Lady in Red Read Online Free Page B

Baker-Sneeds owned one horse, a broken-down old gelding. It was the one horse that didn’t make Honoria jump every time it moved quickly, mainly because it had two speeds—slow and very slow. But to Juliet, Hercules was a priceless part of their family. She’d been mad for horses since she was old enough to walk to the stables by herself, and Father, horse mad himself, had never discouraged her. At one time they’d had no less than twenty-two horses in the stables. But that had been before the Crisis. Now they were down to just one—poor Hercules.
    Honoria rubbed her temple where a faint ache was beginning to form. “What did Hercules need that cost so much?”
    “He strained his right foreleg and Mr. Beckett said he needed a poultice, so I purchased one from the apothecary.”
    Mr. Beckett was their coachman, or had been when they’d had a coach. Now he was a combination of footman, errand boy, and handyman. “And the poultice cost nine entire shillings?”
    “Well, no. I also bought Hercules a new blanket.” Seeing Honoria’s expression, Juliet added, “I can repay it when Mrs. Bothton returns from Yorkshire . I promised to teach her niece how to ride sidesaddle. The poor girl is dreadfully frightened of horses, just as you are.”
    All eyes turned on Honoria. Her cheeks heated. “I am not frightened of horses. I just do not like them.” At all. Even from a distance, but especially up close where they could bite. “Juliet, I know you will pay us back, but—”
    “Next week,” Juliet said serenely, tying off a thread. “You will see. I am an excellent teacher and it will take no time at all to get Miss Lydia riding as if she was born to it.”
    Honoria shook her head. “I don’t doubt that. It’s just that things are rather precarious with us now and—”
    “Which is all Father’s fault,” Portia announced rather bitterly, looking at the papers in Olivia’s hands. “None of us would be in this mess if Father hadn’t—”
    “Nonsense,” Honoria said firmly. “Father, cannot control the winds of fortune that made the ship get lost at sea any more than you can keep from loving pastries, especially cream-filled ones.”
    Portia had to smile at that, some of the bitterness fading. “I suppose you are right. I just wish Father hadn’t invested all of our money in one ship.”
    Olivia nodded. “They say one should never put all of their eggs in one basket. I’d think that a good rule for investing in treasure ships as well.”
    Honoria agreed, but all she said was, “I’ll be sure to add that little homily to the next letter we send him. He is working very hard to make up for the loss, you know. Staying with friends and acquaintances when he can, and eating far less than he should—”
    “I know,” Portia said, her cheeks flushed. “And I know he’s working hard to repair our fortune and will do so, in time. It’s just that…” She hesitated a moment, then blurted out, “I miss having things.”
    Cassandra reached over and placed her hand over Portia’s. “We all do.”
    It was a sad thing to admit, but Honoria suspected that she missed their former luxuries worse than anyone else. She, more than any of her younger brothers and sisters, could remember the servants and gowns and fine food, the laughter and music and jeweled slippers—all of which disappeared after Mother’s sudden death two days after George’s birth. Father had never recovered from that blow, becoming lachrymose and lacking in energy. Naturally, his investments had suffered greatly and it had only been in the last two years that he’d attempted to recoup his losses.
    Honoria glanced down at the toes of her morning slippers, which were faded and much darned. Ye gods, what she would give for a new hat like the ones she saw in the much admired copies of La Belle Assemblee that Cassandra received from Aunt Caroline every few months. It had been high brimmed and made of straw and decorated with the most delectable