Free Mermaids Singing by Dilly Court

her chin with a defiant toss of her head.
    Rackham leaned towards her, caressing Lady Mableton’s face with the tip of his finger, outlining her cheek and the angle of her jaw, his smile fading, his voice sounding almost sad. ‘You’re even more beautiful than you were three years ago; I wouldn’t have thought it possible.’
    ‘Leave her alone, Giles,’ his companion said in a bored voice. ‘Can’t you see she don’t want to play? Let’s get on with our ride.’
    ‘Let me pass,’ Lady Mableton said, her voice rising shrilly as Leonie began to cry.
    ‘Running away again, Bella?’
    Whether by chance, or urged on by his rider, Rackham’s horse moved sideways, pushing Lady Mableton so that she staggered against Kitty. Anxiety bubbled into rage and, scooping Leonie off the ground, Kitty thrust her into her mother’s arms.
    ‘Leave her alone, you bloody bullies,’ Kitty screamed, throwing herself between the horses, slapping each of them on the rump.
    The startled animals reared on their hind legs, whinnying and lunging, almost unseating their riders. Kitty would have gone down beneath their flailing hooves if Lady Mableton had not grabbed her by the scruff of the neck and dragged her to safety.
    ‘That was brave but foolish, Kitty,’ Lady Mableton said, peering anxiously into her face. ‘Are you all right?’
    Kitty nodded; her teeth were chattering too much to allow her to speak.
    ‘Come then,’ Lady Mableton said, hoisting Leonie onto her hip and taking Kitty by the hand. ‘Leave them to their own stupidity.’
    The carriage was waiting in the Serpentine Road. It was not until they were all safely inside, and on their way back to Dover Street, that Kitty was able to speak.
    ‘Who was them men, my lady?’
    Lady Mableton’s lovely mouth drooped at the corners. ‘Part of my past, Kitty, another life best forgotten.’
    ‘You’re late,’ Nanny Smith snapped, casting a meaningful look at the clock on the nursery wall. ‘You knew it’s my half-day off and I should have been gone an hour since.’
    ‘It couldn’t be helped,’ Kitty said, undoing the buttons on Leonie’s velvet coat.
    ‘Just because you’re the favourite today,’ Nanny said, ramming her bonnet on her head. ‘Sucking up to her ladyship and pushing me out. You’d better watch your step, young Kitty, or I’ll see that you go back to the scullery and let Olive and Dora sort you out.’
    ‘Sorry, Nanny.’
    ‘I should think so.’ Nanny yanked at the ribbons on her bonnet, making an unsuccessful attempt to tie a bow. ‘Bother the thing! My fingers are all thumbs and it’s your fault, Kitty.’
    Sitting Leonie in her chair at the nursery table, Kitty offered to tie the bow and, somewhat grudgingly, Nanny allowed her to help.
    ‘Don’t tie it too tight,’ Nanny said, frowning. ‘And I may be a bit late back seeing as how you’ve kept me waiting.’
    ‘That’s all right,’ Kitty said, giving the bow a final tweak. ‘I got it all worked out if Miss Lane comes nosing round.’
    ‘Right then,’ Nanny said, studying her reflection in the mirror above the mantelpiece. ‘You owe me that. Now I’m off to meet my young man and if you don’t do everything just right, I’ll not be responsible for my actions when I get back. Do you understand me?’
    ‘Yes, Nanny.’
    ‘And you see to it that Miss Leonie gets her tea and supper on time.’
    Dora and Olive were off duty when Kitty went down to collect the nursery tea tray. The only person in the kitchen was the new scullery maid, a skinny little thing, all elbows and knees, who could not have been a day over twelve. She didn’t answer when Kitty spoke to her, just stared with saucer-like eyes and ran into the scullery, closing the door behind her. It wasn’t hard to imagine that this was the housemaids’ new object of spite. When she came down later to collect her own supper tray, she caught Olive and Dora tormenting the poor girl and Kitty’s temper flared.
    ‘Ain’t