Georgia's Gamble [A Historical Fiction Novel; The Pratt Chronicles Book 1]

Chapter 16

Chapter 16

Georgia Pratt

The moment had soothed the storm in my head, at least for a moment. All until Indy came barreling in with all the subtlety of a wild mustang.

"Georgia!" Indy's voice was loud and full of excitement, completely oblivious to the tension in the room. "You have to come see the—" She froze in her tracks, her wide green eyes darting between me and Benjamin, who's hand was still resting on my arm, looking like he wasn't sure if he should laugh or apologize for being there.

"What's going on here?" Indy demanded, her freckled face scrunching up in suspicion. "Why is there a man in the living room with you, Georgie?"

I quickly stiffened up, feeling my cheeks heat up. What a way to caught in the midst of a crisis. "Indiana, this is Benjamin," I said, trying to sound casual. "He's helping me with Arlo, remember?"

Indy didn't look convinced. She crossed her arms over her chest and narrowed her eyes at Benjamin. "Helping you with Arlo? In the sitting room? That's new. I don't see a paddock here- or Arlo."

Benjamin chuckled, clearly amused by Indy's directness. "We were just talking," he said, pulling his arm away lightly and taking a step toward her. "Your sister's had a rough day, and I was just checking in on her."

Indy wasn't about to let it go that easily. She tilted her head, her red curls bouncing as she looked him up and down. "And who are you again? You're not one of the ranch hands, and you're definitely not from around here."

I groaned internally. Of course, Indy would be the one to interrogate Benjamin like this. "Indy, don't be rude," I scolded, trying to steer the conversation back on track. "He's a jockey, here to help with Arlo's training."

Indy's eyes widened with interest, her suspicion momentarily forgotten. "A jockey? Like the ones who race horses in the Belmont and the Derby?"

Benjamin nodded, a smile tugging at the corner of his lips. "That's right. I've been working with Arlo, trying to get him ready for the upcoming season. But your sister here is the real expert—she's got a way with that horse that I've rarely seen."

Indy's skepticism melted away, replaced by a newfound admiration. "That's so... Wow," she said, her tone softening. "But, um, why were you holding her hand?"

Benjamin's smile widened, but he didn't seem fazed by the question. "Sometimes, when someone's feeling down, it helps to know they're not alone. That's all it was."

Indy considered this for a moment, then gave a small nod, satisfied with his answer. "Okay, but you're not, like, her new suitor or something, right?"

"Indy!" I exclaimed, mortified by her bluntness. I had to resemble a tomato by now.

Benjamin just laughed, holding up his hands in mock surrender. "No, I'm not. Just a friend." There was a hint of something in his voice, but I couldn't quite pinpoint it- I was too distracted trying to figure out how to make my sister be quiet.

Indy shrugged, seemingly satisfied with his answer, before her attention shifted back to the original reason she'd come in. "Oh! I almost forgot! There's a snake in the barn, G! A huge one! I was going to catch it, but I thought you'd want to see it first."

The abrupt change of subject left both Benjamin and me blinking in surprise. "A snake?" I repeated, trying to keep up with her train of thought. "Indy, you know better than to mess with snakes, especially big ones. What if it's dangerous?"

"It's not dangerous," Indy insisted, rolling her eyes. "It's just a rat snake. I've caught bigger ones before. But if you're too busy with your friend..." She trailed off, giving Benjamin a sidelong glance.

I sighed, knowing that there was no point in arguing with Indy when she got an idea in her head. "Alright," I conceded, "I'll come with you. But only to make sure you don't get yourself into trouble."

"Can I come?" Benjamin asked, clearly amused by the whole situation. I shot him a look of surprise, he surely didn't want to join my adventure of wrangling a rambunctious fourteen year old.

Indy hesitated, giving him a once-over as if deciding whether or not he was worthy of joining our snake hunt. Finally, she shrugged. "I guess. But you better not get scared."

"I'll do my best," Benjamin said with a grin, earning a giggle from Indy.

I couldn't help but smile at the two of them as we headed toward the door. Despite everything, it felt good to have a moment of lightness, to not be weighed down by all the worries and expectations pressing in on me. And as we stepped out of the house and into the fading light of the evening, I found myself feeling just a little bit better than I felt not long before.