you to have the saddles
changed."
"My dear cousin," said Lady Anne, laughing, "pray do not trouble
your good careful head about me. I have been a horsewoman ever
since I was a baby, and I have followed the hounds a great many
times, though I know you do not approve of ladies hunting; but
still that is the fact, and I intend to try this Lizzie that you
gentlemen are all so fond of; so please help me to mount, like a
good friend as you are."
There was no more to be said; he placed her carefully on the
saddle, looked to the bit and curb, gave the reins gently into her
hand, and then mounted me. Just as we were moving off a footman
came out with a slip of paper and message from the Lady Harriet.
"Would they ask this question for her at Dr. Ashley's, and bring
the answer?"
The village was about a mile off, and the doctor's house was the
last in it. We went along gayly enough till we came to his gate.
There was a short drive up to the house between tall
evergreens.
Blantyre alighted at the gate, and was going to open it for Lady
Anne, but she said, "I will wait for you here, and you can hang
Auster's rein on the gate."
He looked at her doubtfully. "I will not be five minutes," he
said.
"Oh, do not hurry yourself; Lizzie and I shall not run away from
you."
He hung my rein on one of the iron spikes, and was soon hidden
among the trees. Lizzie was standing quietly by the side of the
road a few paces off, with her back to me. My young mistress was
sitting easily with a loose rein, humming a little song. I listened
to my rider's footsteps until they reached the house, and heard him
knock at the door. There was a meadow on the opposite side of the
road, the gate of which stood open; just then some cart horses and
several young colts came trotting out in a very disorderly manner,
while a boy behind was cracking a great whip. The colts were wild
and frolicsome, and one of them bolted across the road and
blundered up against Lizzie's hind legs, and whether it was the
stupid colt, or the loud cracking of the whip, or both together, I
cannot say, but she gave a violent kick, and dashed off into a
headlong gallop. It was so sudden that Lady Anne was nearly
unseated, but she soon recovered herself. I gave a loud, shrill
neigh for help; again and again I neighed, pawing the ground
impatiently, and tossing my head to get the rein loose. I had not
long to wait. Blantyre came running to the gate; he looked
anxiously about, and just caught sight of the flying figure, now
far away on the road. In an instant he sprang to the saddle. I
needed no whip, no spur, for I was as eager as my rider; he saw it,
and giving me a free rein, and leaning a little forward, we dashed
after them.
For about a mile and a half the road ran straight, and then bent
to the right, after which it divided into two roads. Long before we
came to the bend she was out of sight. Which way had she turned? A
woman was standing at her garden gate, shading her eyes with her
hand, and looking eagerly up the road. Scarcely drawing the rein,
Blantyre shouted, "Which way?" "To the right!" cried the woman,
pointing with her hand, and away we went up the right-hand road;
then for a moment we caught sight of her; another bend and she was
hidden again. Several times we caught glimpses, and then lost them.
We scarcely seemed to gain ground upon them at all. An old
road-mender was standing near a heap of stones, his shovel dropped
and his hands raised. As we came near he made a sign to speak.
Blantyre drew the rein a little. "To the common, to the common,
sir; she has turned off there." I knew this common very well; it
was for the most part very uneven ground, covered with heather and
dark-green furze bushes, with here and there a scrubby old
thorn-tree; there were also open spaces of fine short grass, with
ant-hills and mole-turns everywhere; the worst place I ever knew
for a headlong gallop.
We had hardly turned on the common, when we caught sight again
of the green habit flying on
changed."
"My dear cousin," said Lady Anne, laughing, "pray do not trouble
your good careful head about me. I have been a horsewoman ever
since I was a baby, and I have followed the hounds a great many
times, though I know you do not approve of ladies hunting; but
still that is the fact, and I intend to try this Lizzie that you
gentlemen are all so fond of; so please help me to mount, like a
good friend as you are."
There was no more to be said; he placed her carefully on the
saddle, looked to the bit and curb, gave the reins gently into her
hand, and then mounted me. Just as we were moving off a footman
came out with a slip of paper and message from the Lady Harriet.
"Would they ask this question for her at Dr. Ashley's, and bring
the answer?"
The village was about a mile off, and the doctor's house was the
last in it. We went along gayly enough till we came to his gate.
There was a short drive up to the house between tall
evergreens.
Blantyre alighted at the gate, and was going to open it for Lady
Anne, but she said, "I will wait for you here, and you can hang
Auster's rein on the gate."
He looked at her doubtfully. "I will not be five minutes," he
said.
"Oh, do not hurry yourself; Lizzie and I shall not run away from
you."
He hung my rein on one of the iron spikes, and was soon hidden
among the trees. Lizzie was standing quietly by the side of the
road a few paces off, with her back to me. My young mistress was
sitting easily with a loose rein, humming a little song. I listened
to my rider's footsteps until they reached the house, and heard him
knock at the door. There was a meadow on the opposite side of the
road, the gate of which stood open; just then some cart horses and
several young colts came trotting out in a very disorderly manner,
while a boy behind was cracking a great whip. The colts were wild
and frolicsome, and one of them bolted across the road and
blundered up against Lizzie's hind legs, and whether it was the
stupid colt, or the loud cracking of the whip, or both together, I
cannot say, but she gave a violent kick, and dashed off into a
headlong gallop. It was so sudden that Lady Anne was nearly
unseated, but she soon recovered herself. I gave a loud, shrill
neigh for help; again and again I neighed, pawing the ground
impatiently, and tossing my head to get the rein loose. I had not
long to wait. Blantyre came running to the gate; he looked
anxiously about, and just caught sight of the flying figure, now
far away on the road. In an instant he sprang to the saddle. I
needed no whip, no spur, for I was as eager as my rider; he saw it,
and giving me a free rein, and leaning a little forward, we dashed
after them.
For about a mile and a half the road ran straight, and then bent
to the right, after which it divided into two roads. Long before we
came to the bend she was out of sight. Which way had she turned? A
woman was standing at her garden gate, shading her eyes with her
hand, and looking eagerly up the road. Scarcely drawing the rein,
Blantyre shouted, "Which way?" "To the right!" cried the woman,
pointing with her hand, and away we went up the right-hand road;
then for a moment we caught sight of her; another bend and she was
hidden again. Several times we caught glimpses, and then lost them.
We scarcely seemed to gain ground upon them at all. An old
road-mender was standing near a heap of stones, his shovel dropped
and his hands raised. As we came near he made a sign to speak.
Blantyre drew the rein a little. "To the common, to the common,
sir; she has turned off there." I knew this common very well; it
was for the most part very uneven ground, covered with heather and
dark-green furze bushes, with here and there a scrubby old
thorn-tree; there were also open spaces of fine short grass, with
ant-hills and mole-turns everywhere; the worst place I ever knew
for a headlong gallop.
We had hardly turned on the common, when we caught sight again
of the green habit flying on
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