Page 43 of The Secrets of Ashmore Castle

‘Who did you play with?

‘Mama and Papa.’

‘It must have been lovely to have the sort of parents who play with you,’ Kitty said.

‘It was,’ said Nina. Only then it’s worse when they die, she thought. ‘But my parents weren’t grand like yours.’

‘When I have children, I shall never be too grand to play with them.’

‘Do you like any of the men we’ve met so far?’ Nina asked. She felt Kitty shrink.

‘They seem so rough and loud,’ Kitty said, after a pause. ‘And – big. When a great tall man looms over me, I feel as though I should be crushed.’

‘I saw you talking to Jock Galbraith,’ Nina said. ‘You seemed to like him.’

‘Yes, he’s nice,’ Kitty admitted.

Jock Galbraith had a stammer, and Nina knew many girls hadn’t the patience to listen to him. But Kitty would always rather listen than talk. ‘And what about Lord Hornsea? I thought he seemed interested in you. He’s very handsome.’

‘He’s …’ Kitty didn’t know how to phrase it. Vernon Hornsea was handsome, but he knew it too well. When he spoke to Kitty, there was a demand behind every word. She felt pinned by it, like a butterfly to a card. ‘There’s just too much of him,’ she said at last.

Nina laughed. ‘You can be so droll, Kitty! If you could only be like that with other people!’

‘But I never shall be.’

‘Then we’ll just have to find someone who understands that, and brings out the best in you.’

‘I’m sure men aren’t like that,’ said Kitty.

‘I’m sure some of them must be,’ said Nina.

CHAPTER NINE

The Cordwells had come to the Castle for Easter, and Linda and the children had stayed on afterwards to be company for her mother. And since Linda’s economies included not having a governess for her children, she frequently called on the girls to look after Arabella and Arthur.

‘I don’t mind it some of the time,’ Alice said, as they escaped down the stairs one April morning, ‘but not every day.’

‘Poor little things,’ said soft-hearted Rachel. ‘Nobody wants them. They’re rather sweet.’

‘They’re rather dull. Daisy can have them – she doesn’t mind.’

‘Daisy has her own work.’

‘Well, I don’t see why Linda shouldn’t look after them herself. She’s nothing else to do.’

‘Comforting Mama?’ Rachel suggested.

‘Mama doesn’t want comforting. She hates having anyone hovering about her. Like a bluebottle, I heard her say to Linda yesterday. Anyway, we’re out of it for now. Let’s go and watch the smith.’

Every six weeks, the smith, Eli Rowse, came up to the Castle to do routine removes. Alice and Rachel had seen plenty of horses shod before, so it was no novelty, but their lives were so lacking in amusements, it was something to do. Alice brightened when she saw that it was Axe Brandom who had come, and not his master.

‘Now, Lady Rachel,’ Josh said, as they headed towards the forge, ‘I told you you couldn’t have your horses this morning. Smith’s here.’

‘Where’s Mr Rowse?’ Alice asked.

‘Got a kick on the wrist from a horse yesterday,’ Josh said. ‘’Taint broken, but he can’t do much one-handed. Yours’ll be done this morning, and you can ride this afternoon if you like.’

‘We know,’ said Rachel.