Excerpt:

Chapter One

“Charlotte Everbrook, do act your age. You are no longer a child.”
“Mama, I only just turned fifteen today!” Even though I argued back with my mother, I did listen. With a sigh of regret, I sat back in my seat and drew the curtains shut over the window. I had been making faces at my best friend Gareth as he worked in the garden. He often tells me how boring it gets when he works outside so I usually try to entertain him until he can come back in for his other duties.
“Darling, you really shouldn’t spend so much time with the servants. People will talk,” my mother chastised gently.
“Mama…!” I turned a pout on her, knowing that she wouldn’t be able to stand the force of my pleading eyes.
She sighed, looking oddly sad. “Very well, but do try to get along better with your brothers and sisters.” At her words, I scowled. My siblings were all snobby and made fun of Gareth and the other servants. Everything that I loved to do, they hated. How could I enjoy spending time with people whom I have nothing in common? But the strange expression on my mother’s face made me nod my head in submission.
The grandfather clock in the hall chimed three times signaling the time for me to leave my mother and go to my first afternoon lesson. This was the one lesson of the day that I was actually excited about and I leapt from my seat and pressed a quick kiss to my mother’s cheek.
“I’ll see you at dinner, Mama,” I called as I walked as quickly from the room as I could. In no time at all, I was back in my room and throwing off my light house dress. My maid, Sara, already had my riding leathers prepared and she helped me slip into them. She braided my hair into a long auburn rope that fell over my shoulder as I bent down to lace my boots.
“Take care today, Miss Carlie.”
“Thanks Sara, I’ll see you in an hour,” I replied, nearly running in my haste to get to the stables.
It was bright outside and the sun warmed my skin pleasantly. For a moment, I closed my eyes and stood still to let the toasty warmth soak in. A pair of hands grabbed me around my waist, lifting me in the air and resulting in an embarrassing yelp from me. My eyes flew open as I felt myself turning in the air and my surprised gaze fell upon the grinning face of my best friend.
“Gareth! Put me down right now!” I demanded, shooting a nervous glance toward the house where my mother was surely watching.
“Oh let her watch! You’re too paranoid, Carlie!” Gareth did put me back down, however, his dark blue eyes sparkling with humor.
I frowned at him and reached up to tug one of his dark curls. “I am not. Mama just scolded me not ten minutes ago for spending too much time with you and not enough with my siblings.”
“Hah, the day you voluntarily use your spare time on your brothers and sisters, the kingdom will fall!” We both grinned at each other, knowing how unlikely either event was to happen.
“Now let me go. You will make me late to my riding lesson.” I said loftily, trying my best to look down my nose at him though he stood at least a head taller than me.
Gareth gave me a false scowl and placed his hand on my head. “You should respect your elders,” he said solemnly.
I couldn’t help but laugh as I pushed away his hand. “Oh, please. You are only two years older than I am. I really will be late!” Normally I wouldn’t have passed up the chance to skip a lesson in order to spend time with Gareth, however riding was one of my passions. I wouldn’t give up the pleasure so easily.
“Yes, yes. You’ve made yourself quite clear. I’ll walk you to the stables.”
As we walked, I glanced up at Gareth, grateful not for the first time that my father insisted on having our servants educated. Although I was sure that I would have loved Gareth regardless, his being educated made him much easier to converse with. My father once told me that many of the people outside the castle couldn’t even read! I wonder what they do to amuse themselves!
“Goodbye Gareth. I’ll see you in a while.” I grinned up at him and he gave me a mock salute.
“Aye aye, captain! It’s time for me to work in the kitchens anyway.” Gareth wrapped his arm around my neck and lightly ruffled my hair. He skipped away laughing as I swung at him and continued on back to the main house.