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No! A hundred, a thousand times no!
Snow began to fall as I approached the stable, obliterating my tracks. My mouth quirked up in a smile that didn’t really have much humour in it. How fitting. All traces of my brief foray into the equestrian world would soon be gone. As if I’d never been there in the first place.
‘Well, maybe it’s better this way,’ I sighed, patting my horse on the neck. ‘After all, I wouldn’t want to have to bother with a beast like you for the rest of my life, would I?’
In response, the nice little horsey tried to bite my fingers off.
‘Yes, that’s right. You’re a sweet, bloodthirsty monster. Should I see if I have an apple and a lump of arsenic for you?’
I reached the stable without loss of limb. Looking back, I sighed. The light snow falling outside had turned the world into a glittery wonderland. The thought of rushing through that beautiful place, uphill and down across the valleys…
‘Welcome back, Mr Linton.’
I didn’t even have to turn to know who it was. Even if it hadn’t been for that familiar, icy tone, only one man in the entire world would address me as ‘Mister’ while I was dressed in a lady’s riding costume.
‘Come here to gloat, did you?’ I asked, reaching up to unfasten the saddle. ‘Go ahead.’
‘Gloat? I do not waste precious seconds on such a senseless activity. It is enough to know I was right. I don’t need to indulge in frivolous pleasure by reminding others of the fact. Knowledge is power is time is money. Remember?’
‘I do.’ Huffing, I pulled down the heavy sidesaddle and wiped sweat off my forehead. ‘Which is why I’m sure you have some place to be. Aren’t there any important memos for you to read or contracts to review?’
I reached for straw to rub the beast down.
‘Stop.’
I froze. I didn’t mean to. There was just something about Mr Ambrose’s voice that said: first instinct = obey!
‘Let’s make a deal,’ I sighed, tightening my grip on the straw. ‘You leave me to my business, and I’ll leave you to yours.’
Soft footsteps approached from behind me.
‘This is my business. Drop the straw. The horse isn’t yet done for the day. It has work to do.’
I didn’t want to feel it. I really didn’t. But I couldn’t help it: a sting of jealousy swept through me.
‘Are you going riding with someone, Sir?’
With one of the hyenas?
The footsteps came even closer. Mr Ambrose appeared in my field of vision, looking impossibly perfect, self-possessed and powerful in black boots, a black tailcoat and grey riding breeches. How did he do it? The clothes looked well past their prime. They were probably just as old and moth-eaten as anything else he owned. And despite that - no, because of it - he looked more of a man than any I had clapped eye upon before.
‘Yes, as it happens I am going riding with someone,’ he told me.
Who? Bloody Hell, who?
‘Put a normal saddle on, will you?’
Relief flooded through me. It was a man!
But the question still remained - who?
His eyes met mine, and there was icy fire in them.
‘When you’re finished with the saddle - go get your trousers, Mr Linton.’
It took a moment for the meaning of his words to sink in. When it finally did, a slow but radiant smile spread across my face.
‘You…you don’t mean you’re going to…?’
