Dizzy Dilemmas (8 page)

“About time you remembered where you lived and came back. What with Mr Alf
ie arriving from Devon and none of you were here to greet him and me expecting you this hour past. How long does it take to view a few bits of marble?”

“Coulton; I have chocolate!” Gabrie
l immediately thrust a large package into the Butler’s hand in an attempt, successful as it turned out, to arrest the scold before it had truly gotten under way.

“Why Master Gabriel,
what a good lad you are.” His wrinkled visage rearranged itself into a wide appreciative grin as he peered like an excited child at the parcel in his hands; his scold all forgotten as he thought about his cup of tea and chocolate treat he would enjoy later.

“Did you say Alfie is here?” Mrs Honey Dew said removing her bonnet and handing it to the waiting footman.

“Here I am my little Honey Potts!” came a jovial voice from the library and out popped a man of average height in his middle fifties with white hair and a pair of steel-rimmed, reading glasses perched on the end of his somewhat bulbous nose.

“Alfie dear!” Mrs Honey Potts almost skipped up to him and gave him a quick hug and a brief kiss on the lips before stepping back to survey her husband of nearly thirty five years. “Why did you not say you were coming? We would have made sure to be here when you arrived.”

“I wanted to surprise you my love. As you know I had planned to come up next week but I have missed you my dear and so decided a few extra days holiday will do me no harm and seeing you will do so much good.” Alfie hugged his wife to him and patted her back, genuinely pleased to have been reunited with her after several weeks apart. “I also have a little surprise for Dizzy that Georgiana and I have been working on and I thought it would be good to see if we have it right or whether we need to make some adjustments.”

“For me?” Dizzy queried, looking from him to Georgiana and back. “You haven’t said anything Georgie and it is not my birthday.”

“It was an idea I had last time I was home. Gideon seemed to think it had potential and so Alfie and I have been developing it. I did not want to raise your hopes in case it did not work out but I am now fairly confident we have been successful.”

“What is it? Can I see it?” Dizzy asked.

“Of-course though you may want to change into your riding habit first. We will meet you in the stables in twenty minutes,” Georgie told her.

Fifteen minutes later and Dizzy now sporting a dashing riding habit hurried to the stables attached to the rear of the property. Many town residences shared the mews or used livery stables but the
Brockton’s residence was large enough to boast fairly extensive rear gardens and its own stable block. Dizzy’s habit had been specifically designed to allow her to ride astride across the parkland of the country estate whilst giving the semblance of being a skirt. Trousers fit snugly under a wrap around piece of material that was large enough to cover much of the horse’s back thus, when viewed from a distance it hid the fact that the saddle was not one usually used by a lady; namely a side-saddle.

Upon entering the yard, Dizzy was met by the pleasing sight of her very own mare,
Taboo. She had been brought up from Devon by Alfie at Gideon’s instruction and was standing patiently but when she saw her mistress she trotted over and nuzzled her, showing affection after several weeks of being apart. Dizzy stroked her velvety walnut brown nose with its white star and blew gently on the flaring nostrils. She was the perfect mount for Dizzy because she was steady and not easily spooked by anything happening around her; essential qualities when carrying a rider who struggled to coordinate her movements and found it difficult to maintain her balance. There was a definite affinity between horse and owner that boosted Dizzy’s confidence and allowed her to enjoy an activity in which she had previously been very reluctant to participate. It was only on the insistence of her father that she had continued with her riding lessons after a few disastrous falls, in one of which she broke her arm. At the time she had railed against her papa, believing him to be the most unnatural and cruellest parent ever but now, having experienced the pleasure and freedom riding allowed her; she appreciated his tyranny of the time and inwardly thanked him. Some time soon, she admitted silently to herself, she would have to actually thank him properly.

“
Have a look at this,” Georgiana called and Dizzy turning saw Barlow, the head groom, lift a saddle and place it on Taboo’s back.  Although it looked similar to a ladies side saddle, she could see that it was actually one that was intended to be ridden astride.

“
The point was to come up with a design that enables you to ride astride but masking the fact from all and sundry even up close,” Georgiana explained. “I took into account your habit and working from that came up with this idea. We have had to make a few minor adjustments to the prototype but I believe we have it just about right now. If you mount we can see if it works.”

Whilst Barlow checked the girth strap for a second and final time, Alfie assisted Dizzy into the saddle and stood back whilst she adjusted her skirts.

“It is amazing. I feel very secure up here,” Dizzy told them. “Are my skirts arranged correctly? Does it look like I am riding side saddle?”

“Walk her around will you so we can see clearly,” Alfie told her and so she paraded her mount   whilst a discussion ensued between him and Georgiana.  Within ten minutes, with just a couple of quick adjustments they declared themselves happy and Dizzy was permitted to dismount.

“Thank you so much!” she hugged first her sister and then her kinsman. “This means I can go riding tomorrow morning with Gideon and not worry about being caught out by the ton.
Your design is such that they will never guess I am riding astride.”

“I am confident that it will stand up to scrutiny because people in general see what they expect to see and not always what is before their very eyes. It should even withstand a close up view but if you can avoid getting too near other people it may be wise
,” Georgiana said.

“I do not intend to join any riding excursions but having the freedom to ride early, before the main strut around the park, will be wonderful. I have not dared to go before now for fear of someone seeing me but now, with this saddle, I will not
need to worry,” Dizzy exclaimed.

Gideon came over at this point “So I can extract a promise f
rom you now can I? You will go riding with me in the morning?”

“It will
be my pleasure so yes I promise,” she assured him.

             
The following morning saw Dizzy attired in a stunning cobalt blue riding habit already mounted and waiting when Gideon arrived in the stables. He laughed on seeing her ready to be off. “I thought I was early but obviously not. Sorry for keeping you little sister.”

“I was beginning to think I would have to go without you although in your defence it is still five minutes until our agreed meeting time but please hurry for I
am desperate to be off. It seems like ages since my last good ride!” she said.

“Then by all means let us be off
,” he said, nimbly swinging into the saddle. With a nod of thanks to the grooms, brother and sister left the stable yard and headed for Hyde Park.

             
Although most of the polite world was still abed, sleeping late after the various entertainments of the night before of which many of them had attended two or more, the London streets were busy with commercial vehicles and working people some just beginning their day whilst others had been toiling before dawn. With the sun shining and the day promising to be warm and pleasant, it brought a sense of good feeling to the city dwellers and therefore many greeted each other with a quick smile if not full blown cheerfulness. Everything always appeared better when the sun shone they all agreed, and it put a spring in their step which was invariably absent on cold or damp mornings. Many household staff were also visible with some buying from street vendors whilst others were out sweeping the front steps and polishing the door knockers and handles to a high shine.

             
Youngest and oldest of the Brockton siblings sedately made their way to the park; Gideon on the alert, very much aware that his sister had never ridden through busy London streets before. He need not have worried however, for although she was cautious, she handled her horse well and if not overly exuding confidence in her new saddle, she certainly displayed a pleasing amount of competence.

“As you know anything faster than a gentle trot is not permitted in the p
ark during the fashionable hour,” Gideon said. “But the beauty of coming at this hour is that most people are still abed and those who are out turn a blind eye if you go at a faster pace; mainly because they are all galloping their way around the park themselves.”

“I am pleased to hear you say that for I am itching to put Taboo through her paces.
Do you usually stay on Rotten Row or can we go off the bridle path?” she asked.

“We’ll go along Rotten Row to the end and then swing round across the grass and make our way along Long Water. Are you ready?”
  He replied.

“Absolutely! Let us go.”

             
Beginning at a brisk trot, they made their way along Rotten Row and Dizzy was pleased to see that other than a brief nod of acknowledgement from the few other riders out enjoying their exercise, nobody took any notice of the pair. Her exhilaration at being back on horseback grew alongside her confidence that no one would notice her deception. She urged Taboo to lengthen her stride and leaned low over her neck, fair flying over the turf and laughing as the wind stole her breath and snatched at her hat.

             
As they neared the far end of the park they reined in and Dizzy turned a flushed face to her brother. “That has definitely blown the cobwebs away.”

“It certainly sets one up for a good breakfast. Bacon and eggs always taste so good after an exhilarating ride.
Are you up for the return leg?”

Adjusting her grip on the reins, Dizzy gave her horse the command to move but after only a few strides became aware that her brother’s attention was elsewhere and that he had not followed. She pulled up and turned to see what held his attention. Two men were galloping towards them, obviously in a race and
she, Dizzy realised, was in the vicinity of the finish line.  She edged Taboo closer to her brother’s horse and said. “Are you ready? Perhaps we should make a move now.”

“In a moment but let us see who wins.”

“Do you not recall that I wanted to avoid close proximity with other riders? We need to move away now before they reach us,” she reminded him.

“Nonsense. Georgiana’s design will bear scrutiny I am sure. Let us put it to the test and see if I am not right. See it is Glenmore and Trevellyn; both men can be relied upon for their discretion even if they do discover that you are actually a
stride and not on a side saddle,” Gideon told her.

Dizzy trying to watch dispassionately wa
s vexed when she could no longer deny to herself that her gaze sought out only Glenmore. He was obviously an expert rider and going from the grim determination in face and form, he was also fiercely competitive. Lying low over his horse’s neck, his focus on the finish line never wavering, he was in total command.

“Come on, Glenmore!” Dizzy offered what she thought was silent encouragement but an amused glance from her brother told her that she had actually spoken aloud.

              So close were they that at the finish there was no way to distinguish between them but it did not prevent them both claiming victory just as soon as they had pulled up.

“I beat you by a nose,
” Trevellyn crowed.

“You mis
take, my friend. It was Bacchus whose whole head crossed the line before the nose of your horse even reached it!” Glenmore retorted.

“
You must have fallen asleep for it is only in your dreams that you won that race!” Trevellyn insisted.

“Then let us ask the impartial observers otherwise we are like to spend the rest of this day in dispute.” Glenmore indicated to Gideon and Dizzy.

“Very well,” Trevellyn agreed. “Can we prevail upon you to declare the winner? Can you break it to my friend here that he came a dismal second? Gently mind for I would hate to see him go into a decline.”

“Unfair! You are trying to influence the judges with inference but you will not succeed for I know that
the integrity and absolute honesty of these honourable people will have them declare me the victor.” Glenmore bowed low to the Brocktons, no mean feat considering he was still on horseback.

“
Despicable! If that isn’t trying to influence through flattery I do not know what is,” Trevellyn protested, throwing his hands up in mock disgust.

“Please gentlemen, having called on us to declare the winner you must allow us to get a word in sometime soon!” Dizzy announced, raising her voice lest they continue their b
anter. “My brother and I must confer!”

“Then we
await your verdict, Lady Dizzy,” Trevellyn said contritely and positioned himself next to his competitor who in turn winked at her.