Chapter 6
Ellie
“Wow,” Sanya whistles dramatically as I unpack one of my seven suitcases. “I was going to try to convince you that it can’t have been that bad, but... that sounds... You really have a way with people sometimes, El.” She laughs as I throw a pair of socks at her, flopping over onto the plush mattress of the four-poster bed.
I chose the same room I always have in the coach house; it has the most storage and the biggest bed. I’ve always liked to use the entirety of the bed when I sleep, I have since I was a child. I remember my nannies commenting on it when I was younger, they would pinch my cheeks and tell me how pleased they were that they never had to share a bed with me.
The framed paintings in this room brought me so much joy last summer, I even took a couple off their hooks to study them closer. Delicately painted horses and vividly colored landscapes decorate a couple of the walls in the suite, I just wish there were more of them—a mural, perhaps, that would truly make my heart sing.
“I was just flustered,” a pitiful attempt at defending my actions with the strapping young cowboy who managed to wrangle Remi after my blunder this afternoon. I stash another pair of underwear away in the oak armoire, “I didn’t mean to be so rude, but honestly it was a little jarring to see a real-life lasso around Remi’s neck and a fucking cowboy walking next to him. It was like they’d just stepped right out of an old western on the television.”
Remi hadn’t had a single scratch on him and had indeed been sound—just as the cowboy had claimed.
“I can’t wait to get my eyes on him, Rory didn’t say much about him other than he’s tall and built like a brick shithouse . His words, not mine.” She holds up her hands innocently.
Rory was not wrong, for once. The cowboy—Colton, must be well over six feet tall. He made Remi look like a pony. The top two buttons of his shirt had been unbuttoned this afternoon, revealing just a sliver of the muscled chest beneath. I’d trailed his large body with my eyes, trying not to linger when I beheld just how perfectly his jeans fit his powerful legs.
“Apparently he’s here for a job, something to do with Chamberlain’s sons.” She lifts her hand to her face and begins to inspect her nails.
Sanya and I have never had to work a day in our lives—she would disagree because she held a part time position at our university library. She lasted less than two hours before putting in her notice, so I always tell her that I’m not quite sure it counts as a record of employment.
We went from full time education to being members of the British Equestrian Team, which now takes up our every waking moment. No one on the team holds a full, or even part-time job. We’re given a small stipend at the start of every month, but we’re expected to prioritize the team—to practices and events.
I feel even worse knowing that Colton was probably working this afternoon when we met. He didn’t have to go after Remi, but he did, and I couldn’t have acted with less grace.
I shake my head to clear my thoughts as I begin to hang up my jodhpurs, “What makes it even worse is that he was absolutely charming, even though I was being a world class bitch. He was all sweet-smiles and soft-eyes, and I was so ruffled I didn’t even tell him my name.” I lift a palm to my forehead and squeeze.
“Well, at least he got to meet the real you.” I turn to find Sanya grinning from ear to ear, cheeks puffing as she fights to contain her giggle. I stare at her with narrowed eyes for a handful of seconds before we both erupt into fits of laughter.
We’re both still reeling when a swift knock sounds on my bedroom door. My mother doesn’t wait before striding into the room, frowning at us both as we collect ourselves. The room feels heavier in her presence, all traces of the lighthearted conversation between Sanya and I seem to have shriveled up and died.
“Girls,” she says by way of greeting, making her way to my open suitcase and ushering me out of the way. “A meeting has been called, the team is gathering down in the common room. Something about the schedule for the next few weeks.” She jerks her head toward the bedroom door, her shoulder-length silver hair bobbing with the movement. “Chop-chop, now.”
When I was sixteen, I longed to be in my twenties. I thought that I’d be awarded freedom as I aged, that I’d be treated a little less like a bumbling child. My sixteen-year-old self would be so brutally disappointed if she beheld my life now. If she knew that my mother still traveled with me to training camps, to tournaments, to doctor’s appointments. Still treated me like I was incapable of living without her spoon feeding me at every turn in the road.
I know she’s only like this because she cares, because I’m her only daughter and she wants to see me succeed. But I feel so overshadowed, over-tended to—like a plant that’s being mercilessly overwatered.
Sanya and I head for the door, but we don’t make it to the threshold before mother clears her throat, “What on earth is that?” I turn and follow her eyes to where the cowboy’s lasso sits on my bedside table.
I hadn’t wanted to leave it in the stables when we’d gotten Remi and Gordon settled for the night. I didn’t know if he had a spare, it looks rather... well made? I haven’t seen a lot of rope in my time, but this one is dense and tightly woven, it might even be waxed—it felt wrong to just discard of it or pass it off to a groom. Sanya even agreed that I should make an effort to return it .
Now, of course, I want to kick myself and Sanya
“It’s nothing, mother.” I say as I quickly pluck it from the bedside table. “Some rubbish that was left in here.” The small lie is easy, I’ve become so good at telling her exactly what she wants to hear.
It’s something I don’t particularly like about myself, the lies I tell my mother, but I’ve found a little lie is often easier than a large fuss.
She wouldn’t approve of me wanting to return the rope to Colton and I know it would turn into an intense line of questioning, so I make peace with the harmless untruth.
She hums to herself, the only indication that she heard me as she goes back to unpacking my bags.
Rory is leaning against the wall next to my bedroom door when we exit, his eyes light up as they lock onto Sanya.
“The grooms have been called to the meeting as well?” I ask with raised brows. The Irishman finally turns his attention to me, his head flopping to the side as he gives me a wide smile.
“Stop acting like you haven’t missed me, Eleanor. ” We all turn and head for the stairs, “All of the staff dealing with you lot have been called to the meeting as well, yes. I’m sure it’ll be a grand time. We’ll get given detailed schedules, five course menus for the horses, instructions on exactly how to wash ‘em in the way they like, what lullabies they like to hear before bedtime—”
Sanya smacks him gently across the arm, which he then grips tightly, feigning great injury.
“You’re all so much higher maintenance than the Yank.” He laughs as we reach the stairs. “He’s done more work around here in an afternoon than some of the staff have done in months.”
“You wouldn’t happen to know which room he’s in, would you?” I ask as casually as I can, my hand tightening around the fancy rope.
Rory’s auburn brows shoot up on his forehead, “Never known you to be so forward, El! Jesus, the man’s been here for less than twenty-four hours—”
“I need to return this.” I cut him off with an exasperated sigh. “Just point me in the direction, I’ll meet you guys downstairs.”
Rory smirks, rattling off the room number before he and Sanya make their way down to the common room.
“I’ll save you a seat.” Sanya calls to me as I turn on my heel and head for the cowboy’s room.