“Give me a halter,” she said to Bettine, who was standing near her.
The child lifted one down from where it was hanging in the stall and Nolita slipped it over Dragonfly’s head.
“You are coming for a walk, boy,” she cooed. “I want to see you out in the sunshine.”
Still talking to him, she led him out of his stall into the stable yard.
She was aware as she did so that not only were the Marquis and Sam watching her but also a number of stable boys were staring in astonishment as she walked the great horse over the cobbles looking, although she was unaware of it, very small and very lovely as she did so.
Because she had not expected that she and Bettine would see anyone, Nolita had not put on a bonnet to visit the stables, but had behaved as she did at home, running out of the house just
