CHAPTER ONE 1813Novella trotted her horse into the stables and then dismounted.
There was no one about and she thought that the groom was probably working in the garden.
As they were very short staffed owing to the War, everybody left behind was doing two jobs rather than one.
She put her horse into his stall and unfastened his saddle. Placing it on the bar in the passage she went back for the bridle.
Then she checked to see that there was food in the manger and fresh water in the pail.
“You have been a good boy!” she praised him. “If there is time, we will go out again this afternoon.”
As she patted him, she felt sure that Heron understood what she was saying to him.
He nuzzled against her before she left.
Walking back to the house she thought, as it was a lovely day, it was a pit
