she didn’t have: indoor plumbing, telephones, the internet, television, and worst of all no chocolate. She was doomed, and her crabbiness grew.
Yula reminded her gently that she had her first riding lesson that morning. She added another item to her list: no automobiles. Dressed warmly in a plain gown and shoes, she went down to the stables with Yula to begin her riding lesson. Geoff, the stable master was waiting with one of the draft horses.
The stable master had a red face from the sun and an easy grin. She could only muster a grimaced smile to give back to him.
“This, milady, is Stomper. Don’t let his size worry you. He’s the biggest softie there is. I thought we would start on him if that’s all right with the lady.”
She lifted her hand to the horse’s muzzle in greeting. Stomper sniffed her hand and blew warm breathes of air into it. “Here, give him this. He’ll warm to you real quick.” He handed her a carrot, which she dutifully offered. Stomper took the carrot happily from her hand, and as he munched it contentedly, she grew bolder and petted the horse’s neck. He lowered and stretched it for her and stomped one hoof in enjoyment. She began to warm to the horse.
With Geoff’s assistance, she mounted. “Now, just relax and get your bearings. Go with the horse.”
She sat on the back of Stomper as Geoff led the horse around the courtyard. They did several wide circles.
“You’re getting the hang of it, milady.”
“Oh yes, if you’re around to lead him, riding is an absolute breeze.”
“You’ll be holding the reins soon enough, don’t worry. I can see you’ll be a fine horsewoman.”
“That’s not what my husband tells me. He despaired that not even you would have enough patience for me.”
Geoff chuckled. “I don’t know anything about that, milady. You’re doing fine.”
She smiled but knew she still had a lot to learn before she would be able to manage a horse on her own, but she hadn’t broken anything of hers or the horse, and Geoff was still fine too. All in all her first lesson was turning out to be a stirring success.
“You know, a unicorn will never let you ride him. That will be a sip of wine and a piece of cheese, please.”
And she fell off the horse. Well, there went all that success.
Her tumble from the saddle startled Stomper and Geoff. The stable master quickly handed the horse off to a stable boy and went to her side. “Are you all right?”
She winced and took his offered hand. “I think so. A spider startled me. Sorry.”
“Nothing to apologize for, milady. How about we call it a day?”
She nodded and hobbled back to her rooms without Yula, having dispatched the woman to get her more wine and cheese.
Once she was back in her room, she looked down at herself and asked an uncomfortable question. “Mr. Squibbles, are you somewhere on my person?”
“Right here,” the mouse said climbing out from under her hair. She picked the mouse up off her shoulder and set him down on the table.
“You better not have left me any presents up here,” she warned, combing her fingers through her hair.
The mouse snorted and began to clean his whiskers.
“I’m not learning how to ride so I can ride a unicorn. I’m learning just to know. Tell me more about unicorns.”
“Not till the servant gets back.”
She sighed and puttered around the room. She found a thimble and held onto it to use with the mouse. She hoped Tavik didn’t stop by again for lunch. She wanted to get the mouse stuffed and drunk and learn everything she could about unicorns.
Soon Yula returned with wine and cheese. She thanked her and said she would be fine on her own for the rest of the morning. She set up the cheese and wine on the table. Mr. Squibbles scampered forward to begin his feast, but she smacked her hand down between him and his goal.
“I ask the questions, you answer them, and then you get a piece of cheese and a little wine.”
Mr. Squibbles’ whiskers twitched at
Yula reminded her gently that she had her first riding lesson that morning. She added another item to her list: no automobiles. Dressed warmly in a plain gown and shoes, she went down to the stables with Yula to begin her riding lesson. Geoff, the stable master was waiting with one of the draft horses.
The stable master had a red face from the sun and an easy grin. She could only muster a grimaced smile to give back to him.
“This, milady, is Stomper. Don’t let his size worry you. He’s the biggest softie there is. I thought we would start on him if that’s all right with the lady.”
She lifted her hand to the horse’s muzzle in greeting. Stomper sniffed her hand and blew warm breathes of air into it. “Here, give him this. He’ll warm to you real quick.” He handed her a carrot, which she dutifully offered. Stomper took the carrot happily from her hand, and as he munched it contentedly, she grew bolder and petted the horse’s neck. He lowered and stretched it for her and stomped one hoof in enjoyment. She began to warm to the horse.
With Geoff’s assistance, she mounted. “Now, just relax and get your bearings. Go with the horse.”
She sat on the back of Stomper as Geoff led the horse around the courtyard. They did several wide circles.
“You’re getting the hang of it, milady.”
“Oh yes, if you’re around to lead him, riding is an absolute breeze.”
“You’ll be holding the reins soon enough, don’t worry. I can see you’ll be a fine horsewoman.”
“That’s not what my husband tells me. He despaired that not even you would have enough patience for me.”
Geoff chuckled. “I don’t know anything about that, milady. You’re doing fine.”
She smiled but knew she still had a lot to learn before she would be able to manage a horse on her own, but she hadn’t broken anything of hers or the horse, and Geoff was still fine too. All in all her first lesson was turning out to be a stirring success.
“You know, a unicorn will never let you ride him. That will be a sip of wine and a piece of cheese, please.”
And she fell off the horse. Well, there went all that success.
Her tumble from the saddle startled Stomper and Geoff. The stable master quickly handed the horse off to a stable boy and went to her side. “Are you all right?”
She winced and took his offered hand. “I think so. A spider startled me. Sorry.”
“Nothing to apologize for, milady. How about we call it a day?”
She nodded and hobbled back to her rooms without Yula, having dispatched the woman to get her more wine and cheese.
Once she was back in her room, she looked down at herself and asked an uncomfortable question. “Mr. Squibbles, are you somewhere on my person?”
“Right here,” the mouse said climbing out from under her hair. She picked the mouse up off her shoulder and set him down on the table.
“You better not have left me any presents up here,” she warned, combing her fingers through her hair.
The mouse snorted and began to clean his whiskers.
“I’m not learning how to ride so I can ride a unicorn. I’m learning just to know. Tell me more about unicorns.”
“Not till the servant gets back.”
She sighed and puttered around the room. She found a thimble and held onto it to use with the mouse. She hoped Tavik didn’t stop by again for lunch. She wanted to get the mouse stuffed and drunk and learn everything she could about unicorns.
Soon Yula returned with wine and cheese. She thanked her and said she would be fine on her own for the rest of the morning. She set up the cheese and wine on the table. Mr. Squibbles scampered forward to begin his feast, but she smacked her hand down between him and his goal.
“I ask the questions, you answer them, and then you get a piece of cheese and a little wine.”
Mr. Squibbles’ whiskers twitched at
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