to do what she had done with his father all these long years while he had done what he could to stay away, on diplomatic duties that took him across Europe. Whatever else there could be, at least he could fill his days with looking at the lovely face of England's most secret code breaker.
*********
Ammie pulled on her riding gloves and moved to the riding block. Old John brought her mare over and she ran a hand down the dainty bay neck. "Hello, old thing. Ready to stretch your legs?" Izzy snorted and nodded as she always did, ears flickering back and forth with anticipation. Ammie swung herself up, unbuttoned and draped her skirt, then nodded to John as she gathered the reins. John stepped back and together she and Izzy danced down the drive to the gate and turned toward the gently sloping meadow. For a moment she pulled the mare up and looked at the mist rising over the brown field. Surely it wasn't icy yet despite the cold weather. She loosened the reins and leaned forward urging Izzy to do exactly as she pleased. And Izzy pleased to run to the top of the hill and over tearing up the rain soaked ground.
"Goodness, Izzy, Ammie yelled in her ear, laughing, "you are better than a plow!" After a few more minutes of getting taking the jitters out, Ammie eased back a bit and Izzy pranced along, still slightly overeager but amiable and willing to accede control to the rider. Ammie laughed as she felt her nose start to run. The older she got, the less she cared about such things, but she needed to take a little care that she didn't have any more spills. She felt the last one with every rain. She walked the boundary of the Barclose property up the road and down past the tree lined drive to the fountains that splashed from level to level. Leaves had not yet been swept up from the previous day's rainstorm, but she saw workmen dealing with downed branches. She dismounted and handed the reins to a groom then rebuttoned her riding skirt and mounted the two flights of stairs to the front portico.
The door opened before she could knock. "Oh, Lady Alice, do come in out the cold. I have a nice tea set out for you in the morning room. I don't know what I am going to do. It is such a shame about the Marquess and I don't know how many are coming here in this weather." Frances Darling continued to chatter as she led the way to the sofa by the fire in the morning room and poured a cup of tea for Ammie and herself. Ammie, who had known Frances since they where children together, let the sounds of her speech roll over her like waves as she drank her tea and slowly thawed. When Frances wound down, she set the tea aside and considered the task set before them.
"I do believe we should plan for at least three hundred, since there are so many here just within the county who will wish pay their respects. Remember too, the Marquess was a powerful man and those in the government will wish to meet his son and
*********
Ammie pulled on her riding gloves and moved to the riding block. Old John brought her mare over and she ran a hand down the dainty bay neck. "Hello, old thing. Ready to stretch your legs?" Izzy snorted and nodded as she always did, ears flickering back and forth with anticipation. Ammie swung herself up, unbuttoned and draped her skirt, then nodded to John as she gathered the reins. John stepped back and together she and Izzy danced down the drive to the gate and turned toward the gently sloping meadow. For a moment she pulled the mare up and looked at the mist rising over the brown field. Surely it wasn't icy yet despite the cold weather. She loosened the reins and leaned forward urging Izzy to do exactly as she pleased. And Izzy pleased to run to the top of the hill and over tearing up the rain soaked ground.
"Goodness, Izzy, Ammie yelled in her ear, laughing, "you are better than a plow!" After a few more minutes of getting taking the jitters out, Ammie eased back a bit and Izzy pranced along, still slightly overeager but amiable and willing to accede control to the rider. Ammie laughed as she felt her nose start to run. The older she got, the less she cared about such things, but she needed to take a little care that she didn't have any more spills. She felt the last one with every rain. She walked the boundary of the Barclose property up the road and down past the tree lined drive to the fountains that splashed from level to level. Leaves had not yet been swept up from the previous day's rainstorm, but she saw workmen dealing with downed branches. She dismounted and handed the reins to a groom then rebuttoned her riding skirt and mounted the two flights of stairs to the front portico.
The door opened before she could knock. "Oh, Lady Alice, do come in out the cold. I have a nice tea set out for you in the morning room. I don't know what I am going to do. It is such a shame about the Marquess and I don't know how many are coming here in this weather." Frances Darling continued to chatter as she led the way to the sofa by the fire in the morning room and poured a cup of tea for Ammie and herself. Ammie, who had known Frances since they where children together, let the sounds of her speech roll over her like waves as she drank her tea and slowly thawed. When Frances wound down, she set the tea aside and considered the task set before them.
"I do believe we should plan for at least three hundred, since there are so many here just within the county who will wish pay their respects. Remember too, the Marquess was a powerful man and those in the government will wish to meet his son and
