His lordship still hadn’t said anything, but it was clear he was enjoying this.
‘Well, I suppose that would work,’ the head groom admitted reluctantly. ‘But a girl still can’t be a stable lad. There’s a lot of dirty jobs and mucking out to do and her skirts will be dragging in the muck all the time.’
‘Oh, that’s easy,’ she declared. ‘I’ll wear breeches like everyone else.’
‘There you are, then, that’s settled, and you have your new hand,’ his lordship said, somehow managing to keep a straight face as he turned to his estate manager. ‘George, see the loft is made into a safe, habitable place for Miss Banner, and ask the housekeeper to provide suitable bedding. I don’t know what we can do about the breeches, though.’
‘That’s all right, your lordship.’ She grinned, so happy they were giving her a chance. ‘I’ve already got some when I needed to ride bareback with the Travellers.’
‘Splendid. That’s all problems taken care of.’ His lordship turned away and as he made his way back to the house they could hear him laughing.
The head groom was shaking his head and looking bewildered. ‘I don’t know what the other hands will say about this. But I tell you one thing, Mr Carstairs, that’s the first time his lordship has laughed for quite a while.’
‘Yes, it’s good to hear.’ He smiled at Chrissie. ‘Go and collect your things and come straight back, and then I’ll introduce you to the other hands. We’ll see to everything while you’re gone. How long will it take you to say goodbye and get back here?’
‘Two hours, maybe less.’
‘That will be fine. Off you go.’
Chapter Eight
She was so excited she ran all the way back to the camp, but was quite aware how hard it was going to be to say goodbye to everyone. They had been very kind and she was grateful to them, but she didn’t belong with them, and she’d told them from the start that her stay would only be temporary. She couldn’t believe she had got the job, and had taken an instant liking to his lordship. The moment she had seen the place and the magnificent horses she had known that was where she wanted to be, and to work with the animals was the best job they could have offered her. It would be much better than being at the beck and call of everyone in the house and scrubbing floors. Mucking-out stables was much more appealing to her. Perhaps if she worked hard they would let her ride one of the beautiful animals one day. Her mind was racing with wonderful possibilities, and any spare time she had, there were miles and miles of lovely countryside to explore. The forest wasn’t far away, either, and she would be able to see it when the trees were in full leaf. Bursting to tell everyone her good news she ran full pelt into the camp.
‘Careful!’ Ma said when Chrissie nearly crashed in to her. ‘What’s the rush?’
‘I’ve got a job!’ She stopped and took a deep breath after running so far. ‘I can start straight away and must tell Elsie before I say goodbye to everyone else.’
‘Ah, I’m pleased for you, but we will miss you. I’ll get everyone together, shall I?’
‘Yes, please.’
Elsie already had a pot of tea made when she arrived, and smiled at the excited girl who tumbled into her home. ‘So, you’re leaving us.’
Chrissie nodded. ‘There’s a big house not far from here owned by Lord Frenshaw and he’s such a nice gentleman. They breed warhorses for the cavalry and I’ve got a job in the stables. They are beautiful animals, but the one I made friends with is a bright chestnut colour, not dark and handsome,’ she teased. ‘In fact, I didn’t see a black horse there.’
The elderly woman laughed but said nothing.
Hearing the familiar laugh, a worry crossed her mind. ‘I’ve become very fond of you, Elsie, and I’m wondering who will look after you now.’
‘Don’t you fret. It has already been arranged while you were out this morning. There are plenty of willing hands and we are family. No one here is ever left to cope for themselves.’
She frowned. ‘I’ve only just got the job, so how did you know I would be leaving today?’
‘I knew days ago that we were approaching the place where you would leave us.’
‘Did you see it in your crystal ball?’
‘No, I saw it in your eyes as you studied this area, and change is written in your hand. After all you’ve done over the last months you still don’t believe, do you?’
Chrissie grinned and shook her head. ‘Though I did come to quite enjoy the game and see the customers enjoy the experience, even if it was just for fun.’
‘Although you believe it’s all nonsense I want to give you a gift.’
‘Oh, I don’t want anything. You have already given me so much. You took me in when I had nowhere to go, and have been like a mother to me.’
‘That’s kind of you, my dear, but I think grandmother would be a better description.’ She picked up a brightly coloured wooden box and held it out. ‘It would make me very happy if you would accept this with my blessing for a happy future. It was my grandmother’s and she would be pleased to know you have it.’
Whatever was in the box belonged to Elsie’s family, and that made her hesitate to accept such a precious item. ‘It must mean a lot to you. Are you sure you want to give it to me?’
‘Positive. If I told you my grandmother said it belonged with you, would you believe me?’
‘You know I wouldn’t.’
‘Well then, I believe it belongs with you.’ She placed the box in Chrissie’s hands. ‘Your time here has been a blessing to all of us.’
Knowing it would hurt Elsie if she refused, she took the box. ‘I will treasure it and it will be a reminder of the happy times we have spent together. Can I look inside?’
‘Not now. Look at it before you settle down to sleep tonight.’ She glanced outside. ‘Everyone is gathered to wish you well.’
She had known leaving them wasn’t going to be easy, but it turned out to be harder than she had imagined. They considered her to be one of them now and were reluctant to see her go, and by the time she had spoken to everyone she had an armful of gifts. A lucky horseshoe from the young boys she had helped with the animals, a colourful scarf from Ma and Pa, a small embroidered tablecloth and practical things from the others, like pegs to hang out her washing and a basket to put everything in. She was quite overwhelmed by their kindness and obvious affection for her, and she felt the same about every one of them. Her words of gratitude for all they had done for her seemed so inadequate, and for the first time in her life she was lost for words.
Pa smiled as she stumbled over what to say and bent to kiss her cheek. ‘You know where we’re travelling, Chrissie, so if you need any help you come and find us. We always look after family.’
To hear they now considered her to be family was nearly too much and she fought back tears as doubts rushed in. Was she making a mistake leaving them? She was safe here, had plenty of food, good friends, plenty to keep her busy and new places to see. But it wasn’t what she had planned for herself. When she had joined them she hadn’t anticipated becoming this fond of everyone and this was the reason for her doubts, she realised.
Elsie clasped her hand and nodded as if reading her mind. ‘This is what you have set out to do, my dear, and I know it is something you must do, and remember to keep a watch out for the black horse because that is important. It could bring your destiny with it.’
The doubts melted away and she laughed. ‘Once I’m settled in I’ll search the stables for him.’
‘He isn’t there yet.’ She patted the hand she was still holding. ‘He’s on his way, though, and will need your love.’
‘Oh, Elsie, I’m going to miss you.’ She gazed at the people surrounding her. ‘I’ll miss you all.’
‘There will always be a place for you with us if things don’t work out,’ Ma told her, and all the others nodded in agreement.
‘Thank you, that’s comforting to know. I’ll always remember my time with you as something special. Now I
must go. They are waiting for the new stable lad.’
Before leaving the camp she changed into breeches and rolled her hair up under a cap, packed her belongings and set off for her new life. Excitement was tempered with apprehension and one thought was uppermost in her mind: if she was making a mistake there would be somewhere to go this time. They would be moving off today, but they travelled slowly so it should be possible to catch up with them, or wait for their return journey.
The moment the house came into view she stopped and gazed at it for a while. It was so beautiful here and she sincerely hoped it would turn out to be the fulfilment of her dream of life in the country. It had to work. She would make it work. There couldn’t be a better place to put down roots than here, surely?
The head groom nodded approval when he saw she was sensibly dressed for the work needed, and after one of the boys put her things in the loft, he put her straight to work mucking out the stables. She set to it with a smile on her face. They had given her a job with the horses and what more could she want?
She could feel that all the other stable hands were doubtful about her, but during the afternoon, as she joked with them and did as much, and even more than them, they began to act more friendly around her. It was clear they had been worried she wouldn’t do her share of the work and they’d have extra to do. That fear was soon dealt with and the evening meal was a relaxed affair. By the time she climbed the ladder to the loft she was happy the way things had gone, and when she saw what they had done to the loft she couldn’t believe her eyes. Instead of a pile of straw to sleep on there was a bed with clean sheets and blankets, a colourful rug covered the rough floorboards and there was even a small table and comfortable chair. For light there was a lantern for safety with a candle inside. All the items would have squeezed through the trapdoor except the bed; that must have been made up here, she realised. A lot of trouble had been taken to make a comfortable room for her, and she was determined to thank everyone in the morning, especially his lordship for there was no doubt in her mind that he had ordered this to be done for her.
She sat in the chair with a contented sigh and began looking at the gifts the Travellers had given her. There was already a nail sticking out over the bed and the lucky horseshoe went there perfectly, and the cloth looked nice on the table. The last item was Elsie’s gift and she gasped in astonishment when she opened the box. ‘Oh, Elsie, you shouldn’t have parted with this,’ she exclaimed. ‘It must be very precious to you.’ Tears filled her eyes. ‘I know now why you told me not to look at it until tonight, because you knew I would have insisted that you took it back. You are travelling now and I have no choice but to keep it.’
Reaching in the box she carefully removed the contents and placed it on the table, then brought the lantern close, making the light sparkle from it. This wasn’t the one she had used in the tent; this was clearly special and must be valuable. What a gift! But why had Elsie given her such a thing of beauty, especially as she had made no secret of the fact that she didn’t believe in fortune-telling? She had to admit, though, that some strange things had happened while she had been masquerading as a fortune-teller.
Unable to resist she ran her hands over it and bent to kiss it. ‘Thank you, Elsie, I’ll keep it safe.’
The crystal ball seemed filled with stars of light as if pleased by her acceptance.
Chapter Nine
‘How much longer are you going to keep me from my inheritance?’ Edward Danton glared at his uncle, exasperated.
‘You cannot lay claim to the estate until it is proven that Harry is dead. That is stated clearly enough in his will, as you well know. Until I have irrefutable proof that he is not returning I will continue to see that the stud farm is run as it should be.’
‘But it is over a year since the Crimean War ended. If Harry had, by some miracle, survived the Battle of Balaclava and the massacre of the Light Brigade, he would have been back by now. He’s dead, Uncle, and it’s time you faced that fact!’
Lord Frenshaw rose to his feet. ‘I have told you time and time again I will not accept that without proof. The only report I have received is that he is missing – no body has been found.’
Edward thumped the desk. ‘Is that surprising? Can’t you imagine the chaos there must have been out there?’
Charles Frenshaw would not let his nephew see the pain his remarks had caused him. He deeply regretted that this was the only family heir – the only child of his sister. She had been a fine woman but had always indulged her son. If he wanted anything she made sure he received it. He had always coveted this estate, and that brought out the selfish streak in him. He knew, of course, that he couldn’t keep waiting for his son to return and would soon have to hand everything over to his nephew. That worried him because among Edward’s many faults he was known to be an addicted gambler, and the longer he could keep this place out of his hands the better. He would continue to remain stubborn.
‘I’ll hold the reins efficiently, as my son wanted, until such time as we receive official news.’
Edward snorted in derision. ‘I would hardly call engaging a girl as a stable lad efficient. It is not seemly to have her walking around the place wearing breeches, of all things. And have you seen her riding those beasts bareback? Whatever possessed you to do such a thing? You couldn’t have been thinking straight.’
That was too much. ‘Are you accusing me of not being in full command of my senses?’
Edward took a step back when confronted with his uncle’s fury. He was still an impressive man. ‘It was perhaps a moment of hasty decision on your part, that’s all I’m saying.’
Charles drew in a deep breath as an idea came to him. It was no good losing his temper, as he knew from experience with his nephew, so he spoke softly now. ‘Let me tell you something about that girl. She comes from the slums of London and when her father died she was thrown out of her home by a greedy landlord. She was determined to get out of London and that journey has not been without hardships, but she has strength of character and did not allow anything to deter her from realising her dream of coming to the country. She works hard, taking on more than her fair share of the tasks and has gained everyone’s respect – including mine.’
‘That may be so, but she’s still a girl doing a man’s work,’ Edward protested.
It was no good trying to explain anything to this boy; he only had thoughts for himself and what he wanted. He picked up the bell from the desk and rang it. The butler appeared immediately. ‘Ah, Dobson, would you send someone for Banner and tell her I’d like to see her?’
‘At once, your lordship.’
‘What are you up to, Uncle? I know that look on your face. It’s the same one Harry always had when he was up to no good.’
‘Wait and see. There might be a way to settle our argument.’
In less than ten minutes Chrissie arrived, slightly out of breath from running and wiping her hands on her breeches to clean them a little. ‘You wanted me, your lordship?’
‘Yes, my nephew and I have a disagreement and I wondered if you could help settle it for us?’
‘Me?’ She frowned, puzzled by the strange request.
‘Yes, I’d like you to do a reading for us.’
That rocked her back on her heels and she opened her mouth to refuse when she saw him give her a sly wink. Ah, so he was playing some game, but what was he up to? Well, he’d been good to her, so she would go along with this and hope she said the right things. If this was a game, then she would play it with a flourish. ‘I would be happy to, if that is your wish, your lordship. Would you give me a moment to get something from my room?’
‘Of course, and thank you.’
Chrissie ran full pelt for the barn and scrambled up the ladder to her room, her mind racing. What did his lordship want her to do? He knew she couldn’t really read fortunes and yet he was asking her to do just that to settle an argument with the other gentleman. How could she when she didn’t have any idea what this w
as all about? Taking a deep breath she told herself to calm down and hope he’d give her some clue along the way. Elsie had taught her well and she must use that knowledge she had been given. After all, she managed as a fortune-teller on the journey here, and she could do it again as it was probably important to his lordship. Suddenly she saw the humour in this situation and grinned, feeling relaxed now.
Carefully holding the precious box and a bright cloth she made her way back to the library. The other man was staring out of the window and she could tell by the way he was holding himself that he was angry. His lordship, on the other hand, appeared quite at ease.
‘May I use that small table?’ she asked.
‘Of course.’ He removed a pile of books and watched with interest as Chrissie covered it with the cloth and removed the crystal ball from the box.
She glanced up at him and he gave an almost imperceptible nod of approval, and that was a good start. Once everything was ready she asked, ‘Would you both sit opposite me, please?’
‘This is preposterous!’ the other man declared, remaining where he was.
‘If you want this argument settled, then you will go along with this. And don’t pretend outrage because I know you have been to a seance more than once.’
Making no further argument he sat down, and Chrissie watched the movements and expressions carefully. That remark about the seance was interesting. They were both looking for answers to something – but what?
‘Give me your hands, please.’ She examined the lines on both but said nothing, trying to clear her mind as she had been taught and allow thoughts to flow in freely. For some reason she turned away from the other man quickly, spending more time on his lordship’s hand. She could read the lines, but that wasn’t what these men were looking for. Turning her attention to the crystal ball she concentrated on its depths.
‘What do you see, Chrissie?’ his lordship asked softly.
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