An Innocent Deceit

‘Right, thank you, Mr Huddlesworth, that will be all,’ Mr Bingham said abruptly. His mouth was tight as he vaulted over the low fence and made his way to the little girl’s side. ‘There, there, Lady Clara, there’s no need to cry.’ He pulled a large white handkerchief from his pocket and gently dried the child’s tears. ‘You don’t have to ride any more.’ Stuffing the handkerchief back in his pocket, he gently lifted Clara out of the saddle. ‘Why don’t you go and play with Bartholomew while I have a word with Mr Huddlesworth?’

In spite of the tears rolling down her cheeks, the child’s huge blue eyes suddenly brightened, and without a word, she ran off to find her puppy, obviously content to leave the irascible pony where he was.

Antonia did not need to hear what the steward was saying to know that he was not pleased with the gentleman’s performance. It was apparent from Mr Huddlesworth’s posture that he was not being complimented. Nor should he have been, Antonia reflected dimly. The man obviously knew nothing about the instruction of young children. His methods might have worked on older girls, or on boys who were easier to bully, but it certainly wasn’t the technique to use on a six-year-old girl who was just getting started.

Fortunately, it seemed that the steward was of the same opinion. After a few minutes more, Mr Huddlesworth turned and left the paddock, his drooping shoulders indicative of his lack of success.

Now, it was her turn.

Taking a deep breath, Antonia gathered the reins in her gloved hands. After casting her eyes about one last time for a glimpse of Lord Carlyle, she lightly flicked the crop against the mare’s withers and urged her forward. Once clear of the trees, she pushed Foxfire into an easy canter and made directly for the man who was still standing at the edge of the paddock.

The steward, having turned at the sound of a horse approaching and assuming it to be Mr Davlin, stopped short at the sight of a lovely young woman riding towards him. When he saw who it was, he smiled and respectfully tipped his cap. ‘Afternoon, Miss Hadley. Can I help you?’

‘I certainly hope so, Mr Bingham. I—’

‘Toni!’

The childlike cry of delight rang out before Antonia had a chance to say more, and it caused Mr Bingham to turn around in confusion. ‘Tony?’

‘Toni’s here, Paddy!’ Lady Clara cried. She flew down the field towards them with the spaniel yipping noisily at her heels. ‘Toni’s here.’ She came to an abrupt halt next to the steward and then stood gazing up at the lady on the dapple grey mare with an expression of adoration. ‘Toni!’

Mr Bingham’s expression was considerably more guarded. ‘Tony?’

‘It’s…Antonia, actually,’ Antonia stammered, colouring a little. ‘And the reason I have come is to see you about the position of…riding master to Lady Clara.’

The steward’s eyes narrowed fractionally. ‘There must be some mistake, miss. I was expecting a Mr Tony Davlin.’

Knowing it was too late to back out now, Antonia offered him a tentative smile. ‘Yes, I know. But as strange as this may sound, Mr Bingham, I am…Tony Davlin.’

It was quite clear that this was not the explanation Paddy Bingham had been expecting. He took off his cap again and scratched his head until Antonia felt sure he was in danger of rubbing a hole in it. ‘Well, I’ll be dam—that is, would you mind telling me what this is all about, miss?’

‘Yes, I certainly owe you that.’ Antonia unhooked her leg from around the crutch and, placing her hand in the one Mr Bingham offered, gracefully slid down from the saddle. After bending to give Lady Clara an affectionate hug, she straightened again, and then looked into the steward’s face. ‘I think perhaps I should start at the beginning.’

‘I think that might be a good idea,’ Mr Bingham agreed carefully. ‘Shall we take a walk?’

‘Before we do, might I ask if…Lord Carlyle is…likely to come down?’ Antonia enquired anxiously.

Mr Bingham shook his head. ‘His lordship is not at home this afternoon, miss. I doubt he’ll be back before dark.’

More relieved than she cared to admit, Antonia nodded and fell into step beside him. ‘Well, you see, Mr Bingham, it all started last Christmas, when I met Lady Clara at the children’s party at the vicarage…’

By the time Antonia had finished explaining the situation to Mr Bingham, they had walked fully twice around the ring. The steward had not made any interruption and Antonia had been able to relay her story in a clear and concise manner. At its conclusion, however, she paused and turned to regard the Earl’s steward with an expression that was decidedly apprehensive. ‘So you see, Mr Bingham, it was not my intention to deceive anyone. I merely wanted an opportunity to speak with you about teaching Lady Clara to ride, and I felt quite sure you would not have entertained a letter from a Miss Antonia Hadley.’

‘You’re right about that, miss, I wouldn’t,’ Mr Bingham agreed ruefully. ‘Nor do I know that I should even be talking to you about it now. I’m sure I don’t have to tell you the reasons why.’

‘No, I can appreciate your concerns,’ Antonia was quick to assure him. ‘But is not the point of this exercise to find someone who has the skills and temperament necessary to teach Lady Clara how to ride?’

‘Well, yes, but…’

‘And were you impressed with the gentleman you just saw?’

Mr Bingham sniffed disparagingly. ‘Not a bit, but…’

‘Then will you not at least allow me to show you what I can do?’ Antonia implored. ‘I am a very good rider, Mr Bingham. I have studied with Captain Fozard in London, and I know that I have the skills to teach Lady Clara how to ride. She likes me, you see. More importantly, she trusts me, and you and I both know how important that is if she is to learn to ride well.’

Antonia glanced towards the little girl who was, even now, giving the pony a wide berth. ‘Look there, Mr Bingham. Lady Clara is already afraid of her pony and, if she does not learn to overcome that fear, she may never enjoy riding. That is why she needs to have trust in the person who is going to teach her. She needs to know that she will not be asked to do anything that she is not capable of doing or ready to undertake. And by trusting me, Clara knows that I will not push her.’

‘That’s all very well, miss, but—’

‘Oh, please, Mr Bingham, please say that you will give me a chance. At least let me show you what I can do. Then, if you are still in doubt as to my capabilities, I shall leave and not bother you again. What do you say?’

Mr Bingham, who was nothing if not fair, found himself in a definite quandary. Hiring a lady definitely went against the grain. But if Mr Huddlesworth was, by Bingham’s own admission, the best man that he could find for the job, did he not owe it to the young lady and to himself to see what she could do?

‘Lady Clara,’ Mr Bingham called. ‘Come here a moment, will you, sweetheart?’

Obediently, Clara rose from the grass where she was playing with the brown and white spaniel and hurried to his side. ‘Yes, Paddy?’

Slowly, the steward bent down and smiled into the little girl’s eyes. ‘Now, my little cock sparrow, how would you like Miss…that is, Toni, to take you around the ring on Teddy again?’

In spite of his reassuring voice, Lady Clara glanced at the pony with a dubious eye. ‘I don’t think Teddy likes me, Paddy,’ she replied in a small voice. ‘He…put his ears back and pulled the reins away. And then the man shouted at me.’

‘I know,’ Mr Bingham said with infinite kindness, ‘but Teddy’s fine now, and Mr Huddlesworth is gone.’

‘And you know that I am not going to shout at you, don’t you, Clara?’ Antonia said gently.

Lady Clara looked up into Antonia’s familiar face, and smiled brightly. ‘Yes.’

‘Good. Then will you try riding Teddy one more time, just for me?’

Lady Clara glanced at her pony again, but this time cautiously nodded her agreement.

Antonia didn’t even attempt to hide her relief. ‘That’s my girl.’

Mr Bingham resumed his place at the rail while Antonia led Lady Clara back into the paddock and across to where the pony stood peacefully grazing. She took up the reins, but instead of placing the little girl directly on the pony’s back as Mr Huddlesworth had done, Antonia put the reins in Lady Clara’s hands and encouraged her to lead the pony around the ring, talking to him all the while. Antonia herself stood at the other side of the pony’s head, just in case it became necessary to quickly take hold of the bridle.

As it turned out, it was not necessary, because Teddy behaved like a perfect gentleman. He walked quietly between them, never once tossing his head or pawing at the ground, until gradually, Antonia saw the look of tension in the little girl’s face begin to disappear. She even started to smile as she realised that the pony was not going to hurt her, and fed him a carrot which magically appeared from the depths of Antonia’s pocket.

In fact, it was not until Antonia felt completely sure that Lady Clara was comfortable at being so close to the pony, that she finally stopped and lifted the child on to its back, settling her gently into the saddle.

By the end of the demonstration, Mr Bingham took off his hat and scratched his head again. ‘Well, I’ll give you your due, miss. There’s no doubt in my mind that you’re the one to teach Lady Clara to ride,’ he acknowledged as Antonia and Clara walked towards him. ‘But I have to warn you, I don’t know how the Earl is going to take to this.’

‘I know that, Mr Bingham, but does the Earl…have to find out?’ Antonia inquired, embarking on what she knew would be the most difficult part of her plan.

Mr Bingham glanced at her sideways. ‘Beg pardon, miss, but what exactly are you suggesting?’

Antonia quickly bent down. ‘Clara, why don’t you walk Teddy around the ring while I talk to Mr Bingham? That way he can cool down a little before we put him back in the stable.’

Sweetly obedient, Clara did as she was asked. As soon as she was out of hearing distance, Antonia turned back to face the steward. ‘Mr Bingham, how would it be if you were simply to tell Lord Carlyle that you had hired…Tony Davlin, and leave it at that? You would not be telling him a lie because it is my name—in a manner of speaking. And Lady Clara will confirm it if he asks, though hopefully not with any details. You see how she already calls me Toni.’