back on the reins and squeezed the horse’s sides tightly with his muscular thighs. The horse stopped his show and stood still. In a last attempt at defiance, Ghost whinnied loudly and reared up on his hind legs. Michael held fast and leaned forward to match the horse’s stature. When the horse landed back on all fours, Michael pulled back hard on the reins, making the animal’s head come in close to its chest.
“Have your attention-getting spell out of you now?” Michael asked. He reached down and roughly patted the side of Ghost’s muscular neck
Hezekiah gave a cheerful chuckle. “Yes, sir, I’d say you can handle ole’ Ghost just fine.”
Michael turned towards Stephen who was watching the show with amusement. He knew why Hezekiah had given Michael the white horse. It was a joke of sort among the slaves. They liked to see who could handle the feisty gelding. Stephen had had the same prank pulled on him when he first came to Double Oasis , only he couldn’t handle the horse as well as this man did. Ghost left him lying in the dust and ran off without him.
“Come along then,” Stephen said as he rode out of the barn.
Michael followed Stephen, his horse still dancing and prancing, ready for a run. As soon as they passed the house, Stephen spurred his horse into a gallop. Michael loosened his grip on the reins and Ghost followed suit without any encouragement from Michael. Both men rode in silence for about ten minutes, allowing the horses to vent their pent-up energy. Finally, Michael slowed Ghost to a walk and allowed the younger man to catch up with him.
“So where to?” Michael asked.
“Thought you knew where to go since you took the lead,” Stephen replied, pulling up alongside Michael.
“No, just letting Ghost run off some energy.”
“Well, he must have known where we wanted to go, since we’re almost at our destination.”
Michael nodded his head and rode alongside Stephen. Michael looked curiously at the younger man. “I have a question.”
“What’s that?”
“How in the world did you ever manage to court Miss Abigail with her mother around?”
Stephen gave a hearty laugh. “It wasn’t easy, that’s for certain. But I’m thankful they have that large wraparound veranda and that old oak tree in the back of the house that’s easy to climb.”
Michael laughed, knowing what the young man was insinuating. “A little midnight rendezvousing then?” he teased.
Stephen blushed and grinned sheepishly, “Something like that.” He pointed to a building in the distance. “That’s Colonel Red’s place, our destination.”
Michael studied the building. It appeared to be a rundown shed from the road, but when they approached he could make out the renovations in progress.
“It became damaged in a hurricane last fall. Several of us pitch in to help when we can but . . . well . . . it’s—” Michael watched as the younger man began to squirm in his saddle as he was telling the tale.
“Not a place respectable gentlemen should enter,” Michael finished for him.
“Precisely. Now don’t get me wrong, the Colonel has some fine women in his place and the best whiskey in Beaufort County, but there are some rough customers that enter it from time to time.”
“Traveling like I do, I imagine I have been in rougher establishments.”
“Yes, I’d say you have. So you have been all over the world?”
“Yes. China is a trip I have no desire to take again. The voyage was entirely too long. So any business arrangements that need to be handled there I let Noah handle, since he doesn’t mind being at sea for that long. I’ve also been to Egypt, Italy, Spain, France, many African ports, England and up and down North and South America.”
“Well, then, Colonel Red’s probably will seem tame compared to the taverns along all those coasts.”
“Yes. Nothing can quite compare to the establishments of Singapore. Those were some of the roughest I have been into, even compared
“Have your attention-getting spell out of you now?” Michael asked. He reached down and roughly patted the side of Ghost’s muscular neck
Hezekiah gave a cheerful chuckle. “Yes, sir, I’d say you can handle ole’ Ghost just fine.”
Michael turned towards Stephen who was watching the show with amusement. He knew why Hezekiah had given Michael the white horse. It was a joke of sort among the slaves. They liked to see who could handle the feisty gelding. Stephen had had the same prank pulled on him when he first came to Double Oasis , only he couldn’t handle the horse as well as this man did. Ghost left him lying in the dust and ran off without him.
“Come along then,” Stephen said as he rode out of the barn.
Michael followed Stephen, his horse still dancing and prancing, ready for a run. As soon as they passed the house, Stephen spurred his horse into a gallop. Michael loosened his grip on the reins and Ghost followed suit without any encouragement from Michael. Both men rode in silence for about ten minutes, allowing the horses to vent their pent-up energy. Finally, Michael slowed Ghost to a walk and allowed the younger man to catch up with him.
“So where to?” Michael asked.
“Thought you knew where to go since you took the lead,” Stephen replied, pulling up alongside Michael.
“No, just letting Ghost run off some energy.”
“Well, he must have known where we wanted to go, since we’re almost at our destination.”
Michael nodded his head and rode alongside Stephen. Michael looked curiously at the younger man. “I have a question.”
“What’s that?”
“How in the world did you ever manage to court Miss Abigail with her mother around?”
Stephen gave a hearty laugh. “It wasn’t easy, that’s for certain. But I’m thankful they have that large wraparound veranda and that old oak tree in the back of the house that’s easy to climb.”
Michael laughed, knowing what the young man was insinuating. “A little midnight rendezvousing then?” he teased.
Stephen blushed and grinned sheepishly, “Something like that.” He pointed to a building in the distance. “That’s Colonel Red’s place, our destination.”
Michael studied the building. It appeared to be a rundown shed from the road, but when they approached he could make out the renovations in progress.
“It became damaged in a hurricane last fall. Several of us pitch in to help when we can but . . . well . . . it’s—” Michael watched as the younger man began to squirm in his saddle as he was telling the tale.
“Not a place respectable gentlemen should enter,” Michael finished for him.
“Precisely. Now don’t get me wrong, the Colonel has some fine women in his place and the best whiskey in Beaufort County, but there are some rough customers that enter it from time to time.”
“Traveling like I do, I imagine I have been in rougher establishments.”
“Yes, I’d say you have. So you have been all over the world?”
“Yes. China is a trip I have no desire to take again. The voyage was entirely too long. So any business arrangements that need to be handled there I let Noah handle, since he doesn’t mind being at sea for that long. I’ve also been to Egypt, Italy, Spain, France, many African ports, England and up and down North and South America.”
“Well, then, Colonel Red’s probably will seem tame compared to the taverns along all those coasts.”
“Yes. Nothing can quite compare to the establishments of Singapore. Those were some of the roughest I have been into, even compared
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