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“Yes, but, up at the Towers?” Mary Horwich frowned. “I don’t know if that would be seemly.”
“No, no, I misspoke. She would visit as far as the Towers stables…quite a distance from the house and of course, Miss Radley is welcome to bring anyone she likes as chaperone.”
Mary bit her bottom lip, “This is so very nice of you, for Exerilla shouldn’t be cooped up here in the house all the time, but, I am not certain the squire would approve.”
“I assure ye, Mrs. Horwich, no harm will come to Miss Radley at the Towers, and she will be out in the open…riding,” Lord MacTorry offered.
“Yes, that is true; you could take my old gelding Exerilla. He is a gentle soul and can easily do the 3 or 4 miles to the Tower and back.”
“There then it is settled,” Sir Jacob said hurriedly. “I expect to see my mare being worked tomorrow, Miss Radley, what say you?”
“Fine, I see I am being swept away,” Exerilla said on a laugh.
They soon took their leave, with Jerry oddly quiet and looking slyly at his lordship under Exerilla’s all-seeing eyes. She wondered what that was all about, when Mary Horwich said, “Ah, here is the squire and what he will say to this, I don’t know.” She fidgeted with her dress until the squire strode inside and surprised her by saying “Met that young Sir Jacob on the front step. Likeable lad said I must come by for a wine tasting party he is throwing for a few of his father’s friends. Said, he’ll make me a gift of a few bottles from his father’s wine cellar. Thanked me for letting Miss Radley come by and work his horses.” He glared at Exerilla. “I’m glad you mean to make yourself useful while you are here, but I hope you know what you are doing. I don’t want any harm to come to one of Sir Jacob’s prime blood at your hands.” So saying, he reached for and took away the Dover Chronicle his wife had in her hands and said, “I’ll be in my study.” Off he went and Exerilla’s eyes narrowed as she watched him leave. He was even more unlikeable as time moved forward. What had Mary ever seen in him?
How he had snagged such a fine woman, like Mary was beyond her. She looked toward Mary who had a resigned look on her face as she sighed and got up to fetch a small tapestry she had been working on.
Exerilla moved away and blinked, once again using simple magic to reproduce a copy of the newspaper and said, “OH look what I have just found! One of the gentlemen must have left this behind,” she pushed it at Mary. “Go ahead, have a read, I’m sure they won’t miss it or mind.” A voice in her head told her she was using too much magic. If she wasn’t careful, her father might find her; especially if she continued to rely on her magic.
~ Nine ~
EXERILLA SMOOTHED HER hands over her dark brown velvet riding habit as she took the stairs. She tripped over the train which may have been high fashion, but she thought with a grimace was not practical for walking. The riding skirt had been designed for a side saddle, with a train to fashionably spread around the horse, but it was going to break her neck if she wasn’t careful.
She now realized what the buttons at her hips were for and bent to hook up the train. This done, she made her way down the remaining stairs, down the hall and to the open sitting room door.
She caught her reflection in the gilt framed mirror hanging over a sidewall table and adjusted the white lace collar of her shirt. This done, she twirled a long black curl around each ear as she placed and centered the brown matching velvet top hat on her head. She had attempted to style her hair to fit the times, and was fairly satisfied with the results. She smiled at the girly girl look of twirling thick curls as they cascaded down her back. Women of these times must spend an enormous time on their looks. Thank goodness she was able to accomplish the look with a flick of the wrist. This made her want to giggle, but she restrained herself.
She glanced at her shining black boots and knew why she had gone to so much trouble with her appearance. Shame on you, she told herself. You want to look good for Scotty blue eyes.
It was a truth she couldn’t deny.
You probably won’t even see him, Xie girl. No doubt, he is out and about town, flirting up every woman he comes across. What did she care? And yet, she found this a depressing thought. She shoved it out of her mind and with a sigh, pulled on her kid gloves. They were new, as was everything in her wardrobe; she realized she was going to have to break them in. At least the leather was soft and comfortable.
Loud voices suddenly came to her ears and she turned and realized someone was with the squire in his study down the hall. She shouldn’t eavesdrop. “Damnation, David!”
“Don’t bluster at me, Father. I mean to handle this my way.” David spoke softly, the edge of grim determination lining his voice.
Exerilla hadn’t seen him since the night she had arrived. She was surprised to find that he was fully capable of standing up to his odious father.
Handle it your way?” the squire raged. “You’re too bloody involved! Your way is neither safe nor appropriate. At this point I no longer care for the profit!”
“Don’t you? Then you needn’t take your share. Mark me, Father; we will be cautious because I am not a fool.”
To Exerilla, David’s voice though low and in control it sounded emotional as well.
“So you say, but I don’t hold with this. It was a pleasant thing now and again, but you have taken it to a level I cannot abide!” the squire shouted.
“Fire and Brimstone, Father--lower your voice,” David cut him off.
Exerilla knew it was time to make her exit before she was discovered. Just what were these two up to? It really didn’t have anything to do with her. All she had to do was coast until Samhain and then she would be able to go home. She wouldn’t even have to enact a spell. Her mother had already taken care of that with the pendant she wore around her neck.
A moment after midnight on Samhain, she would automatically return home. Her father would no longer be able to compel her. She would be a powerful white witch.
She couldn’t wait. She turned and hurried for the door. The hem of her skirt’s train became unattached and she tripped over its length once more. She went flying into the front door. She stretched out her arms and managed to catch herself with a hard thump, followed by a grunt. Hoping no one had heard her, she began fastening the train back on her hip.
David stuck his head out into the hallway, spied her fumbling with the train of her skirt and came out to ask, “Are you all right?”
“Yes, yes, my skirt is a bit long, and it won’t stay hooked up.”
