he blind in the blue eye?” He approached the gelding on that side.
“I wouldna do that, were I you,” Gow said.
The horse swung his head around in a blink and nipped him on the shoulder.
“Ow!” Alex rubbed the spot. No skin had been broken, but he was sure it would bruise later.
“I warned ye, did I no’?” Mr. Gow spat a glob of phlegm onto the straw-strewn dirt.
Alex grasped the horse’s headstall and gave it a quick jerk downward.
“None of that now,” he told the beast in a low, commanding tone. Badgemagus stamped his foot and whickered, sending dragonish puffs of breath into the cold air, but he didn’t offer to bite Alex again.
Mr. Gow chuckled. “Guess that proves Badgemagus can see just fine.”
“Hmph!” Alex said, realizing the sound was a common Scottish one, but not caring enough to censor himself. “Hmph” was better than the curse that was his alternative.
There was a lady present, after all.
Lucinda had climbed up to stand on the lowest slat so she could peer over the top of the stall at him.
Her brows drew together with worry. Evidently, Badgemagus had a reputation for mayhem.
Well, Alexander had a reputation for horsemanship and no sorry excuse for a Scottish horse was going to ruin it. He ran his hands over the beast to check his conformation beneath the shaggy coat. The gelding was horribly foot-shy and resisted all efforts to check his hooves.
“If you don’t behave yourself, my four-footed friend, I’ll personally see that you are shipped off to France, where they like horses very much indeed—so long as it’s boiled, stewed, or fried.”
As if he’d understood every word, Badgemagus stood still as stone after that while Alex inspected each hoof. The horse was not up to Alexander’s usual standards, but judging from the beast’s surly disposition, Alex didn’t meet with his approval either.
“Very well,” Alexander said. “Since you’ve nothing else, I’ll take him.”
“Good,” Mr. Gow said. “’Tis either him or shank’s mare for ye, laddie. But dinna ye want to see can ye ride him or no’ first?”
“Dinna—I mean, don’t worry about that,” Alex said. “I can ride him.”
“I think ye ought to heed Mr. Gow and give the horse a try,” Lucinda said.
“Aye, lad. Listen to the lady. The last man I sold Badgemagus to brought him back after a day. O’ course I took him off his hands, kindhearted fellow that I am.”
Alex snorted. “For less than the man paid for the beast, I’m sure.”
Mr. Gow spread his hands before him. “To be honest, I’ve sold and bought Badgemagus back three times. And at a profit each time, to be sure.” The hostler cackled at his own wit, but at least he was forthright about his method of making money.
Since both Lucinda and Mr. Gow seemed set on seeing him ride the beast, Alex gave in. “Saddle him up.”
Mr. Gow fitted the horse with its tack and led it outside the stable to the cobbled street. Alex checked the girth and inspected the placement of the bit.
“Remember what I said about his mouth,” Mr. Gow said. “Fair ruined, it is.”
“We’ll see.” Alex mounted up and settled his heels low in the stirrups. Then he squeezed the horse with his thighs. “Walk on.”
The horse plodded down the narrow street, his great head nodding in rhythm with the steady clop of his hooves. Alex chirruped and he broke into a brisk trot. Badgemagus did indeed have a sweet gait. Horse and rider fell into an easy rhythm with each other.
“Gow is telling tales on you, my friend,” Alex crooned to the gelding. “You’re biddable as a lamb.”
Then he tried to turn the horse down a lane that forked off to the right.
Badgemagus let Alex swing his nose in that direction, but kept trotting straight ahead.
Alex hauled back on the reins, but the horse only gave his bridle a shake and picked up his pace. At the next side street, Alexander tried to turn Badgemagus to the left. The horse ignored the man on his back
“I wouldna do that, were I you,” Gow said.
The horse swung his head around in a blink and nipped him on the shoulder.
“Ow!” Alex rubbed the spot. No skin had been broken, but he was sure it would bruise later.
“I warned ye, did I no’?” Mr. Gow spat a glob of phlegm onto the straw-strewn dirt.
Alex grasped the horse’s headstall and gave it a quick jerk downward.
“None of that now,” he told the beast in a low, commanding tone. Badgemagus stamped his foot and whickered, sending dragonish puffs of breath into the cold air, but he didn’t offer to bite Alex again.
Mr. Gow chuckled. “Guess that proves Badgemagus can see just fine.”
“Hmph!” Alex said, realizing the sound was a common Scottish one, but not caring enough to censor himself. “Hmph” was better than the curse that was his alternative.
There was a lady present, after all.
Lucinda had climbed up to stand on the lowest slat so she could peer over the top of the stall at him.
Her brows drew together with worry. Evidently, Badgemagus had a reputation for mayhem.
Well, Alexander had a reputation for horsemanship and no sorry excuse for a Scottish horse was going to ruin it. He ran his hands over the beast to check his conformation beneath the shaggy coat. The gelding was horribly foot-shy and resisted all efforts to check his hooves.
“If you don’t behave yourself, my four-footed friend, I’ll personally see that you are shipped off to France, where they like horses very much indeed—so long as it’s boiled, stewed, or fried.”
As if he’d understood every word, Badgemagus stood still as stone after that while Alex inspected each hoof. The horse was not up to Alexander’s usual standards, but judging from the beast’s surly disposition, Alex didn’t meet with his approval either.
“Very well,” Alexander said. “Since you’ve nothing else, I’ll take him.”
“Good,” Mr. Gow said. “’Tis either him or shank’s mare for ye, laddie. But dinna ye want to see can ye ride him or no’ first?”
“Dinna—I mean, don’t worry about that,” Alex said. “I can ride him.”
“I think ye ought to heed Mr. Gow and give the horse a try,” Lucinda said.
“Aye, lad. Listen to the lady. The last man I sold Badgemagus to brought him back after a day. O’ course I took him off his hands, kindhearted fellow that I am.”
Alex snorted. “For less than the man paid for the beast, I’m sure.”
Mr. Gow spread his hands before him. “To be honest, I’ve sold and bought Badgemagus back three times. And at a profit each time, to be sure.” The hostler cackled at his own wit, but at least he was forthright about his method of making money.
Since both Lucinda and Mr. Gow seemed set on seeing him ride the beast, Alex gave in. “Saddle him up.”
Mr. Gow fitted the horse with its tack and led it outside the stable to the cobbled street. Alex checked the girth and inspected the placement of the bit.
“Remember what I said about his mouth,” Mr. Gow said. “Fair ruined, it is.”
“We’ll see.” Alex mounted up and settled his heels low in the stirrups. Then he squeezed the horse with his thighs. “Walk on.”
The horse plodded down the narrow street, his great head nodding in rhythm with the steady clop of his hooves. Alex chirruped and he broke into a brisk trot. Badgemagus did indeed have a sweet gait. Horse and rider fell into an easy rhythm with each other.
“Gow is telling tales on you, my friend,” Alex crooned to the gelding. “You’re biddable as a lamb.”
Then he tried to turn the horse down a lane that forked off to the right.
Badgemagus let Alex swing his nose in that direction, but kept trotting straight ahead.
Alex hauled back on the reins, but the horse only gave his bridle a shake and picked up his pace. At the next side street, Alexander tried to turn Badgemagus to the left. The horse ignored the man on his back
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