Read Online Time After Time by Elizabeth Boyce - Free Book Online
Authors: Elizabeth Boyce
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lessons he’d like to teach her. “Very well then, on your return, you’ll be riding, not shoveling.”
“Thank you, my lord. Now, I’ll need one of your horses to ride back from the Albrights’.”
“I’m sure my coachman can find something for you. Won’t be as spirited as Manifesto, but he’ll find something.”
“Any nag will do. I’ll be leaving right away,” she said, standing. The spaniel jumped back into his spot on the chair, sinking deep into the upholstery.
“Excellent,” Hugh replied. “I’ll accompany you to the barn and see that you’re taken care of.”
• • •
Hugh signaled his coachman. “Could you bring out Old Nell for Toby, Mr. Roger?”
Ellie thought she saw a look of surprise on Mr. Roger’s cratered face, but Hugh escorted her swiftly from the barn.
The sound of an angry whinny followed. Ellie wondered just how old Old Nell could be to make such a racket.
Furious horse sounds were followed by a chorus of cursing, as Old Nell burst through the barn door dragging three men behind her. Two held a lead on one side and a man as huge and pink as a side of beef clutched the other. Old Nell bucked and snapped like a thing possessed. Ellie glared at Hugh. He averted his gaze and scratched his knee. “I guess she’s in a bad mood today,” he said.
“That would be my impression,” she shot back.
“Old Nell’s not usually like this.”
“She’s not, eh? What’s she usually like — a cyclone?”
Hugh pressed his lips together and a flicker of guilt crossed his face. “Boys, take Nell back to her stall,” he shouted above the din.
“That’s all right,” said Ellie.
“No. No it’s not. The horse isn’t fit to be ridden. Take her back, Mr. Roger.”
“My lord,” she hissed, “you made me look a fool in front of your men today. I can handle this vixen. The least you can do is let a chap save face.”
Hugh shook his head. “Manifesto taught me the hard way to respect limits. I’m trying to warn you of Old Nell’s.”
“I consider myself warned,” Ellie said. “Mr. Roger, please put that horse into your smallest paddock.”
The men moved the mare into an enclosure where Ellie directed them to unbuckle the reins and put up the stirrups. After a considerable amount of sweat, dust and swearing, they let Old Nell free. As they dashed out, the mare chased them, bucking, snorting, and rushing at anyone who dared come near the rails.
“Let’s all leave her alone for a few minutes,” Ellie said, walking away.
The men and Hugh looked disappointed. Reluctantly they gathered at a cistern by the barn where they conferred in low, worried tones. Ellie couldn’t hear them, but she knew they were talking about the upcoming battle with Old Nell. She decided to ignore them and went to the tack room.
Digging through a few trunks, she found a piece of thick rope and a square of oil cloth. She tied the cloth to the end of a long whip.
About twenty minutes later, everyone reconvened at the paddock. Old Nell had calmed down and was searching for blades of grass in the dust. Ellie parked the beefy groom at the gate. “If I start running for it, you’ll let me out good and quick, right?”
The groom nodded his massive pink head. “Got it,” he said.
Hugh took up a position along the rail.
Old Nell raised her head and fixed a wary eye on Ellie as she entered the paddock. She swung the thick rope around and around above her head, and simultaneously rattled the oil cloth at Old Nell’s eye. The horse flattened her ears and charged, running straight into the whirling rope. The mare got a powerful smack on her face for her troubles. She bolted out of rope range and stopped to eye Ellie again. “Come on, Old Nell, I want you to trot along the outside rail,” Ellie commanded, turning her body in the direction she wished Old Nell to go. The horse looked skeptical. Ellie shook the oilskin again. The sound unnerved Old Nell, so she trotted away and started
“Thank you, my lord. Now, I’ll need one of your horses to ride back from the Albrights’.”
“I’m sure my coachman can find something for you. Won’t be as spirited as Manifesto, but he’ll find something.”
“Any nag will do. I’ll be leaving right away,” she said, standing. The spaniel jumped back into his spot on the chair, sinking deep into the upholstery.
“Excellent,” Hugh replied. “I’ll accompany you to the barn and see that you’re taken care of.”
• • •
Hugh signaled his coachman. “Could you bring out Old Nell for Toby, Mr. Roger?”
Ellie thought she saw a look of surprise on Mr. Roger’s cratered face, but Hugh escorted her swiftly from the barn.
The sound of an angry whinny followed. Ellie wondered just how old Old Nell could be to make such a racket.
Furious horse sounds were followed by a chorus of cursing, as Old Nell burst through the barn door dragging three men behind her. Two held a lead on one side and a man as huge and pink as a side of beef clutched the other. Old Nell bucked and snapped like a thing possessed. Ellie glared at Hugh. He averted his gaze and scratched his knee. “I guess she’s in a bad mood today,” he said.
“That would be my impression,” she shot back.
“Old Nell’s not usually like this.”
“She’s not, eh? What’s she usually like — a cyclone?”
Hugh pressed his lips together and a flicker of guilt crossed his face. “Boys, take Nell back to her stall,” he shouted above the din.
“That’s all right,” said Ellie.
“No. No it’s not. The horse isn’t fit to be ridden. Take her back, Mr. Roger.”
“My lord,” she hissed, “you made me look a fool in front of your men today. I can handle this vixen. The least you can do is let a chap save face.”
Hugh shook his head. “Manifesto taught me the hard way to respect limits. I’m trying to warn you of Old Nell’s.”
“I consider myself warned,” Ellie said. “Mr. Roger, please put that horse into your smallest paddock.”
The men moved the mare into an enclosure where Ellie directed them to unbuckle the reins and put up the stirrups. After a considerable amount of sweat, dust and swearing, they let Old Nell free. As they dashed out, the mare chased them, bucking, snorting, and rushing at anyone who dared come near the rails.
“Let’s all leave her alone for a few minutes,” Ellie said, walking away.
The men and Hugh looked disappointed. Reluctantly they gathered at a cistern by the barn where they conferred in low, worried tones. Ellie couldn’t hear them, but she knew they were talking about the upcoming battle with Old Nell. She decided to ignore them and went to the tack room.
Digging through a few trunks, she found a piece of thick rope and a square of oil cloth. She tied the cloth to the end of a long whip.
About twenty minutes later, everyone reconvened at the paddock. Old Nell had calmed down and was searching for blades of grass in the dust. Ellie parked the beefy groom at the gate. “If I start running for it, you’ll let me out good and quick, right?”
The groom nodded his massive pink head. “Got it,” he said.
Hugh took up a position along the rail.
Old Nell raised her head and fixed a wary eye on Ellie as she entered the paddock. She swung the thick rope around and around above her head, and simultaneously rattled the oil cloth at Old Nell’s eye. The horse flattened her ears and charged, running straight into the whirling rope. The mare got a powerful smack on her face for her troubles. She bolted out of rope range and stopped to eye Ellie again. “Come on, Old Nell, I want you to trot along the outside rail,” Ellie commanded, turning her body in the direction she wished Old Nell to go. The horse looked skeptical. Ellie shook the oilskin again. The sound unnerved Old Nell, so she trotted away and started
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