Free Into the Blue by Christina Green Page B

ambiguous sound of her words and knew she was perhaps encouraging him to imagine more than she really meant. Alone, together on the moor, he would think she was taking one step nearer in their courtship.
    The worrying thoughts stayed in her mind until they turned in at the large gateway of Court Hill House on the outskirts of Bovey Tracey, and then she switched them off. She was free to enjoy herself, to savour a suddenly fresh life, and she would make the most of it. So she took Hugh’s hand as he helped her off the trap and, walking beside him, smiled across the stretching lawn at the group of people waiting for them by the tennis court, racquets in hand, voices chattering and laughing.
    Yes, life was suddenly very good.

CHAPTER SEVEN
    Ruby, after making the beds and dusting around, heard the knock at the front door, and then a man’s voice. Was this Miss Hester’s beau? What was he called, Hugh somebody? Hidden as she leant against the landing banisters, she listened intently; Miss Hester sounding happy for once. She scurried into Miss Hester’s room as the front door closed and the trap began crunching the gravel. Leaning out of the window, she could just see it moving. Miss Hester wore a blue dress, carried a racquet and was clearly enjoying going out with Mr Hugh. How lucky to have such a nice, handsome man beside her. For a second envy hit Ruby hard, but not for long. After all, her future was here, a path in front of her. And she was making steps every day.
    She loitered in Miss Hester’s bedroom, opening the wardrobe and looking at the clothes inside it. Nothing very interesting, no satin ballgowns like she’d seen once in a magazine. Ordinary clothes, she thought, until she looked at them closely and realized they were made with expensive cloth – silk, velvet, gabardine, tweed – and sewn with tiny stitches, trimmed stylishly, all looking elegant and gentrified. This was what made Miss Hester look so attractive. Something clicked in Ruby’s mind. One day she would have clothes like these.
    She closed the wardrobe and went to the dressing table, fingers reaching out to stroke the sandalwood jewel box. The top was carved with dragons and flowers and inside were all Miss Hester’s jewels. Ruby paused; no one about. Cook was cutting up a rabbit, Mr Redding in the garden with Hoskins, and Mrs Redding writing letters at her desk. Ruby smiled. What would she look like, decked out with jewels? She took out the brooches and pendants, put aside the rope of
pale moonstones, tried on the gold bracelet, and then, with an intake of delighted breath, picked up the green-blue glass beads and fastened them around her small, warm neck. Probably not precious like the other stuff but, oh, didn’t they suit her? A lovely shining bluey green, making her own green eyes all the brighter. Ruby swallowed the lump forming in her throat and suddenly knew the heat and force of desire.
    â€˜Ruby? Are you upstairs? Come down, please.’
    Mrs Redding. Hurriedly Ruby took off the necklace, pushed everything back into the box and closed the lid. She left the room and made sure she was heard running down the stairs. ‘Coming, Madam. Just giving the windows an extra shine – this sun shows up all the dust, it does.’
    Mrs Redding stood by her desk in the dining room, holding out two letters. ‘For Hoskins to post, please, Ruby. And you’ve done the windows? Well done – you think of everything.’ She smiled approvingly.
    Ruby took the letters, bobbed a curtsey, and said meekly, ‘It’s the least I can do, Madam, living here in this nice house, with nice employers.’ She left the room, smiling to herself. Madam was a real old softie. No problem in making a friend out of her. But when the time came, would Master be so easy?
    â€˜Ruby!’
    Mrs Caunter’s voice was loud and Ruby’s smile died as she went down to the kitchen.
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    The sun shone on the