Page 42
‘Eliza said something else that troubles me. She said Rav had indicated to her he was transformed by love – for a woman she saw on his arm in Bath. Who could this be? Has he confided in you, Alick?’
‘No. But then it’s not something Rav would talk about. Transformed by love doesn’t sound much like his lordship either.’ He snorted with laughter. ‘Anyway, I wouldn’t have thought that he’d characterise what he feels for Mrs Cornford as anything close to love.’
‘You’re mistaken, my darling. Something has loosened the bounds round his heart, but I thought it was our beautiful guest who was responsible for that.’
Alick sat up in bed and opened his arms to her. ‘I’m tired of talking about Rav’s romantic escapades. The bounds on my heart sprang free the moment I saw you felled by a beefy carter’s fist. It was suddenly simple. I adore you and am lucky indeed that you love me in return.’
‘Shh, don’t wake Emma.’ Corinna put her finger against his lips.
‘I’ve missed you so much. Come to bed, mistress mine!’
There was a week to go before the race and Eliza and Zadoc Flynn were up with the dawn to ride in Hyde Park, accompanied by Taz, when almost nobody else was about. Here they could gallop Ohio without being seen and Mr Flynn experimented with the saddle and length of stirrup to see what best suited Eliza. He had seen a few of the jockeys in America shorten their stirrups and ride out of the saddle instead of sitting upright, as they did in England. Taz was impressed. ‘Good to lift the bumfiddle off a racer’s engine.’
Zadoc Flynn was taken aback at Taz’s language and sounded surprisingly disapproving. ‘Taz! Don’t forget Miss Gray is a lady.’
Taz was unabashed and laughed. ‘Lady or not, Miss Gray ’as a bumfiddle along with the rest of us!’ He adjusted the stirrups. ‘Or would ye prefer summat more fancy like derrière?’ And he rolled his Rs in mockery.
Eliza interrupted. ‘I agree with Lord Purfoy. Taz has such a talent with the horses he can speak how he likes. I’m quite aware that dressed like this and riding off the saddle, my “bumfiddle”, as Taz calls it, is more prominently on show certainly than the average lady’s.’ Eliza turned to Mr Flynn. ‘What do you think of Ohio after that?’
‘For a trial ride, she looks fine and dandy.’ He was happy again and Taz nodded in agreement.
Eliza added her verdict. ‘I’ve never ridden so fast before. She’s a wonderful ride, smooth and flowing; it was as if I were winged like a bird carried on the wind.’
Everyone felt exhilarated as they made their way back to the mews. As Eliza dismounted she asked Taz, ‘When are you expecting Davey and the Wolfe coach to return?’
He gave a wink. ‘Ye mean when’s ’is lordship back?’
Eliza coloured and said brusquely, ‘No, I don’t. I was wondering when Davey was back so he could accompany me on my rides.’ But of course it was Lord Purfoy for whom Eliza longed, admonishing herself for such foolishness; it would take time to extract him from her heart.
‘Well, methinks two days. ’Tis a slower journey than it would be with me drivin’ the guv’nor’s best prancers.’
Eliza returned from the stables before her hosts were up and dashed up the stairs to change out of her borrowed schoolboy clothes. She feared most of all deceiving Mr and Mrs Wolfe and wondered what a nest of intrigue she was creating once again. After washing, she slipped into her blue muslin morning dress, rearranged her hair and went down the stairs to breakfast. She was just eating her toast and reading yesterday’s The Times when Corinna and Alick came into the room together. Eliza sprang up and took Corinna’s hand. ‘How is Emma?’
The tension had lifted from Corinna’s face and she smiled with relief. ‘The fever has passed and she had a peaceful night for the first time in three days. I think she was exhausted. I certainly was.’
Alick poured them all some coffee. ‘This morning I’ll fetch our doctor. You can never be too careful with sickness in the very young.’
Zadoc Flynn came into the room bringing a gust of the outdoors with him. ‘Good morning, everyone,’ he said in his bluff manner. ‘I’m hungry!’ He piled his plate with bread, pickle and ham and sat down with a jug of ale and The Sporting Magazine.
Alick looked across at him with a smile. ‘At this rate you’re going to be far too heavy to ride that pretty little filly you’ve bought.’
‘I know. It’s hard relying on others but we have some fine jockeys back in Kentucky so I shall just have to enjoy being a spectator of her flying hooves.’
Gibbons knocked on the door and entered. His benign old face seemed to be smiling even when he was not, and Eliza understood just why he was so loved in the Wolfe family. This morning he proffered a silver salver with a letter upon it and, smiling at Eliza, said, ‘This is for you, Miss Gray.’
Eliza was delighted to find that it was an answer from Miss Fairley.
Dear Miss Gray,
What a pleasure to hear from you. There is much News to share. Would two hours after noon suit you? I’ve just read this and wonder if you agree, ‘Alter ipse amicus’ – a friend is another self. That is what you are to me.
M F
Eliza held the paper to her breast. How that sentiment warmed her heart and made her spirit soar! She looked up and asked Corinna if she could borrow Polly as a chaperone for an hour or so. She then made her way into the library to finish re-reading The Corsair, feeling all the while consoled by having her father’s letter and mother’s list close, slipped between the last pages for safekeeping.
Miss Fairley lived only a short walk away and Eliza had been listening out for the chimes of the clock in the hall, counting the hours. Slipping the miniature into her reticule, her fingers closed protectively around the portrait, newly found and so precious to her. Polly was pleased to be coming too on this most perfect of spring afternoons, fresh, not quite warm, with a stillness that seemed to suspend the day, birdsong floating in the air. ‘No better afternoon for an outing, don’t you think, Polly?’
As they walked through Grosvenor Square, the circular gardens at the centre seemed to sparkle with new life and for once there were no carriages or horsemen clattering over the cobbles. Time stood still. Eliza glanced towards Lady Bassett’s mansion and shivered; how much had happened since that night of the ball some two weeks before. As the women turned into Mount Street, Eliza was jolted from her reverie by the bustling activity of the street and they came at last to a row of modest houses on the west side where the Fairleys lived.
