She had been crazy with delight over her success in getting the
engagement from the manager in Paris, and it had not occurred to her
that her appearance had had a great deal to do with her having been
accepted. She had signed a contract for a year; and looking forward a
year seemed a very long time. There had been opposition at home.
Her father had said, "I don't approve, but at the same time I don't
know in the least what else you can do. It's Hobson's choice. You can
ride, and you've got looks of the sort to take in a public career."
Her mother had been frankly brutal. Now that there was no money, she
said, she could not have three great girls at home doing nothing. She
had given them all a good education and they must try and make some use
of it. Neither of the younger sisters, Isobel and Valerie, were old
enough to do anything for themselves, so Arithelli at the age of
twenty-four had taken her courage, which was the indomitable courage of
her race, in both hands, and launched herself on the world. The
bare-backed riding of her early days in Galway had proved a valuable
asset, and there was not a horse she could not manage.
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