Free Golden Hope by Johanna Nicholls Page B

perform for the first time anywhere in the Antipodes, the backwards somersault made famous by her sister, The Daring Dolores.’
    So why isn’t Dolores performing with her as billed?
    Warm applause welcomed the entrance into the ring of two dashing white horses with ornate bridles but no saddles. A surprisingly tall ‘little girl’ ran into the centre of the ring, dressed in a glittering pink costume, a circlet of roses crowning her wild black mane.
    Clytie. Her fixed smile appeared confident but Rom prided himself he knew women – it was a mask to cover nervous concentration. Her eyes darted back to Ringmaster Gourlay to take her cue from him, as he judged the correct rhythmic pace of the horses.
    From a standing position Clytie sprang like a jack-in-the-box up onto the back of the leading horse, instantly converting her pose into a graceful balletic movement, kicking up one leg and holding it above her head with one hand, extending her other arm as ballast. The applause was spontaneous. Yet as she rode past Rom’s seat he was convinced her hand was shaking.
    Audience admiration escalated as she performed a series of feats, springing from horse to horse. Tension rose when the Ringmaster held a hoop some ten yards in the direct path of the leading horse on which Clytie stood balanced. As the hoop suddenly burst into flames, she curled herself up into a ball and catapulted through the fiery circle – to regain her stance on the horse’s back.
    Rom felt his muscles tense when the Ringmaster asked the audience for total silence.
    â€˜Little Clytie will now perform for you, for the very first time in her life, the most difficult equestrian feat, the backward somersault performed on horseback.’
    Rom checked the program. It says Dolores’s famous feat was a forward somersault – or flip-flap. Sounds like Clytie hasn’t yet reached Dolores’s mark. Rom held his breath, willing the girl to succeed.
    The audience obeyed the call for total silence.
    Clytie executed the first somersault but made a slightly awkward landing on the back of the horse. For a heart-stopping moment sheappeared in danger of losing her balance. She quickly resumed a graceful pose to acknowledge the applause.
    On the brink of her second attempt, the entire audience seemed to suck in its breath.
    Rom’s palms were sweating. Come on, Clytie, you can do it!
    The second flip-flap she achieved with grace to even greater applause.
    â€˜Bravo!’ Rom leapt to his feet and his voice rose above the others, amid a sea of whistles and stamping feet.
    Clytie stretched her arms in the air in triumph. In response the audience rose as one to their feet and applauded wildly.
    Just look at her. She drinks applause like champagne – and it’s gone straight to her head!
    Clytie charmingly ignored the Ringmaster’s gesture for her to take her final bow and exit. Instead she shook her head and her outstretched hand curved downward and forward as if it was a signal between them. Gourlay shook his head in denial, signalled her to dismount. Clytie pretended she did not see him and urged her horse to continue, standing perched on his back.
    Rom distinctly heard her tell the Ringmaster, ‘I’m going to do it!’
    Forced to capitulate, Gourlay made the announcement, asking for total silence.
    As Clytie rode past, Rom saw that her eye was caught by the elegant woman seated at the other end of his row. As gracefully as if it was a well-rehearsed gesture at every performance, Clytie removed the circlet of roses crowning her hair. She leapt down from the horse, curtsied and presented the floral tribute to Adelaide Hundey. Rom was curious. Why has she singled out Doc’s sister? Why not Twyman or the Banker if she’s trying to impress the bigwigs in the town?
    Beneath her veil Miss Hundey’s pale features were expressionless but her long gloved hands held the floral tribute as if it were of great