Read Online Langdown Manor by Sue Reid - Free Book Online

felt about that to myself. Today I would do exactly as he said. He would have no cause to complain. But almost as soon as we had left the yard, Fred rode up to my side. He cleared his throat and I felt suddenly nervous. I pulled on Starshine’s rein and waited.
    â€˜I’ve got something to say, Miss Penelope. I hope you won’t mind, but I wanted to say I’m sorry about the other day.’ His face looked really anxious. ‘I came down on you too hard. I was out of order.’ I had wanted to leave the memory of that ride buried but now he’d raised it I had to respond – somehow.
    â€˜I’m sorry, too,’ I mumbled. ‘It wasn’t fair on you, or Starshine.’ As soon as I’d said the words, I felt better as if the big weight that had been lying on me had rolled away. I hadn’t been looking at him, but now I raised my eyes to his. He looked enormously relieved – as if he had been really afraid what I might say. When it was me who had been afraid what he would say! I felt a grin spread over my face. I’d been stupid. I’d got into a state about nothing. We walked on in silence.
    â€˜You’re a good horsewoman,’ Fred said suddenly. ‘You can tell by how someone handles a horse. Good hands.’ We fell into a trot. His praise pleased me. He had good hands too, I thought. His horse knew exactly what he wanted. He barely touched the reins, guiding him with his knees. ‘Fancy a canter?’ he asked. I nodded. ‘We’ll go down to the copse and round by Emmett’s farm,’ he said, pointing his whip to the valley below the ridge of the hill. Emmett’s was the estate’s dairy farm, he told me, which supplied the estate with milk and freshly churned butter.
    Fred kept a half eye on me as we rode. Whose fault was it if he didn’t trust me? But I soon forgot him in the excitement of cantering across the fields. Starshine knew exactly what I wanted to do. I had never ridden a horse that was so easy to handle. She was the gentlest creature, too. I’d take her out every day now, even if…
    A loud clang rang through the air. Rooks rose cawing like a black cloud from the trees. I felt Starshine tremble. Then almost before I knew what was happening she put her head down and bolted forward. I grabbed at the reins and pulled on them as hard as I could but I couldn’t hold her. She was terrified – far too terrified to stop. Behind me I heard Fred shout. Starshine was galloping towards the copse. We had nearly reached it when I saw the tangle of brambles and branches and how thick and close together they grew. If I let Starshine ride into that I’d be torn to pieces. I made one last desperate tug at the reins. It was no good. ‘I can’t hold her!’ I cried desperately. I had to make myself fall. There was nothing for it. I gritted my teeth, and, gripping the saddle with both hands, twisted myself right round to the side, hauling my right leg over the pommel and pulling my left foot free of the stirrup. I tried not to think about what I was going to do. It had been raining so the ground wasn’t hard, but it was still going to hurt. I shut my eyes and gripping the pommel pushed myself over the side. The world seemed to rock sideways as I fell. I gasped as I hit the ground, my shoulder and knee taking most of the impact. It hurt more than I’d expected. I rolled over and over, curling into myself before I came to a halt. I kept my eyes shut, feeling my breath come in tight gasps before moving slightly, untwisting my skirts and gently flexing my legs and arms to see that they still worked. I heard Fred call, heard steps run up to me.
    â€˜Miss Penelope!’ His voice was close by my ear. I opened my eyes. He was crouching next to me, a lock of hair dangling over his forehead. I saw him peer anxiously into my face. ‘Are you all right? You took quite a tumble.’
    â€˜I couldn’t