“Makes sense.”
Sam scratches his forehead. “That reminds me, Fashion Guru, Idohave a question I wanted to ask your expert advice on.”
I sit taller. “I’m all ears.”
“What’s the best way to remove stains from white trousers?”
My gaze travels to the pair he’s wearing. “Those look fine to me.”
“They’re not. The inside of the legs is stained. Our saddles are black lambswool. The dye always comes off on the crotch and bum area. It’s not so much of a big deal now with the winter order uniform since we wear khaki trousers, but for the Princess Alice Cup, I’ll be expected to dress in my summer ceremonial uniform.”
“Ouch.” I wince. “White trousers and black dye? Who thought that would be a good idea?”
“That’s a question I’m constantly asking. It’s the only time I wish I were a member of the Life Guards. They have white lambswool covering their saddles.”
“That doesn’t seem fair.”
“It’s not, but I suppose they have to wear their helmet chains under their lower lip instead of under the chin.”
“They do?”
Sam grins. “It’s one of the other subtle differences between the regiments. The chaps in the Life Guards sometimes get rashes from the chain irritating their stubble.”
“Huh, I’ll have to take a closer look next time I pass through Horse Guards on Wednesday.” I make a mental note. “Hmm, going back to the trousers, you can try a couple different things. If it’s a leather, peptides are great—think shampoo and conditioner. If it’s more a cotton or jean fabric, you could use seltzer, salt, soap, and some warm water.”
“Salt?”
“Uh-huh. It has a nice abrasive quality. Some of my friends have used hydrogen peroxide, but I’d be careful with it around the horses. It has a sharp scent. I don’t know how strong a horse’s nose is, but if it were me, I wouldn’t want to take any chances.”
“Understood.” Sam takes out his phone and types a note to himself. “Any salt and soap?”
“Yup. Liquid soap is better than bar soap, but it’ll do the job in a pinch.”
He slides his phone back in his pocket. “Thanks, Min. I knew I could count on you to help.”
“That’s why I’m the fashion guru.”
We clear our table and toss the rubbish in the bin. We’re a few blocks away from the barracks. I rest my head on his arm as we walk along the street.
“Are you all set for tomorrow?”
“Somewhat. My sketches are prepped, and I have a rough outline of the points I want to make in my head.”
“Sounds like you know exactly what you’re doing. You’re going to nail it.”
“Fingers crossed.”
My main problem isn’t going to be what I’ve prepared. It’ll be keeping it together when I meet my idol, Clarissa Lee. I’ve dreamed about this moment for so long. I just hope she lives up to being the type of person I think she is. There’s a reason the saying “never meet your heroes” exists. I hope she’s an exception to the rule.
“What about you? You’re starting off tomorrow on competition prep?”
“Uh-huh.”
“And what are your plans for the rest of the night? Going straight to bed?” I joke.
Sam inhales sharply. “I’d love to, but I’ll be up for a couple hours buffing out my boots and helmet for the next major inspection. The captain expects me to start putting in more effort beginning with the inspection Wednesday before we go on parade.”
A twinge of guilt takes hold. Sam’s given up his precious time tonight to come and support me. Because of it, he’ll be up late working on polishing. I know what I’m about to offer may come back to bite me in the butt, but that’s a risk I’m willing to take. I care about this man too much to leave him hanging high and dry.
