Page 20 of The Upper Crush

Molly glanced up from her laptop as Estelle entered, a smile on her freckled face. ‘How did it go?’

She grimaced. ‘Don’t ask.’

Hooking a chair with the toe of her riding boot, Molly pulled it forward. ‘Come on now, you can’t say “don’t ask”, and not expect me to want to know more.’

The knot in Estelle’s stomach tightened. She could hardly admit even to herself that part of her fancied James, and the last thing she wanted to do was explain who he was and why this situation was such a nightmare.

So she shrugged. ‘It’s all a bit up in the air again. The company has been re-structured and they’re also moving offices.’

‘But it’s still going ahead? The festival next year?’

Estelle puffed out her cheeks. ‘Well, if it doesn’t, the estate is going to be in real trouble.’

‘Shit. Is there anything I can do to help?’

‘Just keep this place going for me. Anything happen today I need to know about?’

‘Nah, we’re all good. I’ve got a couple of new girls starting, but you don’t need to worry about any of that. You going to take Duke out?’

Estelle nodded. ‘Just as soon as I’ve got this stupid skirt off.’

Molly grinned. ‘You do know it’s not meant to be worn like that?’

‘Bugger off. I’ve already had the fashion police onto me.’

‘Your mom?’

‘Yep. And even Henry asked if my skirt was at the “functioning length” when I went for my meeting.’

Molly snorted. ‘Your brother cracks me up. He’s such an English gent.’

‘From the seventeen hundreds…’

‘True. I can’t believe how different you are.’

Estelle nodded, even as a tiny pang of insecurity pricked at her heart. Did everyone see Henry as polite and well-mannered, and her as the loud-mouthed, abrasive one?

‘Hey,’ Molly began, leaning forward and squeezing her hand, ‘you’re the best, Estelle. Whatever happened today, you’ll sort it. I know you will. Now go and put on some proper clothes and go for a ride. It’ll make you feel better. I promise.’

Swinging herself into Duke’s saddle, a bow at her back and a quiver of arrows at her hip, Estelle whistled for Chester and Joy and set off out of the livery yard into the Foxbrooke estate. The air was cold enough to make the going firm, but not so cold as to make the ground too uneven for Duke. Nudging her beloved horse forward, he broke into a canter, whinnying with delight as he carried her up the grassy incline, the two dogs bounding along beside.

She wanted to speak to her best friend. But Eveline was on a short honeymoon and the last thing Estelle wanted was to disturb her friend’s happiness with her problems. Two days ago, Eveline had married Jack, one of Estelle and Henry’s oldest friends. Their wedding was overflowing with love and happiness, and those warm feelings had still glowed inside Estelle like a wood fire in winter when she’d set off that morning for Bath.

Discovering James Hunter-Savage was the owner of BDE Entertainment had immediately doused the happy flames.

Duke reached the top of the incline where the land flattened out and Estelle had set up targets attached to straw bales. She’d been practising mounted archery for over a year now and was almost ready to enter her first competition. The sport required intense strength, skill, focus, and an almost telepathic relationship with one’s horse. Despite the long hours she’d been working trying to save her family’s estate from her father’s idiotic business ideas, she’d still managed to find a couple of hours a week to practice.

‘Chester, Joy, sit,’ she commanded, pointing to a straw bale safely behind her. They jumped to the top and sat, their tongues lolling and tails wagging as they waited for the action to start.

Clicking to Duke, she let the reins drop, steering him with her thighs and verbal instructions. He trotted to the far end of the course she’d set, and exhilaration rushed through her as she lifted her bow and notched the first arrow into position.

Raising her face to the wintery sky, Estelle let out a wild cry that carried with it every emotion from the day. Frustration, fury, fear and now freedom on the back of Duke.

Her horse took off at a gallop. Gripping with all her might to stay level and balanced, she let the first arrow fly, whooping as it thudded into the straw bale. Duke’s hooves thundered along the grassy track as she let arrow after arrow go. Some missed, but most hit their targets.

When the quiver was empty, she whistled to Joy and Chester, who collected the arrows lying on the ground. The rest she pulled from the bales, then set everything up for another run.

The midwinter sun was close to the horizon when she finally stopped, out of breath and euphoric. For the past hour, her mind had been focused, and blissfully blank. Now, however, as her breathing quietened, thoughts of James woke, demanding attention.

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