Goblin Court by Sophie Weston

Author:Sophie Weston [Weston, Sophie]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Fiction, Romance, General
ISBN: 9780373020058
Google: MextsEGvM94C
Amazon: B017WTSN96
Publisher: Mills & Boon
Published: 1975-12-31T16:00:00+00:00

~~~

He left her feeling shaken and oddly ashamed of herself. Quite what she had done or said to offend him she could not recall. Yet she had the uncomfortable suspicion that he had been quite serious in his overtures of friendship and she had, by her own clumsiness, repulsed him almost without meaning to do so. It was very lowering.

She collected Angela from the Brownings in a chastened frame of mind. Angela was in talkative mode but for once Lucy only listened with half an ear to the little girl's chatter. Apparently they had taken the ponies along by the river and the riding instructress had shown them how to sit still on a horse's back while it was drinking. Angela, one of the expert few, had not fallen off even once.

'Well done,' said Lucy absently.

Angela was disappointed. Mrs Browning had been far more impressed. She had not quite dared to recount her triumph to Colonel Browning, but she had confided in Boy, who had been disparaging. Boy had little time for horses and none at all for any occupation that did not appeal to his wayward sense of adventure.

In fact Boy was not available to come back with Lucy. He was in disgrace, of a sort. He had climbed onto the stable roof whence he would no doubt have withdrawn in his own good time if unlucky chance hadn't taken Colonel Browning outside in time to catch him at it. The Colonel had been setting off on his evening stroll with the dogs which usually took him past the Royal Oak. He had instantly commanded Boy to descend, reprimanded him sharply for risking his neck, and then taken him off with the small party of retrievers and spaniels to, as he put it, take the young devil out of Adelaide's way.

Lucy wondered whether Angela, who was devoted to the dogs, might not resent this favouritism. But she was afraid of the Colonel and did not envy Boy his outing in the least. She had had a fine time with the ponies and was tired out. So tired, in fact, that she fell asleep after only one story from The Violet Fairy Book.

The Colonel returned Boy much later. Lucy took one look and saw that both of them were high fettle, in spite of the Colonel's well-publicised aversion to children. It was well after any acceptable bedtime, however. Boy, who was aware of this, eyed Lucy cautiously. His experience of his aunt's discipline was such as to lead him to expect retribution to fall once his adult champion quitted the house.

But in that he was wrong. The Colonel apologised again for keeping Boy out so long, but he had been pointing out the stars to him and forgot the time. You don't, he explained, often get nights so clear at this time of year. It was too good to pass up. And the lad had enjoyed it.

'Good,' said Lucy. 'I'm glad you both enjoyed it.'

The Colonel exchanged relieved looks with Boy and went on his way, with a pleasant goodnight.

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