable household would be her home for a few more days.

The occasional whinny from the mews beyond the garden made her long to discover what kind of horses they had stabled there, and perhaps see again the little wizened man who had helped his master recover her from the roadway.

‘Do you think, Mrs Wolfe, I could see your stables?’

‘Of course. Riding is one of your interests?’ Corinna gave her an enquiring look.

When Eliza nodded again, an idea lightened Corinna’s face.

‘You seem to have brought very few garments with you. Until you remember where you live, would you like to borrow some of my clothes? I have so many that I can no longer fit into. But you are very slender, as I used to be before I started breeding.’ She laughed ruefully, then looked up as Alick Wolfe came into the room, and once again her face glowed as she wordlessly lifted up their child for him to take in his arms.

Eliza was surprised at how tall and broad he looked in daylight, dressed in such good clothes that even she recognised their distinction.

She had only seen him in his dressing gown, woken from sleep, and her embarrassment at being imposed on him and his family in the middle of the night meant she had barely met his gaze.

This morning she noticed the crinkle at the corner of his brown eyes as he looked fondly at his wife and baby, then turned his smiling face to her.

‘Miss Eliza, how good to see you restored to health. I hope you slept well?’

‘Thank you, sir, it’s a most comfortable room. I am more grateful than I can say for your and Mrs Wolfe’s kindness.’

Corinna interjected, ‘Alick, my dear, I’ve offered to lend Miss Eliza some of my clothes that no longer fit.’

‘That’s the best news!’ He laughed. ‘Perhaps once this new Wolfe cub is in the world you’ll stop trying to return to a sylph again. I appreciate the armful you’ve become.’ Eliza realised then that her hostess was with child.

Alick sat down next to Corinna and put Emma on the floor between them as Corinna continued, ‘I’ve also asked Miss Eliza to sit for me. I’d love to paint her portrait.’ When Alick looked surprised, she added hastily, ‘Until she recovers her memory and knows again who she is and where she belongs.’

Eliza thought she should leave her hosts to their breakfast and stood up. ‘I’ll go to the mews to see the horses, if that’s acceptable?’

‘Of course.’ Corinna looked up and gestured to the way. ‘Go down the back stairs to the garden and you’ll find there’s a green door in the wall.’

Eliza’s heart quickened as she stepped into the cobbled yard with the carriage house ahead and stables for the horses, lads busy cleaning out the night’s straw, feeding and saddling up the hunters ready for their exercise.

She loved the sounds of a busy stable and the animals and the sweet smell of hay.

She found herself drawn to a striking black horse that reminded her of Percy.

The Wolfe groom came forward. ‘Morning, miss. My name’s Davey. Should I saddle a mount for you?’

Mild panic overcame her. She had never ridden a horse with a saddle and certainly had no idea how to handle a side-saddle which was the only way well-brought-up ladies were expected to ride. ‘Thank you, Davey, but not today. It’s just good to see your beautiful horses.’

‘If you like the best horses money can buy, you should see Lord Purfoy’s in the next mews.

’ He indicated the serried ranks of stables behind the house next door where there was even more activity with horses coming and going.

Eliza walked into the yard, feeling shy.

A huge black hunter loomed above her, led on a harness by a stable boy.

The horse was even more beautiful than her Percy.

She reached up to stroke its arching throat.

‘Eh, miss! Ye’ve chosen our best. That’s m’lord’s stallion, Horatio.

’ She whirled round to face the small man who stood beside her.

His eyes seemed black in his weather-beaten face and they gave the impression that he’d seen the whole of life.

It was Taz, the tiger who had helped rescue her last night.

‘This is my domain,’ he said, flinging out his arm to encompass the neat rows of stables and carriage houses that a nobleman, known for the finest horseflesh in London, needed to maintain.

‘Oh, good morning, Taz. What a grand horse he is.’ It was a relief to be able to relax with him.

He was watching her closely but with an amused eye. ‘Ye a horsewoman are ye?’

‘I suppose I must be. I feel at home with them.’

‘Well, ye can ride out wi’me, if ye like.’

‘I would like. But I’m afraid I don’t know how to ride side-saddle.’ Eliza felt oddly ashamed but Taz just nodded, with little trace of surprise on his face.

‘I think a young miss with yer skills will master it quick enough.’

‘But mostly I long to ride bareback.’ Eliza was suddenly concerned by what she may have given away with this thoughtless remark, but Taz seemed unmoved.

‘If ye ride astride, without a saddle, it’ll be at dawn before any of the gentry are up to see ye.’ He laughed. ‘But tomorrow, wear a riding dress and ride wi’me. If it pleases ye, come at seven.’

‘What will Lord Purfoy say?’ Eliza was anxious to impose as little as possible on her hosts.