Read Online Moonflower Madness by Margaret Pemberton - Free Book Online
Authors: Margaret Pemberton
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no idea to what animal they belonged, but something had drunk from the river during the night. Something wild; something that had been only yards away from her.
Slowly she bent down, splashing her face with water. She wouldnât camp alone again. There were too many risks. She would wait until Lord Rendlesham and Zachary Cartwright were camped and then ride up and confront them. Zachary Cartwright would not want to spend two days returning to the point where she had joined them. He would be furious with her, but he would have no choice but to allow her to stay with them. And she would be able to count on Lord Rendleshamâs support. Of that she was sure.
She breakfasted on bread and cheese, while Ben munched at the grass that grew lushly by the side of the river. Then, with the sun still edging over the horizon, they set off at a gentle trot in search of Lord Rendlesham and Zachary Cartwright.
When it was almost noon and she still hadnât found them, Gianetta began to think Lord Rendleshamâs party was still in Fu-tu Kwan and that she would have to return there. She was just pausing, debating what to do, when a cloud of dust on the road ahead of her shimmered and dissolved, revealing a small group of ponies, mules and men.
âThere they are!â she said exultantly to Ben. âNow all we have to do is to keep them in sight until nightfall.â
The going was more arduous than it had been the previous day; there were many gullies which Ben scrambled up and down gallantly; often, the road disintegrated altogether, leaving small chasms which he jumped with nimble dexterity. There were more flowers, too, than there had been on the way from Chung King to Fu-tu Kwan: harebell poppies fluttering their petals like purple banners; pale lilac anemones with indigo hearts; carnations â their scent thick as smoke in the strong afternoon sunlight. She had taken a cutting of the grey shrub with the little yellow flower and wrapped the stem in a handkerchief soaked in water. Even if the plant was unbelievably common, she knew that Lord Rendlesham would not laugh at her but would appreciate her interest. And she was indifferent to what Zachary Cartwright might say or think.
By late afternoon, the hills were not so steep or so wooded and Ben was able to walk with greater ease, the bells on his collar tinkling merrily.
She wondered when and where Lord Rendlesham would make camp. They had passed several impoverished villages where children had run out, laughing and pointing at her strange round eyes, but none of the villages had been large enough to have possessed an inn. If her suspicions were correct, and Lord Rendlesham and Zachary Cartwright had stayed in an inn the previous night, they would not be able to find the same sort of accommodation for the coming night. No walled town was visible on the horizon, only bare, lion-coloured hills and, to the left, the bright, glittering sweep of the Kialing.
As dusk approached, she felt the muscles in her stomach tighten. A score of times she had mentally imagined what Lord Rendleshamâs and Zachary Cartwrightâs reactions would be when she rode up and confronted them. Now, in an hour or so, perhaps even less, she would find out if any of her imaginings had been even remotely correct.
The party made camp just as the first stars were beginning to sprinkle the sky. She reined Ben in, watching from a distance. She would wait until they were settled, until the Chinese accompanying them had made something for them to eat, then she would ride out into the open. A small animal screeched in the undergrowth and she shivered, determined that, whatever happened, she would not spend another night alone, in the open.
Half an hour passed and a wisp of blue smoke rose from the camp-site. They were having their evening meal. Her mouth watered. She wondered what it was. Whatever it was, it would be preferable to stale bread and hard cheese.
âAnother five minutes,â
Slowly she bent down, splashing her face with water. She wouldnât camp alone again. There were too many risks. She would wait until Lord Rendlesham and Zachary Cartwright were camped and then ride up and confront them. Zachary Cartwright would not want to spend two days returning to the point where she had joined them. He would be furious with her, but he would have no choice but to allow her to stay with them. And she would be able to count on Lord Rendleshamâs support. Of that she was sure.
She breakfasted on bread and cheese, while Ben munched at the grass that grew lushly by the side of the river. Then, with the sun still edging over the horizon, they set off at a gentle trot in search of Lord Rendlesham and Zachary Cartwright.
When it was almost noon and she still hadnât found them, Gianetta began to think Lord Rendleshamâs party was still in Fu-tu Kwan and that she would have to return there. She was just pausing, debating what to do, when a cloud of dust on the road ahead of her shimmered and dissolved, revealing a small group of ponies, mules and men.
âThere they are!â she said exultantly to Ben. âNow all we have to do is to keep them in sight until nightfall.â
The going was more arduous than it had been the previous day; there were many gullies which Ben scrambled up and down gallantly; often, the road disintegrated altogether, leaving small chasms which he jumped with nimble dexterity. There were more flowers, too, than there had been on the way from Chung King to Fu-tu Kwan: harebell poppies fluttering their petals like purple banners; pale lilac anemones with indigo hearts; carnations â their scent thick as smoke in the strong afternoon sunlight. She had taken a cutting of the grey shrub with the little yellow flower and wrapped the stem in a handkerchief soaked in water. Even if the plant was unbelievably common, she knew that Lord Rendlesham would not laugh at her but would appreciate her interest. And she was indifferent to what Zachary Cartwright might say or think.
By late afternoon, the hills were not so steep or so wooded and Ben was able to walk with greater ease, the bells on his collar tinkling merrily.
She wondered when and where Lord Rendlesham would make camp. They had passed several impoverished villages where children had run out, laughing and pointing at her strange round eyes, but none of the villages had been large enough to have possessed an inn. If her suspicions were correct, and Lord Rendlesham and Zachary Cartwright had stayed in an inn the previous night, they would not be able to find the same sort of accommodation for the coming night. No walled town was visible on the horizon, only bare, lion-coloured hills and, to the left, the bright, glittering sweep of the Kialing.
As dusk approached, she felt the muscles in her stomach tighten. A score of times she had mentally imagined what Lord Rendleshamâs and Zachary Cartwrightâs reactions would be when she rode up and confronted them. Now, in an hour or so, perhaps even less, she would find out if any of her imaginings had been even remotely correct.
The party made camp just as the first stars were beginning to sprinkle the sky. She reined Ben in, watching from a distance. She would wait until they were settled, until the Chinese accompanying them had made something for them to eat, then she would ride out into the open. A small animal screeched in the undergrowth and she shivered, determined that, whatever happened, she would not spend another night alone, in the open.
Half an hour passed and a wisp of blue smoke rose from the camp-site. They were having their evening meal. Her mouth watered. She wondered what it was. Whatever it was, it would be preferable to stale bread and hard cheese.
âAnother five minutes,â
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