Chapter 17

Mark also went to church. It was not a formal function so he went as an individual. He still went to church but the experience with Nicholas Richardson all those years ago still made him wonder why he did, perhaps because it made him remember Nicholas.

"Still all right for two?" Victoria asked afterwards.

"Yup and looking forward to it."

"What are you having for lunch?" asked Elspeth suspiciously.

"Probably the same as you as Sergeant Roberts has a hand in it," said Mark with a smile. He looked around. No one was within earshot. "Thank you so much, Frances."

Her smile indicated that she'd quite like to hug him but she restrained herself. Mark got the message though and was touched.

They all moved on.

Spot on two o'clock Victoria banged on his outside door.

"Come on," she said. "Can't be late for these people."

"Quite right, Bossy Bags," said Mark emerging with a haversack in his hand.

Victoria snorted and then got the giggles. "My special ADC. No doubt you were ready five minutes early. Isn't that the Army rule?"

"Yes," said Mark solemnly, paused and then added, "but for you ten minutes early."

Victoria looked at him for a moment, blushed slightly and looked down. Mark restrained the urge to take her in his arms.

"Get in," she said brusquely. "You're map-reading. The first place is Bulford so you shouldn't find that too difficult."

"Oh, I don't know. Bulford's quite a complicated village."

"Rubbish! Give me directions."

"No need. You already know the way."

"No, I don't."

"Liar. Don't come the Little Miss with me."

Victoria turned towards him with fire in her eyes and then saw his direct and compelling gaze. She gulped.

"Sorry, Mark," she said softly. "I was being unnecessary."

Mark smiled and nodded. "Yes," he said. "There's no need to be."

She looked at him. Her throat constricted. She was unable to say anything and merely nodded. She fumbled embarrassedly with the ignition key and started her car.

"Right!" she said. "I'll find the first place but you're going to have to do the map-reading after that."

"Sure," said Mark. "That's what I'm here for."

Victoria shot him a look but then got the car underway. She did not speak for several minutes: something very out of the ordinary. She was disturbed. He had gently but very firmly disciplined her and then just as gently and firmly kept her in her place when she responded. He really was the same Mark she had last seen four years ago: sweet, gentle but now with a touch of steel. She bit her lip as a wave of warmth washed over her. What she had said last night was true. She did love him as an elder brother. Now he was just the same: an elder brother but slightly more mature and assured. Wasn't he?

The stables at Bulford were small and clearly run on a shoestring. The owner was a gaunt woman of few words but clearly knew her horses. She concentrated on giving riding lessons and rarely bred.

Mark then directed Victoria to Everleigh. This was a much more get up and go place. The woman who ran it was in her mid-thirties, friendly and cheerful. All three hit it off immediately. She had a dozen horses ranging from children's ponies to hunters and bred from all of them. Her real interest though was in the hunters and she was trying to produce some really good point-to-pointers.

"One of the joys of being here," said Jean Whitty, for that was her name, "is that in addition to our own farmland we've got endless hacking on The Plain."

"If you were to take me on would you want me to live in?"

"Good heavens no. We run civilised hours here. In any case there's no room to put you up. Every room apart from ours, has got a child in it."

"How many have you got?" asked Mark thinking she made it sound like the Old Woman Who Lived In A Shoe.

"Rooms or children?"

Mark laughed. "Oh, children."

Jean smiled back. "Three, two boys and a girl. Fourteen, twelve and ten. And that's enough, I promise you. I shudder to think what it's going to be like when I have to start chauffeuring them to parties. Harry will jolly well have to help."

"Help with what?" asked a male voice. A tall, smiling, weather-beaten man stood there.

"Oh, hallo darling. I didn't notice you coming up. Ferrying teenagers to parties. This is Victoria Collins who's looking to help with the horses and her friend Mark Bowers. My husband Harry.

They all shook hands. "So what do you think of Jean's set up?" he asked Victoria.