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Authors: Fenella J Miller
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bordered the woods that surrounded the property.
She might be an expert horsewoman but it defied credibility to think she could control such a powerful horse with no saddle or bridle. His worst fears were realised when he caught a glimpse of the chestnut without his rider on the far side of the hedge that bordered the final paddock.
‘Steady, boy, we must not arrive at this speed.’ He pulled on the reins and transferred his weight to the back of the saddle and the horse responded immediately, dropping from a gallop to a canter and then to a walk.
He was about to call out when three overexcited dogs shot through a hole at the bottom of the hedge and their sudden appearance caused Lucifer to rear at the precise moment he was dismounting.
*
After jumping the hedge Grace realised her small dog pack was several fields away. ‘We will wait for them here, Rufus, I’ll walk you until you’re cool enough to graze.’
It took a while for the animals to catch up and by that time Rufus was happily munching at the lush grass that grew along the edge of the hedge in the clearing she’d jumped into. She greeted the dogs and then decided to explore before remounting. Although there was a track leading into the trees she wasn’t sure it would be suitable to ride along, as it looked more like one used by deer.
Suddenly the dogs turned tail and ran back the way they’d come and she could hear their excited barking in the distance. Something had attracted their attention so she followed them, hoping they didn’t scare her horse as he could be somewhat temperamental. The hedge was too wide for her to see over when standing next to it, although Rufus was standing with his ears pricked looking in the direction of the noise.
There was a gap she could peer through. She was about to do so when the unmistakable sound of Lord Sheldon made her pause. Then something prompted her to peep through the shrubbery and her heart all but stopped.
His lordship was spreadeagled on the grass, there was no sign of his horse and her dogs were bouncing up and down around him. He was unhurt, which was fortunate, but so enraged she thought it better not to announce her presence. With luck he would think Toby and his brothers had arrived through their own volition and not associate her with his accident.
She clicked her fingers and the stallion trotted over to her. There was no way she could mount without something to stand on unless she removed her skirt. She hesitated for a moment, then decided it would be safer to remove herself from Lord Sheldon and risk being seen in men’s attire than remain where she was.
She unhooked her skirt and draped it around her neck then grasped a handful of her stallion’s mane and vaulted up. There was no need for her to urge Rufus into motion, he shot forward almost before she was settled and only her excellent balance kept her on his back.
Her horse had chosen to canter along the track adjacent to the hedge and Grace crouched over his neck making sure she couldn’t be seen from the field on the other side. With luck the dogs would be so interested in Lord Sheldon they wouldn’t attempt to follow her and thus reveal that she’d been present and seen his humiliation.
The sun was slowly rising and there would soon be servants about and she’d no wish to be seen dressed as she was. The track eventually emerged at the rear of the stables and there was the clatter of buckets and the sound of voices. She dismounted and refastened her skirt. ‘You must find your own way back to the field, Rufus. I daren’t be seen.’ She turned his head in the direction of the paddocks and slapped him on his hindquarters.
He whinnied loudly and his stablemates responded from the field. He needed no further encouragement and took off; she held her breath as he approached the fence but he jumped it with feet to spare. The horse was safely home, now all she had to do was get herself inside without being seen. She was certain there
She might be an expert horsewoman but it defied credibility to think she could control such a powerful horse with no saddle or bridle. His worst fears were realised when he caught a glimpse of the chestnut without his rider on the far side of the hedge that bordered the final paddock.
‘Steady, boy, we must not arrive at this speed.’ He pulled on the reins and transferred his weight to the back of the saddle and the horse responded immediately, dropping from a gallop to a canter and then to a walk.
He was about to call out when three overexcited dogs shot through a hole at the bottom of the hedge and their sudden appearance caused Lucifer to rear at the precise moment he was dismounting.
*
After jumping the hedge Grace realised her small dog pack was several fields away. ‘We will wait for them here, Rufus, I’ll walk you until you’re cool enough to graze.’
It took a while for the animals to catch up and by that time Rufus was happily munching at the lush grass that grew along the edge of the hedge in the clearing she’d jumped into. She greeted the dogs and then decided to explore before remounting. Although there was a track leading into the trees she wasn’t sure it would be suitable to ride along, as it looked more like one used by deer.
Suddenly the dogs turned tail and ran back the way they’d come and she could hear their excited barking in the distance. Something had attracted their attention so she followed them, hoping they didn’t scare her horse as he could be somewhat temperamental. The hedge was too wide for her to see over when standing next to it, although Rufus was standing with his ears pricked looking in the direction of the noise.
There was a gap she could peer through. She was about to do so when the unmistakable sound of Lord Sheldon made her pause. Then something prompted her to peep through the shrubbery and her heart all but stopped.
His lordship was spreadeagled on the grass, there was no sign of his horse and her dogs were bouncing up and down around him. He was unhurt, which was fortunate, but so enraged she thought it better not to announce her presence. With luck he would think Toby and his brothers had arrived through their own volition and not associate her with his accident.
She clicked her fingers and the stallion trotted over to her. There was no way she could mount without something to stand on unless she removed her skirt. She hesitated for a moment, then decided it would be safer to remove herself from Lord Sheldon and risk being seen in men’s attire than remain where she was.
She unhooked her skirt and draped it around her neck then grasped a handful of her stallion’s mane and vaulted up. There was no need for her to urge Rufus into motion, he shot forward almost before she was settled and only her excellent balance kept her on his back.
Her horse had chosen to canter along the track adjacent to the hedge and Grace crouched over his neck making sure she couldn’t be seen from the field on the other side. With luck the dogs would be so interested in Lord Sheldon they wouldn’t attempt to follow her and thus reveal that she’d been present and seen his humiliation.
The sun was slowly rising and there would soon be servants about and she’d no wish to be seen dressed as she was. The track eventually emerged at the rear of the stables and there was the clatter of buckets and the sound of voices. She dismounted and refastened her skirt. ‘You must find your own way back to the field, Rufus. I daren’t be seen.’ She turned his head in the direction of the paddocks and slapped him on his hindquarters.
He whinnied loudly and his stablemates responded from the field. He needed no further encouragement and took off; she held her breath as he approached the fence but he jumped it with feet to spare. The horse was safely home, now all she had to do was get herself inside without being seen. She was certain there
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