something out of the
expression on
his face, but she didn’t. Couldn’t. She had goals in life.
Forsaking the weather and her own unruly emotions, she said, “I don’t
see any camels. I thought we were going to have a riding lesson this
morning.”
Martin seemed to relax, probably, Christina thought caustically, because
she was no longer acting insane. “We are.” He also seemed to have regained
his usual pleasant demeanor. There was nothing of yesterday’s madman about him now
“This gentleman is Howard Schuman, and he’s going to teach you the fine
art of camel
riding. M r. Schuman, this is our leading lady, Christina
Mayhew . ”
Oh, this was wonderful. She’d alienated her camel riding instructor by
frowning at him for no reason. Trying to make up for her earlier
clumsiness , Christina turned toward Schuman and held
out her hand.
“How do you do, Mr. Schuman? Thanks for your help. Where did you learn how to
ride a camel?”
There. That had been a nice comment delivered with aplomb. He
couldn’t take exception to it.
He didn’t. He seemed to relax, in fact, and shook her hand with
evident pleasure. “Pleased to meet you, Miss Mayhew. Believe it or not, I
used to be in the French Foreign Legion. When I got out, I went to work for Barnum and
Bailey’s.”
“ Good heavens.” Christina was
genuinely impressed .”I thought all the men who joined the French Foreign Legion were
criminals on the lam.”
There she went again. Alienating her teacher. She remembered of old
how touchy teachers could get when their students were too curious.
Fortunately for her, Mr. Schuman didn’t take
exception to
her artless comment. In fact, he laughed. “Not all of us,
although I suspect there were a few blokes who joined to escape from various aspects of their lives.”
He had a nice accent. English or something. She offered up one of
her actressy smiles, and he flushed becomingly. Men. They were really quite
simple—and terribly predictable.
Mr. Schuman went on, “Camels are tricky customers, but I think we can
teach you some of the basics without much trouble.”
“ I’ve heard they spit at people if they’re
annoyed,” Christina said in order to make conversation.
Both men chuckle d, and
s he began to
feel better about herself, the day, the picture, and life in general.
“That they
do,” said Schuman “They aren’t very nice animals, as a
rule.”
“ And here they are!” Martin exclaimed, as if
he were more delighted to see a camel than he would have been to have a pile of gold coins
heaved at him.
Christina turned to look. There they were, all
right. Six
camels headed their way, lined up on ropes as if they were walking in a
caravan across the Sahara. They had an uncomfortable-looking gait. “By
gum, she
said. “There they are.”
Schuman heaved a sigh. “Camels,” he murmured dreamily.
Christina looked at him with interest. “You sound as if you like them,
Mr. Schuman .”
“ I do.
They’re difficult, but I love the silly creatures.”
“ I know exactly what you mean,” she said,
thinking about her grandmother.
So, apparently, did Martin think of Gran. His face darkened, and he
glanced around apprehensively. “Er, where’s Mrs. Mayhew this
morning?”
So. Even the wonderful Martin Tafft was afraid of Gran. Although she
told herself she shouldn’t be disappointed, that being afraid of Gran was only a
sensible reaction to the irascible old coot and her dangerous cane, and
that Martin had demonstrated a great facility for handling Gran so far, Christina
felt a little
deflated. “She’s on the porch.” She pointed.
“ Ah,” breathed Martin. “I see. I also see she
has her cane with her” He turned and grinned at
Schuman . “Better watch your step with Miss
Mayhew here.
She’s got a dangerous grandmother.”
“ I’ll keep it in mind,” retorted Schuman. The
two men laughed again. Christina guessed it was funny, although she didn’t
laugh with them.
Glancing around
expression on
his face, but she didn’t. Couldn’t. She had goals in life.
Forsaking the weather and her own unruly emotions, she said, “I don’t
see any camels. I thought we were going to have a riding lesson this
morning.”
Martin seemed to relax, probably, Christina thought caustically, because
she was no longer acting insane. “We are.” He also seemed to have regained
his usual pleasant demeanor. There was nothing of yesterday’s madman about him now
“This gentleman is Howard Schuman, and he’s going to teach you the fine
art of camel
riding. M r. Schuman, this is our leading lady, Christina
Mayhew . ”
Oh, this was wonderful. She’d alienated her camel riding instructor by
frowning at him for no reason. Trying to make up for her earlier
clumsiness , Christina turned toward Schuman and held
out her hand.
“How do you do, Mr. Schuman? Thanks for your help. Where did you learn how to
ride a camel?”
There. That had been a nice comment delivered with aplomb. He
couldn’t take exception to it.
He didn’t. He seemed to relax, in fact, and shook her hand with
evident pleasure. “Pleased to meet you, Miss Mayhew. Believe it or not, I
used to be in the French Foreign Legion. When I got out, I went to work for Barnum and
Bailey’s.”
“ Good heavens.” Christina was
genuinely impressed .”I thought all the men who joined the French Foreign Legion were
criminals on the lam.”
There she went again. Alienating her teacher. She remembered of old
how touchy teachers could get when their students were too curious.
Fortunately for her, Mr. Schuman didn’t take
exception to
her artless comment. In fact, he laughed. “Not all of us,
although I suspect there were a few blokes who joined to escape from various aspects of their lives.”
He had a nice accent. English or something. She offered up one of
her actressy smiles, and he flushed becomingly. Men. They were really quite
simple—and terribly predictable.
Mr. Schuman went on, “Camels are tricky customers, but I think we can
teach you some of the basics without much trouble.”
“ I’ve heard they spit at people if they’re
annoyed,” Christina said in order to make conversation.
Both men chuckle d, and
s he began to
feel better about herself, the day, the picture, and life in general.
“That they
do,” said Schuman “They aren’t very nice animals, as a
rule.”
“ And here they are!” Martin exclaimed, as if
he were more delighted to see a camel than he would have been to have a pile of gold coins
heaved at him.
Christina turned to look. There they were, all
right. Six
camels headed their way, lined up on ropes as if they were walking in a
caravan across the Sahara. They had an uncomfortable-looking gait. “By
gum, she
said. “There they are.”
Schuman heaved a sigh. “Camels,” he murmured dreamily.
Christina looked at him with interest. “You sound as if you like them,
Mr. Schuman .”
“ I do.
They’re difficult, but I love the silly creatures.”
“ I know exactly what you mean,” she said,
thinking about her grandmother.
So, apparently, did Martin think of Gran. His face darkened, and he
glanced around apprehensively. “Er, where’s Mrs. Mayhew this
morning?”
So. Even the wonderful Martin Tafft was afraid of Gran. Although she
told herself she shouldn’t be disappointed, that being afraid of Gran was only a
sensible reaction to the irascible old coot and her dangerous cane, and
that Martin had demonstrated a great facility for handling Gran so far, Christina
felt a little
deflated. “She’s on the porch.” She pointed.
“ Ah,” breathed Martin. “I see. I also see she
has her cane with her” He turned and grinned at
Schuman . “Better watch your step with Miss
Mayhew here.
She’s got a dangerous grandmother.”
“ I’ll keep it in mind,” retorted Schuman. The
two men laughed again. Christina guessed it was funny, although she didn’t
laugh with them.
Glancing around
Similar Books
