was furious with him for pointing it out.
My thoughts were interrupted by a voice at my side.
‘Your skills in the saddle command admiration, Mistress Eleanor. Especially in such a saddle.’
I scowled at Stanton, who was riding beside me once more, his face the picture of bland good humour.
‘Oh, no. It is all showing off ,’ I snapped. I watched resentfully as his eyes creased with amusement.
‘You are too reckless, it’s true,’ he replied. ‘But you did not panic when faced with danger. That is a skill in itself.’
‘I don’t want your compliments.’ I was becoming angrier at every word he said, convinced he was taunting me. I risked a brief glance at him. He wasn’t actually smiling, but I was sure he was making fun of me.
‘But, Mistress Eleanor,’ he said, and now there was no mistaking the teasing note in his voice, ‘you are my bride-to-be. If I may not both scold and compliment you, who may?’
‘I don’t wish to marry you,’ I blurted out. ‘I should prefer never to have set eyes on you.’
‘Dear me, you have taken me in dislike, haven’t you? What can I have done to deserve that?’
‘I do not wish to be married at all. And certainly not to the sort of man who kisses servant girls in corridors.’
To my fury, Stanton threw back his head and laughed.
‘Have you not yet forgiven me that?’ he asked. ‘I believe I was the one who came off worst, you little vixen.’
‘Your behaviour was disgraceful. Is that how you treat serving girls?’
‘No, only ladies dressed up as servants,’ he responded cheerfully.
I was infuriated, and urged my tired mount to walk faster. To my annoyance, my unwanted companion kept pace with me, riding so close that from time to time our feet touched. I could not move further away without riding into the hedge.
‘You crowd me, sir,’ I commented. Stanton grinned but did not move further away.
‘I did not kiss you, and you were not a servant girl,’ he pointed out at last. ‘I shall consider that kiss owed to me.’
‘It is no such thing!’ I cried. ‘You insulted me. You should be ashamed of yourself.’
‘Not at all. I was expressing my admiration for your fine looks and figure.’
To my annoyance, I felt the colour flaming into my face. I tried another tack:
‘Why do you wish to marry me anyway?’ I asked. ‘Is there not some girl of your acquaintance you would prefer to a stranger such as me?’
‘Mistress Eleanor, I did not wish to marry you at all. It was my esteemed father’s notion. Truth to tell, I was most reluctant.’
I looked at him in astonishment. ‘But then surely—’ I began. He interrupted me by holding up a hand.
‘But I can assure you I am becoming hourly more reconciled to the prospect. Your obvious dislike enhances the betrothal no end.’ The laughter was back in his voice, and my surprise turned to anger once more.
‘You are no gentleman,’ I said, my voice shaking. ‘I’ll never marry you.’
‘It is rather late for that, Mistress,’ he remarked. ‘The whole hall heard you plight your troth to me two nights ago. I’m afraid you’ll just have to grow accustomed to the idea. I believe I improve upon acquaintance.’
‘You think you’re so clever,’ I said in a low voice that shook with passion. ‘But I’ve wiped cleverer shit off my horse’s arse.’
I saw Stanton blink with shock, and felt a tiny stab of satisfaction, but he recovered swiftly. He bowed ironically—as far as he could in the saddle.
‘Mistress Eleanor, allow me to tell you that my horse’s arse is cleaner than your mouth.’
I had had enough.
I turned Arianna and rode off in a different direction to find my own route home. There were hot tears of anger and humiliation stinging my eyes. I would not give Stanton the satisfaction of seeing them.
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
Mother,
I am so afraid something has happened to you. Just let me have one word to reassure me that you are well! And please—agree to flee this
My thoughts were interrupted by a voice at my side.
‘Your skills in the saddle command admiration, Mistress Eleanor. Especially in such a saddle.’
I scowled at Stanton, who was riding beside me once more, his face the picture of bland good humour.
‘Oh, no. It is all showing off ,’ I snapped. I watched resentfully as his eyes creased with amusement.
‘You are too reckless, it’s true,’ he replied. ‘But you did not panic when faced with danger. That is a skill in itself.’
‘I don’t want your compliments.’ I was becoming angrier at every word he said, convinced he was taunting me. I risked a brief glance at him. He wasn’t actually smiling, but I was sure he was making fun of me.
‘But, Mistress Eleanor,’ he said, and now there was no mistaking the teasing note in his voice, ‘you are my bride-to-be. If I may not both scold and compliment you, who may?’
‘I don’t wish to marry you,’ I blurted out. ‘I should prefer never to have set eyes on you.’
‘Dear me, you have taken me in dislike, haven’t you? What can I have done to deserve that?’
‘I do not wish to be married at all. And certainly not to the sort of man who kisses servant girls in corridors.’
To my fury, Stanton threw back his head and laughed.
‘Have you not yet forgiven me that?’ he asked. ‘I believe I was the one who came off worst, you little vixen.’
‘Your behaviour was disgraceful. Is that how you treat serving girls?’
‘No, only ladies dressed up as servants,’ he responded cheerfully.
I was infuriated, and urged my tired mount to walk faster. To my annoyance, my unwanted companion kept pace with me, riding so close that from time to time our feet touched. I could not move further away without riding into the hedge.
‘You crowd me, sir,’ I commented. Stanton grinned but did not move further away.
‘I did not kiss you, and you were not a servant girl,’ he pointed out at last. ‘I shall consider that kiss owed to me.’
‘It is no such thing!’ I cried. ‘You insulted me. You should be ashamed of yourself.’
‘Not at all. I was expressing my admiration for your fine looks and figure.’
To my annoyance, I felt the colour flaming into my face. I tried another tack:
‘Why do you wish to marry me anyway?’ I asked. ‘Is there not some girl of your acquaintance you would prefer to a stranger such as me?’
‘Mistress Eleanor, I did not wish to marry you at all. It was my esteemed father’s notion. Truth to tell, I was most reluctant.’
I looked at him in astonishment. ‘But then surely—’ I began. He interrupted me by holding up a hand.
‘But I can assure you I am becoming hourly more reconciled to the prospect. Your obvious dislike enhances the betrothal no end.’ The laughter was back in his voice, and my surprise turned to anger once more.
‘You are no gentleman,’ I said, my voice shaking. ‘I’ll never marry you.’
‘It is rather late for that, Mistress,’ he remarked. ‘The whole hall heard you plight your troth to me two nights ago. I’m afraid you’ll just have to grow accustomed to the idea. I believe I improve upon acquaintance.’
‘You think you’re so clever,’ I said in a low voice that shook with passion. ‘But I’ve wiped cleverer shit off my horse’s arse.’
I saw Stanton blink with shock, and felt a tiny stab of satisfaction, but he recovered swiftly. He bowed ironically—as far as he could in the saddle.
‘Mistress Eleanor, allow me to tell you that my horse’s arse is cleaner than your mouth.’
I had had enough.
I turned Arianna and rode off in a different direction to find my own route home. There were hot tears of anger and humiliation stinging my eyes. I would not give Stanton the satisfaction of seeing them.
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
Mother,
I am so afraid something has happened to you. Just let me have one word to reassure me that you are well! And please—agree to flee this
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