A Lady's Guide to Mischief and Murder. Dianne Freeman

doors in the center, just in time to see George assist Rose into the side saddle—on the back of the same gray horse Leo had ridden yesterday. The creature looked entirely too big for her. She’d only just graduated from a pony a little more than a month ago.

      Rose spotted me and waved. Once George had her settled, he turned to me with a smile. I hated to ruin the moment, but as a mother, my nerves rather forced me to it. “She’ll be safe on that horse, won’t she, Mr. Hazelton?”

      His smile slipped. “Of course not, Lady Harleigh. I’ve found her the wildest stallion in the stable. No man in the county has managed to ride him, but Rose wanted to try her hand, and I thought, why not let her have a go?”

      He said this with such a calm demeanor, I might have believed him if not for Rose’s giggles. “She’s not a stallion, Mummy, she’s a mare.”

      I gave George a tight smile. “Laugh if you must, but I worried you might overestimate the level of Rose’s skill.”

      “I’m a good rider.” Rose’s red cheeks told me I’d embarrassed her. Anne quietly stepped off with a groom to select a horse of her own. I was making a complete hash of this.

      “I know you are dear. Perhaps I’m overreacting.”

      George stopped me with a hand on my shoulder. “Paloma is as gentle and obedient as a horse can be. I would have chosen her as your mount had Rose not developed a fondness for her.” He shrugged. “I can have the wild stallion saddled for you.”

      This time I laughed along with him and Rose joined in. “If Paloma has a mild-mannered sibling,” I said, “that would be preferable.”

      “I’ll see what we can do.”

      While the groom assisted Anne, George found a quiet, reliable mount for me, and the three of us set off within a few minutes. As we guided our mounts out of the stables, I reminded myself Rose knew how to handle both herself and her horse and decided simply to enjoy the ride. The sun was just breaking through the trees to the east, and we walked on toward the path George suggested we’d enjoy. It wound through a cool section of wood before opening up to a road where we could let the horses have their heads. Not that I was likely to do anything of the kind. New to riding, I found anything faster than a trot caused palpitations.

      My horse, a roan gelding named Hercules, had a different idea. As soon as we broke from the trees, Rose and Anne gave each other a nod and set off into a canter. Hercules clearly felt left out. Without bothering to consult me, he bolted. Granted, it was only a matter of a few hundred feet before we caught up and settled into a speed and rhythm I could manage, but it was enough to rattle my bones and confidence, whipping off my hat for good measure.

      Rose and Anne never even noticed. The road led to a neighboring estate, and they turned back upon reaching its drive, slowing down to a walk. Fortunately, Hercules followed suit.

      “Well, that blew off the cobwebs,” Anne said, her cheeks flushed from the exertion.

      “And my hat.” I reached a tentative hand to my hair to find it had fallen from its smart knot into a tangled mess.

      “We’ll keep an eye out for it on our way back,” Anne said as the two sidled up beside me. Anne looked me up and down with some concern. Rose leaned over and touched my arm. “Are you all right, Mummy?”

      “Of course, dear,” I said in as breezy a manner as I could muster. “You are clearly a horsewoman, Anne. I think Rose did well to keep up with you.”

      “I’ve been riding since I was about Rose’s age. There’s some good riding just north of London, but I wish I had more opportunities to visit the country and ride like this.” She gave my daughter a nod. “And the fact that you did keep up with me tells me you will be a far better horsewoman than I. If you keep at it, that is.”

      Rose beamed at the compliment. She and I had both been taking riding lessons for the last two months. It was my present for her eighth birthday. Rose had already been a good rider, but she longed to jump. She even injured herself trying to take her fat pony over a fence not long ago. Her determination made me decide it was in both our best interests to have proper lessons and a proper mount. Taking the lessons with her was more of an afterthought and a gift to myself for my twenty-eighth birthday. I’d never been much of a rider, but this was something we could enjoy together, and it was never too late to learn, was it?

      We urged the horses forward in a walk and headed back three abreast with Rose at the center. The groom followed behind.

      “Mother and I plan to ride every morning while we’re here,” Rose said. “You’d be welcome to join us, Miss Kendrick.”

      “We plan to ride as long as it doesn’t interfere with Lady Fiona’s schedule,” I added. “I hope you will join us, Anne.” Apart from my assignment, I was coming to enjoy her company. Moreover, she gave Rose a far greater challenge than I did.

      “There’s nothing I’d like better.” Anne cleared her throat as she leaned forward to pat her horse on the neck. “I should warn you, my sisters don’t ride much, but they may ask to join us when they learn I’m riding with you.”

      That would completely defeat the purpose. “Do the three of you enjoy spending time together?”

      She raised her shoulders in a shudder. “Not at all, but Eliza is terribly jealous. If she thinks I am receiving any sort of preference from you, she will want her due. Clara cannot bear to be left out of any activity.”

      Rose watched Anne with interest, perhaps giving thanks for her status as an only child.

      “I doubt you need worry about your sisters, at least not Mrs. Durant. It seems to me Lady Fiona has taken a liking to her, and if I know anything about Fiona, your sister will not have a moment to spare for you.”

      Anne seemed to brighten. “I am glad to hear that. Clara’s prattling I can manage, but Eliza is often cruel.”

      She gave me a sharp glance. “Perhaps cruel is too strong a word, but she does like to have her way. She is quite jealous of everyone, even Leo. She thinks my father should make her husband a partner in the company, as Leo is.”

      This was, perhaps, more information than she ought to discuss outside her own family circle. “I’m certain your father knows his business and has good reasons for his decisions.” I gave her a firm nod, intending to end the discussion.

      “Of course. He expects Arthur to quit working as soon as he inherits his father’s title. Why should he invest the time to train him, and give him a position of responsibility, if he’s just going to leave the company?”

      That reasoning made perfect sense except for one crucial detail and good manners aside—I had to inquire. “He does realize Arthur Durant’s father is not yet fifty, does he not?”

      Anne nodded and bit her lip, clearly trying to hold back her laughter, which ultimately snickered its way out. Rose and I joined in though I wasn’t sure Rose understood why we were laughing. It was a fine morning, she was riding with two companions, and that was reason enough.

      “I do hope Lord Durant is not aware my father expects his demise to come at any moment.” Anne barely choked out the words through her laughter and tears.

      “I promise never to breathe a word of it.” I leaned forward to give Rose a conspiratorial smile. “Rose, we must ask you to keep this secret as well.”

      She drew a cross over her heart with her finger, and I was much relieved.

      “I’m glad Aunt Lily and Mr. Kendrick decided to hold their wedding here rather than at a big church in London. The country is so much better.”

      Anne nodded her agreement. “A society wedding is just for show, don’t you think?”

      Rose looked a bit undecided, but I could attest my own wedding had been entirely for show. I’d been utterly embarrassed by the pomp and ceremony my mother had insisted upon. I hoped I’d be able to console her when she learned Lily was to have