Lady Ann's Holiday: The Final Chapter - Part Four

Burt didn’t see Lady Ann until three more hours had passed, during which time he cleared up the horse dung, groomed the horses and fed the animals.

With summer on its way it was a hotter day than usual and he was sweating profusely. While he worked his mind wandered over a variety of subjects, from the sexual antics he and Mavis had got up to the night before to a general enjoyment of using his strength to work hard, to a continuing dread that every minute he spent in this body made him less likely to get his old one back.

It wasn’t that the magic was still working on his mind; it was that it had already done its job. He was who he was. Turning into another person – especially a woman – just seemed unnatural and weird.

When he came back round to the front from the pig pen he saw Lady Ann approaching wearing her riding gear. He came to a nervous stop. This was it: the moment when he would broach the subject; see what her intentions were regarding exchanging forms.

“Burt. There you are,” she said. “Bring my horse out. I’m going riding.”

“Er… If’n I might ave a word first m’lady…”

“Now Burt! I don’t have all day to waste.”

Burt paled. “Yes miss. I’ll just be a moment.” He went inside and dumped the pig’s food then rushed to get Rosebud, wondering what the best way to approach her ladyship would be regarding the pendant.

He came out dawdling, still trying to think, and Ann was quietly seething, arms folded, foot tapping. “You took long enough.” She walked round. “Help me up.”

“But miss, I was wonderin if—”

“Help me up. Now!”

He hurried to do so, eager to please her ladyship and not wishing to get shouted at more than he already was.

When she was in position, Lady Ann smiled down at him demurely. “Why thank you Burt. I don’t know how I would manage without you here to serve me.”

Burt grinned, his ears growing warm. “It’s me pleasure miss.”

“Well then get out of my way,” said Ann, turning snappish again instantly and enjoying the look of alarm on his face as he flapped backwards.

“Hang on miss,” he said, stepping forward. “I wanted to ask ye somethin.”

But Ann spurred on the horse and rode it up the drive and away, leaving Burt once more uncertain and perplexed.