Page 63 of The Sun Sister

‘Right you are. Will you be going out riding? I’ve picked out a habit and boots that I think will fit you. You’ve a lovely petite figure, Miss Cecily.’

‘Thank you. I...yes, I think I might go for a ride.’

‘Why not on such a beautiful morning?’ Doris smiled at her. ‘I’ll be back in a tick with your outfit.’

Cecily sipped her tea, which was far more watery than she was used to, and suddenly remembered that she had not yet contacted her parents to let them know she was safe and well in England. She thought about what her mother would say if she told her she was about to go riding with Audrey and Edgar’s nephew...

‘She’d probably start organising the engagement party before I even got back,’ Cecily chuckled to herself.

‘What was that, miss?’ asked Doris.

‘Oh, I was just reminding myself that I must telephone my parents to let them know of my safe arrival.’

‘No need to worry about that, Miss Cecily. The butler telephoned them last night to let them know. Now then, let’s get you into your riding habit, shall we?’

Julius was already astride a magnificent black stallion when Cecily arrived at the stables.

‘Hello there, wondered if you’d show up,’ Julius said, casting a glance at her from his great height. ‘Jump aboard, will you?’ He indicated the pretty chestnut mare one of the grooms was leading out into the yard.

Cecily allowed the groom to help her up into the saddle. The mare whinnied and threw her head back, almost unseating her rider.

‘Bonnie’s a lively one, Cecily. Think you can cope?’

It wasn’t so much a question as a challenge.

‘I’ll sure do my best,’ she said as she took the reins from the groom and steadied the horse.

‘Right then, let’s be off.’

The two of them clopped out of the yard and Cecily followed Julius along the narrow path that then led through the trees to open parkland. He waited a few seconds for her to catch up with him.

‘Comfortable?’ he asked.

‘I guess so, but I’d prefer to go slow for a while, if that’s all right with you?’

‘Of course. We’ll take a gentle canter across the park and see if you’re up for the wide-open spaces of the Downs.’ Julius pointed to a vague expanse on the horizon. ‘The views are simply stunning from there.’

The two of them took off at a gentle trot, which gave Cecily time to find her seat and her confidence, then Julius broke into a canter and she followed. Bonnie’s hooves kicked up the rich smell of earth, and Cecily could see the frost shimmering and melting, while occasional snowdrops – the harbingers of spring – poked their heads out of the long grass beneath the chestnut trees. Despite the cold, birds called to each other, and Cecily finally felt very much as if she was in the Jane Austen novel she’d imagined.

‘Let me know if you need to go slower,’ Julius called to her as the stallion’s tail swished from side to side in front of her. ‘Can’t have Aunt Audrey’s guest of honour breaking her neck under my watch!’

With the biting wind blowing in her face, Cecily’s eyes began to stream and her nose to run, but she doggedly followed Julius’s horse. Just as she was about to pull Bonnie up as she could no longer see clearly, Julius slowed in front of her and twisted round in the saddle.

‘All tickety-boo?’ he asked her.

‘I haven’t the vaguest idea what “tickety-boo” means, but I sure am in need of a handkerchief,’ Cecily panted.

‘Of course.’ Julius turned his mount and steered back towards her until they were facing each other. He then produced a clean square of white linen from the top pocket of his tweed jacket, leant over and proceeded to dab her eyes.

‘Really, I can do it,’ she said, trying to grab the handkerchief from him.

‘It’s no trouble at all, though I won’t suggest I help you blow your nose,’ he quipped as he handed it to her, and she blew as delicately as she possibly could. ‘You have such very pretty eyes.’

‘Thank you for the compliment, but I hardly think I do at present. They’re streaming.’

‘Perhaps we might go up onto the Downs tomorrow morning, although the wind this time of year can be quite fierce. And I suppose you’re used to warmer weather in America.’

‘No, it’s far colder in New York than it is here. I just...perhaps I’m getting a chill.’