Page 56 of Leap of Faith
“A beautiful land to match a beautiful lady.”
Faith was out of her depth.
A throat cleared behind them. “Miss Whitford, would you care for some refreshment? Perhaps Carew would accompany me?”
Carew grinned up at Lord Westwood, then winked at her. “I do believe I’ve just been warned off,” he said amiably, but excused himself and went along.
The two men left together with some of the others, and Faith revelled in her sisters’ happiness.
“What an unexpected treat!” Hope exclaimed.
“And that is only half the show,” Joy beamed, her eyes alight with pleasure.
“What do you think will be next?”
“I cannot even fathom. I hope the horses themselves do tricks!”
The next act was followed by acrobats doing flips and twists that defied gravity; rope-walkers that had the entire crowd silent with their daring; contortionists that caused many a spectator to look away in pain and disbelief, followed by clowns and a pig doing sums.
“I thought the horses could do tricks!” Joy protested a little too loudly when she believed the performance over before the encore.
“Patience, imp,” Lord Westwood said, as he returned with Carew bearing fresh lemonade for them.
For the finale, there was a horse that could perform card tricks and make a cup of tea. Faith looked at Joy, who exclaimed this to be, “The best day of my life!”
No sooner were they seated back in the vehicle than Joy began, “Lord Westwood, may we go for a ride?”
“Today, imp?”
“Of course!”
“This is not because you want to try performing any of those tricks yourself, is it?”
“Well,” she prevaricated. “Perhaps one or two. I am certain I could snatch a handkerchief from the ground while riding. That cannot be so difficult.”
“Joy! I forbid it!” Faith was appalled.
Lord Westwood was giving her a look of disapproval over Joy’s head. She scowled back at him.
“Not the way to discourage her,” he muttered. “The performers have special stirrups with which to secure their leg while learning such tricks,” he explained. “Otherwise, you would be certain to fall under the horse. You will not try such a thing under my guardianship, understood?”
“But if I have such a harness fashioned, what would be the harm?” Joy persisted.
“I will have your word, young lady,” Westwood said in a calm but firm voice.
“But…oh, very well, sir.”
Faith was impressed with his ability to deal with the headstrong Joy, but she was still vexed with him and would not say so.
“May we at least ride this afternoon?”
“It is too late in the day for a proper ride, and we are promised to the theatre, but I will take you first thing in the morning.”
Faith shook her head, knowing her sister was unlikely to sleep that night, dreaming of ways she could keep her promise to Westwood but still try some other trick.
* * *
Later that evening,they were obliged to dance attendance on the Whitford ladies once again.Henry IVwas playing at Drury Lane, and they had yet to see a play. A Shakespearean drama was not his ideal, but anything besides the opera would do.
