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Jul. 6th, 2009 09:19 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
fiery_ringCarlotta couldn't believe her luck when her father actually agreed to let her go to the horse show with Will. Even with a chaparone, it's still going to be fun.
The first day is a hard slog getting four overexcitable horses into a vehicle, plus themselves and their cases. Will's driving is gentle enough for their delicate cargo, and they arrive at the event safely. Will leaves Carlotta and Harris to feed the horses whilst he gets along with business matters - he's taking running of the stables very seriously.
They spend the day doing nice horsey things; Rocky is sold to a keen trainer of racehorses, bringing in more than enough money to replace him with a riding school horse and do some repairs to the stables. Carlotta wins a couple of ribbons in the gymcana, and Harris seems to enjoy getting a bit of fresh air and a change of scenery.
In the evening they have freshly cooked camp food, and Carlotta teaches the men some circus songs. Then, the evening turns to conversation, and Carlotta dares to ask Harris a few questions about her mother.
"It's okay, you can say anything in front of Will that you would to me."
Harris nods.
"Well, your assumption is correct - I was indeed the boy paid by your Ringmaster to keep an eye on your mother, but I'm not sure how much help I can be to you. I was the errand boy, I spent very little time upstairs.
It all began when your father and uncle Michael turned eighteen..."
"Uncle Michael?"
Harris looks a little surprised, then clarifies.
"Your father has a twin brother, Michael. They are not the close type of twins; in fact they have never got on well. Perhaps this is why your father rarely speaks of him. In any case, when they turned eighteen your grandfather called a meeting of the family. He had not been well for some time and he wanted to pass along the running of the family business to his sons. He gave 49% of the company to each, and the remaining 2% to your grandmother's care."
Carlotta looks a bit confused by this. Will interjects.
"So that neither son could take control, but they had it in their interests to appease their mother to get the remaining 2% when she died?"
"Indeed. Your father was a good businessman, and worked hard to keep the company afloat. Your uncle was a lazy boy, and used his charisma to get away with doing very little. The company started to fail, and your uncle made it look like it was your father's fault. Now John was still only eighteen, just your age Will, and the strain became too much for him - one day he ran away saying that he had to take a holiday.
Michael felt guilty for driving his brother too far, and for once stood up and took responsibility. He held the fort, as it were, and learned to be a good businessman too.
And then the news came back. Your father was having an affair with a circus girl. There was a most terrific row, and your grandfather demanded a cover up. For the first time in his life, your father stood up to him and insisted that he would marry Maria. He insisted that she wouldn't be an embarrassment to the family.
She came to live with us, and the rows continued. Maria tried to do what you have done, to learn the rules because she loved your father. But she did not succeed, and she became increasingly unhappy, despite the fact that he was never cruel to her."
"Who helped her escape?"
"That, I don't know for certain." Harris says. "I was accused, of course, but I wasn't guilty. I had a very solid alibi in the form of your grandmother for the hours your mother was unaccounted for. And that, I'm afraid, is as far as I know in the story."
Carlotta nods.
"Did my mother tell you what motivated her to leave?"
"No, but your father was making many plans for you. I think she decided that she wanted you to make up your own mind which world you lived in when you were older, and that if you didn't start out in the circus you would never get that choice."
Carlotta nods again, taking it all in. Harris stands.
"I would appreciate it if you did not discuss this with your father. He behaved in an honourable manner as much as possible and the subject is terribly painful to him. Now if you'll excuse me, I have to use the facilities."
He heads towards a hut at the end of the campsite. Will puts his arm around Carlotta.
"Are you okay?" he asks, giving her a squeeze.
Carlotta nods.
"I wish I knew who helped her. Heavily pregnant women can't mount horses on their own. It must have been a terribly hard thing for her to do."
She sees a sadness in Will's eyes, and tilts her head at him.
"I say, you're not going to blub are you?"
"Course not idiot." Will says, grinning and letting go of her to gently punch her on the arm.
"What then?"
"I just wish... I wish you were my age so you didn't have to be in school."
"Me too, but a promise is a promise. Besides, St Clare's is all right."
She stops. Something unforeseen is occurring involving the proximity of Will's face to hers. The end result is extremely unexpected, but not, she must admit, unpleasant.
She pulls away.
"Will! What are you doing?"
"I'm sorry, I promise not to do it again until you're eighteen." Will says meekly.
Carlotta thwaps him over the head with her hand.
"Please Will, you're my best friend, don't go all soppy on me."
"I won't, I just got carried away. Am I forgiven?"
Carlotta nods, rolling her eyes.
"Ugh, hormones."
She has to admit, it wasn't a bad first kiss.
The first day is a hard slog getting four overexcitable horses into a vehicle, plus themselves and their cases. Will's driving is gentle enough for their delicate cargo, and they arrive at the event safely. Will leaves Carlotta and Harris to feed the horses whilst he gets along with business matters - he's taking running of the stables very seriously.
They spend the day doing nice horsey things; Rocky is sold to a keen trainer of racehorses, bringing in more than enough money to replace him with a riding school horse and do some repairs to the stables. Carlotta wins a couple of ribbons in the gymcana, and Harris seems to enjoy getting a bit of fresh air and a change of scenery.
In the evening they have freshly cooked camp food, and Carlotta teaches the men some circus songs. Then, the evening turns to conversation, and Carlotta dares to ask Harris a few questions about her mother.
"It's okay, you can say anything in front of Will that you would to me."
Harris nods.
"Well, your assumption is correct - I was indeed the boy paid by your Ringmaster to keep an eye on your mother, but I'm not sure how much help I can be to you. I was the errand boy, I spent very little time upstairs.
It all began when your father and uncle Michael turned eighteen..."
"Uncle Michael?"
Harris looks a little surprised, then clarifies.
"Your father has a twin brother, Michael. They are not the close type of twins; in fact they have never got on well. Perhaps this is why your father rarely speaks of him. In any case, when they turned eighteen your grandfather called a meeting of the family. He had not been well for some time and he wanted to pass along the running of the family business to his sons. He gave 49% of the company to each, and the remaining 2% to your grandmother's care."
Carlotta looks a bit confused by this. Will interjects.
"So that neither son could take control, but they had it in their interests to appease their mother to get the remaining 2% when she died?"
"Indeed. Your father was a good businessman, and worked hard to keep the company afloat. Your uncle was a lazy boy, and used his charisma to get away with doing very little. The company started to fail, and your uncle made it look like it was your father's fault. Now John was still only eighteen, just your age Will, and the strain became too much for him - one day he ran away saying that he had to take a holiday.
Michael felt guilty for driving his brother too far, and for once stood up and took responsibility. He held the fort, as it were, and learned to be a good businessman too.
And then the news came back. Your father was having an affair with a circus girl. There was a most terrific row, and your grandfather demanded a cover up. For the first time in his life, your father stood up to him and insisted that he would marry Maria. He insisted that she wouldn't be an embarrassment to the family.
She came to live with us, and the rows continued. Maria tried to do what you have done, to learn the rules because she loved your father. But she did not succeed, and she became increasingly unhappy, despite the fact that he was never cruel to her."
"Who helped her escape?"
"That, I don't know for certain." Harris says. "I was accused, of course, but I wasn't guilty. I had a very solid alibi in the form of your grandmother for the hours your mother was unaccounted for. And that, I'm afraid, is as far as I know in the story."
Carlotta nods.
"Did my mother tell you what motivated her to leave?"
"No, but your father was making many plans for you. I think she decided that she wanted you to make up your own mind which world you lived in when you were older, and that if you didn't start out in the circus you would never get that choice."
Carlotta nods again, taking it all in. Harris stands.
"I would appreciate it if you did not discuss this with your father. He behaved in an honourable manner as much as possible and the subject is terribly painful to him. Now if you'll excuse me, I have to use the facilities."
He heads towards a hut at the end of the campsite. Will puts his arm around Carlotta.
"Are you okay?" he asks, giving her a squeeze.
Carlotta nods.
"I wish I knew who helped her. Heavily pregnant women can't mount horses on their own. It must have been a terribly hard thing for her to do."
She sees a sadness in Will's eyes, and tilts her head at him.
"I say, you're not going to blub are you?"
"Course not idiot." Will says, grinning and letting go of her to gently punch her on the arm.
"What then?"
"I just wish... I wish you were my age so you didn't have to be in school."
"Me too, but a promise is a promise. Besides, St Clare's is all right."
She stops. Something unforeseen is occurring involving the proximity of Will's face to hers. The end result is extremely unexpected, but not, she must admit, unpleasant.
She pulls away.
"Will! What are you doing?"
"I'm sorry, I promise not to do it again until you're eighteen." Will says meekly.
Carlotta thwaps him over the head with her hand.
"Please Will, you're my best friend, don't go all soppy on me."
"I won't, I just got carried away. Am I forgiven?"
Carlotta nods, rolling her eyes.
"Ugh, hormones."
She has to admit, it wasn't a bad first kiss.
