Chapter 3 #2
In the days that followed, they rode together most afternoons by some unspoken agreement, even once when rain fell in heavy sheets and Alice had had to sneak out for fear of being told she must remain indoors.
A lot of the time they rode in silence but after about a week, Alice felt the somewhat surprising urge to chat and got up the courage to ask Anthony if he was enjoying his summer.
“I am,” he said. “A great deal as it happens. Even if it has not turned out quite as I anticipated.”
Alice felt her heart flutter as their eyes locked. Was Anthony actually saying that he enjoyed spending time with her? And not just so he could make fun of her?
Conversation became easier between the two after that and Alice discovered that when he was not teasing her, Anthony could be surprisingly knowledgeable and agreeable. Their rides became the brightest part of her day.
Then one afternoon, without warning, he failed to appear.
The weather was fine so it could not be that keeping him away and he had not sent a note to cancel their arrangement.
Alice waited, hanging around the stables for an hour before she gave up and took Lucy out for a ride around the property, doing her best to ignore the disappointment she felt.
She knew she should not expect him to ride together every day but he could have let her know he was unavailable. That was basic manners, surely?
Alice was still feeling despondent the following afternoon, and was trying to take her mind off of Anthony by keeping her brother company.
Unfortunately, she was in such a bad mood that she was not sure she was doing a very good job, though her thoughts being preoccupied made it even easier than usual for Henry to beat her at cards.
She was sure they were both grateful when they heard a knock at the door, though Alice’s stomach plummeted when it was Anthony who entered the bedchamber.
“Just the lady I wished to see,” he said, his gaze going straight to Alice. “I must apologise most sincerely for missing our ride yesterday. It was unpardonably rude of me. Something unexpected arose and I could not send word in time. I hope you can forgive me.”
Alice kept her eyes fixed on her cards. “Of course. It is of no consequence.”
She would not give him the satisfaction of knowing she had been upset by his actions.
“Shall we resume our rides this afternoon, Alice?” Anthony asked.
Alice paused before answering. She had no desire to spend any time with Anthony, but she did not want to upset her brother who had been so pleased that she had been able to go out riding despite him being confined to bed.
“Wonderful,” she finally said, still not meeting Anthony’s eyes. “Does after luncheon suit?”
“It does,” replied Anthony.
“I shall be ready,” Alice said. She placed her cards down on the bed and stood up. “I shall leave you two to entertain one another.”
She left the room feeling very proud of herself for her composure.
The daily rides resumed but Anthony seemed to have changed overnight.
He was polite but stopped initiating conversation as they rode, as though he was there out of obligation rather than that he was enjoying the experience which she felt he had at least been beginning to before.
He also did not tease her anymore, he had even ceased calling her by that infernal nickname. Not that she missed that.
She had no idea what had changed when he had not shown up to ride with her that day, but something definitely had.
Had she done something? Said something she ought not?
Or was he simply bored of being stuck spending time with his best friend’s little sister and regretting his offer to accompany her on rides?
Whatever it was, she got to go for the longer rides she craved and could largely imagine she was by herself, which should have been the ideal situation.
And it would have been, if she had not been given the chance to see what a good companion Anthony could be, when he was not ignoring her.
Eventually, Alice gave in to her curiosity. It was a beautiful day, but the silence between them was spoiling it for her. As much as she hated to admit it, she missed their relaxed chats.
She slowed her horse and waited for Anthony to come alongside her then cleared her throat self-consciously and said, “So, are you looking forward to returning to Oxford next month?”
“I am,” Anthony replied, a look of resolution on his face.
“I imagine it has not been quite the summer you were hoping for, with my brother being confined to his room for a large part of it.”
“No, but I have enjoyed riding with you,” he said.
“You have?” Alice found herself saying before she could stop herself.
“You need not sound so surprised,” Anthony laughed.
“I am surprised,” Alice admitted. “It is no secret that we do not get along.”
“It is true we used to bicker occasionally, but we have been perfectly friendly and pleasant to one another!” Anthony countered. “What do you call going riding together almost every day!”
“An obligation to my brother?”
“It is not an obligation,” said Anthony, gently. “It has been a pleasure to have your company.”
“We have barely spoken on our rides for over a week!”
“I apologise,” Anthony said. “I have been in a contemplative mood, but I would not want you to imagine that these rides are not … honestly the highlight of my day.”
Alice felt her mouth drop open in surprise and quickly closed it. “The highlight of your day?” she repeated.
“Yes,” shrugged Anthony. “My father… he is not the easiest person to live with and recently….” He stopped, seemingly unsure whether he was going to say anything else. He shook his head, apparently deciding he had nothing more to add.
“Has your father done something to upset you?” Alice asked before she could stop herself. She regretted the words as soon as they were out of her mouth. Why was she so nosy?
“No, of course not,” said Anthony, quickly. “He is just…” he trailed off, looking straight ahead at the path they rode on. “I would rather not discuss it,” he said finally.
Alice nodded in understanding. For as long as she could remember she had been petrified of Anthony’s father.
The man was huge and impatient. He also always seemed to be in a bad mood, and Alice made sure to stay well out of his way.
He was notorious for not wanting people in his house anyway, so her family did not spent a lot of time on the neighbouring estate, despite Anthony’s mother being more than welcoming, if rather shy and timid.
Anthony’s family moved onto the estate eleven years before when his father inherited.
Somehow Anthony had been almost immediately sort of adopted into Alice’s family and it was accepted that when he was home from school he would be at their house most days.
The fact that he seemed so much happier to spend time in their home rather than his own was never discussed but just accepted.
Alice could still remember feeling put out that her adored big brother was suddenly so much more interested in playing with his new friend rather than his little sister, but she always had plenty to do with the animals she so loved, and she took to spending even more time with them.
Anthony was quiet for the rest of the walk.
Alice worried she had done something to offend him, especially when he barely said goodbye to her when they returned to the stables.
He got off his horse and went into the house, presumably to find Henry.
She knew they had some university reading they had been putting off so far and needed to get settled into.
She was not sure if Anthony would want to ride with her the next day but when she came out to the stables at the usual time, he was there waiting for her. He gave her a smile as she approached and mounted her horse.
His quiet mood of the day before appeared to have lifted, and he asked Alice about her new governess, Miss Shaw, teasing Alice that she had scared her predecessor off by turning up to lessons smelling of horse.
They rode for a couple of hours and were both laughing as they trotted back to the stables. An out-of-breath stable boy Alice did not recognise came running over to Anthony. “Sir! Your father has been taken gravely ill. You must come home at once.”
Anthony’s face paled. Without a word or backward glance, he spurred his horse into a gallop and disappeared down the drive.
The next time Alice saw him was at his father’s funeral a few days later.
He stood pale and rigid beside his mother, every inch the new Earl of Tonbridge.
Their eyes met only once. Alice offered a small, sympathetic smile, which he returned with a brief nod before departing with his mother to stay with relatives.
When Alice encountered Anthony again some weeks later, he made no mention of their shared rides, nor did he ever offer to accompany her again. It seemed he had returned to preferring the company of Henry and his university friends to that of his best friend’s little sister.