Free The Lady in the Tower by Marie-Louise Jensen Page A

attended. Sometimes I felt she was a sheepdog worrying at my heels rather than the friend she pretended to be.
    Renewing my acquaintance with my cousin, on the other hand, was a comfort to me. I found his company most agreeable. I must confess though, he was not quite the happy-go-lucky youth of my memory.
    ‘You do not ride astride, Mistress Eleanor?’ he demanded when he saw me swing onto Arianna’s back. His face was a very picture of shock and disapproval. I laughed out loud.
    ‘Indeed, I do!’ I cried. I caught Tom’s equally disapproving look and scowled at him. We had already had a whispered argument on the subject of my saddle in the privacy of the loose box. I was not willing to revert to side-saddle because guests were come to stay. I was no longer even sure I could ride on one. Unless Sir Walter himself forbade it, I would ride as I liked. ‘And I’ll wager I can outdistance you on that showy chestnut any day,’ I taunted.
    ‘I would not take a wager from a lady,’ he said primly, averting his eyes from the sight of me on my horse. My temper flared.
    ‘Do I offend your sense of decorum, cousin?’ I asked.
    ‘It is not seemly,’ he muttered.
    Tom sent me a look that said clearly ‘I told you so’. I clicked my tongue in exasperation at them both. Their disapproval made me all the more determined to flout convention. I turned Arianna towards the gatehouse and urged her to step out smartly, leaving Gregory to follow or not as he chose. After a few moments I heard the sound of hooves behind me and guessed he was going to accompany me despite my offensive saddle.
    I had not been able to ride whilst I awaited my new clothes, and Arianna was fresh. She shied at the sight of the guard and cavorted sideways across the drawbridge, pretending to be frightened of the echoing sound of her own hooves on the wooden bridge.
    ‘That is surely not a gentle enough palfrey for a lady,’ ventured my cousin behind me. He sounded anxious.
    I laughed. ‘You must remember Arianna!’ I exclaimed. ‘I had her when you were here last. This is nothing but playfulness. Come, shall we ride out Iford way? Once we pass the encampment, there’s a great place for a gallop through the meadow along the river.’
    Gregory smiled.
    ‘Indeed, I do remember that stretch. But do you gallop? Surely … ’ His voice trailed off as he met my incredulous gaze.
    ‘Do I gallop?’ I demanded in blank astonishment. ‘Will the sun rise tomorrow? Of course I do.’ It was on the tip of my tongue to remind him I jousted also, but I bit it back. He had become tiresomely conventional, it seemed, and I did not want to spoil the ride by hearing his reaction to that piece of information.
    By the time Gregory had insisted on holding three gates open for me and had begged me to take care over rough ground twice, my temper was at boiling point. As we emerged from the trees by the river, a pheasant flew up, startling Arianna, who half reared, whinnying with fright. Quite used to her sudden frights, I kept my seat easily; ready to let her have her head if she wished to gallop. But before her front legs touched the ground, my cousin had grasped her reins just above the bit, bringing her to a complete halt.
    ‘Let my horse go at once ,’ I ordered him through clenched teeth.
    ‘But, Mistress … ’
    ‘Don’t Mistress Eleanor me and don’t interfere with my riding.’ My voice was quiet but shook with anger. Gregory looked taken aback and released the reins. I urged Arianna forward and she responded by breaking into a canter and soon lengthened her stride into a gallop. The ground was soft but not wet enough to make the going heavy. I leaned low over her neck, calling encouragement to her, until she was almost flying over the grass. I could hear Gregory’s horse gaining on us and urged her still faster.
    Once we reached the stream at Iford, the two horses were side by side. I slowed Arianna to wade through the clear water, glad of the shade the