Free Just Deserts by Elizabeth Bailey Page B

means,’ Penelope agreed, throwing a quizzing glance
at her sister’s stormy face as she urged her horse
forward.
    But Fitzwarren was even now taking his friend’s lead, and
guiding his mount ready to accompany her sister.
    ‘ If that is his notion of gallantry,’ Persephone sneered,
‘he will not go far with Pen, I promise you.’
    Fitz laughed but made no comment on this. ‘Your sister was
in the right of it, you know. You have the best seat I have ever
seen. You will take the shine out of all our
equestriennes.’
    Persephone’s fine eyes met his in a straight look. ‘I am no
target for gallantry, sir, so pray do not trouble yourself to
invent pretty speeches for my benefit.’
    ‘ I spoke nothing but the truth,’ Fitz protested. ‘As for
gallantry, I am afraid you will have to accustom yourself to that.’
He read a retort in her eye and added, ‘But let us not talk of such
trivialities. Tell me instead how you come to be so excellent a
horsewoman.’
    Persephone thawed a little. ‘I had an excellent
teacher.’
    ‘ Your father?’
    ‘ No, indeed. Papa has little interest in horses. He began as
my father’s head groom, I believe. But latterly he had overall
charge of the stables.’ Her eyes softened. ‘And me, of
course.’
    ‘ Good God, was he a native, then?’
    ‘ Certainly. Do you imagine the Indians to be savages,
untutored in such arts?’
    ‘ Not at all,’ Fitz said. ‘I was surprised just for the
moment.’
    ‘ I can assure you, my lord, that a great many of our friends
were of the Indian races. Besides, there was in Bombay an ease of
social intercourse which I dare say you would
deprecate.’
    ‘ Not in the least. I imagine it was inevitable in such a
small community. Upon my soul, Miss Persephone, we are not so high
in the instep. You will find the racing fraternity, for example,
hobnobbing with all sorts and conditions of men.’
    ‘ Racing! How much I should like to see your famed courses. I
have heard much of Epsom and Newmarket. We had some racing,
naturally. Paltry affairs, mostly, but nevertheless
exciting.’
    Her eyes warmed and Fitz was reminded irresistibly of
Penelope as the classic features lit with a glowing
animation.
    ‘ We used to get up the meetings among ourselves. On the
Esplanade behind the Fort, stretching to Back Bay. There was a race
course of sorts out by the Dongri on the flats. But our own
meetings were better, for I was permitted to take part.’ Her deep
gurgle of laughter came. ‘Until they complained that I could not
lose and no one would be fool enough to bet against me. Ufur,
needless to say, would not allow it to be so. And he was
right.’
    ‘ Ufur?’ Fitz was fascinated by the change in her as she
spoke of what she patently loved.
    ‘ Yes, my tutor. He was himself a notable horseman. They
hated him to ride at the Dongri, too. For no one could touch him,
even at the last. And he was near seventy years old by
then.’
    ‘ He sounds a very paragon,’ Fitz commented,
smiling.
    ‘ Oh, past price!’
    Her eyes clouded and the distress in her face smote Fitz to
the heart.
    ‘ You miss him very much.’
    She nodded, her trembling
underlip gripped between her teeth.
    ‘ Well, if we cannot offer you such a paragon, I’ll wager
Chid would come a close second. He does not ride his own
racehorses, naturally, but even his peers acknowledge him an
undisputed virtuoso in the saddle.’
    This observation had the effect of wiping the woe from her
countenance. She stiffened alarmingly.
    ‘ Indeed?’
    Perhaps fortunately, they were at this point interrupted by
Count Leopold and Lord Buckfastleigh, who were in attendance upon
his lady wife, sitting sedately in an open carriage with a
companion.
    ‘ Ah, the lovely Miss Winsford,’ shouted his lordship, and
pointed an accusing finger at Fitzwarren. ‘Might have known we’d
find you monopolising her, Fitz, you dog.’ He bowed, tipping his
hat to the lady. ‘And which one of them are you, if I might