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Authors: Regina Jeffers
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Elizabeth did not join them for the midday meal, tending to her sister instead, so Darcy was unsure whether she would show. Relief rushed through him when he watched her approach. The green riding habit needed to be adjusted some in the hem and the waist, but, overall, no one would know it did not belong to her.
A groom hurried forward to meet her; he took Elizabeth to where Darcy stood, holding the horse’s bridle.“Miss Elizabeth,” he acknowledged her with a tilt of his head. She curtsied. “May I introduce you to Ceres?” He held the horse’s head still. “You should become familiar with the animal before you take your seat.”
Elizabeth stepped up to the horse and patted her head. “Easy, girl,” she said softly.
“She likes you,” Darcy noted.
“And you, Mr. Darcy?” she asked boldly, giving him a sideward glance.
He chuckled. “I like you, too, Miss Elizabeth.” Lord! She could charm him with just a look.
She finally whispered,“Thank you for the riding habit. I do not know how you arranged it so quickly or how you knew what to buy.The experience has quite gone to my head; I never owned anything so fine.”
“The green brings out the brightness of your eyes,” he murmured. She looked away with a blush. “Let us get you into the saddle,” he said loudly for the ears of the grooms standing around. “We will use the mounting block.”
Courageously, Elizabeth allowed him to lead her up the steps of the block while the groom held the horse steady.With pleasure he
placed her feet in the stirrups, lifting her skirt tail to adjust the straps. “We will take it slow and easy, Miss Elizabeth. The groom will lead Ceres, and I will walk beside you to assure you do not slip. Do you trust me?”
Staring at his lips, Elizabeth said nothing for a few moments, which Darcy found to be very discomposing. “I trust you, Mr. Darcy,” she said in a low voice. He placed the reins in her hands and showed her how to hold them.
They took a couple of turns around the enclosure. He noted how she bit her lower lip, probably with anxiety, but she said nothing, concentrating on the animal. He was attuned to Elizabeth’s slightest move. “Relax your arms a bit,” he coached her. “The animal can feel your tension. Despite the size of the horse, it will respond with the least flick of your wrist.The bit in its mouth tells it what to do. Ah, that is better,” he assured her. A few more turns, and he could see she was a natural. “Straighten your back, Miss Elizabeth. It will stop you from bouncing so much.” Darcy moved closer to her.“You look fine, Miss Elizabeth,” he said.
“This is exciting, Mr. Darcy,” she said with a slight smile. “I cannot believe I am actually sitting on a horse.” Darcy nodded to the groom, and the man stopped by the block.“Is the lesson over?” she asked with some disappointment.
“Not if you do not want it to be,” he said while reaching up for her.“I want the groom to adjust the lead. I thought we might take a short ride together. I will lead your horse behind mine.” She slid down into his arms as he helped her to the ground. Darcy resisted the urge to pull her into his embrace—to let his grasp tighten about her. Instead, he inquired, for the benefit of all within earshot, “Are you adventurous enough for such a trip, Miss Elizabeth?”
“Of course, Mr. Darcy,” she declared politely.
The grooms scrambled to bring out his horse and to fix the straps. Darcy moved her out of the way as they worked.“It will be fine, Miss Elizabeth. If you tire or become frightened, you must let me know at once. Do you understand me? I will not have you injured or afraid simply to prove something to me.”
“I understand.”
At last, he led her back to the block and helped her up to Ceres’s back.The straps were adjusted again, and he handed up the reins. “We will go slowly and stay to the lower path.” She nodded, and Darcy strode to his horse and swung easily up into
A groom hurried forward to meet her; he took Elizabeth to where Darcy stood, holding the horse’s bridle.“Miss Elizabeth,” he acknowledged her with a tilt of his head. She curtsied. “May I introduce you to Ceres?” He held the horse’s head still. “You should become familiar with the animal before you take your seat.”
Elizabeth stepped up to the horse and patted her head. “Easy, girl,” she said softly.
“She likes you,” Darcy noted.
“And you, Mr. Darcy?” she asked boldly, giving him a sideward glance.
He chuckled. “I like you, too, Miss Elizabeth.” Lord! She could charm him with just a look.
She finally whispered,“Thank you for the riding habit. I do not know how you arranged it so quickly or how you knew what to buy.The experience has quite gone to my head; I never owned anything so fine.”
“The green brings out the brightness of your eyes,” he murmured. She looked away with a blush. “Let us get you into the saddle,” he said loudly for the ears of the grooms standing around. “We will use the mounting block.”
Courageously, Elizabeth allowed him to lead her up the steps of the block while the groom held the horse steady.With pleasure he
placed her feet in the stirrups, lifting her skirt tail to adjust the straps. “We will take it slow and easy, Miss Elizabeth. The groom will lead Ceres, and I will walk beside you to assure you do not slip. Do you trust me?”
Staring at his lips, Elizabeth said nothing for a few moments, which Darcy found to be very discomposing. “I trust you, Mr. Darcy,” she said in a low voice. He placed the reins in her hands and showed her how to hold them.
They took a couple of turns around the enclosure. He noted how she bit her lower lip, probably with anxiety, but she said nothing, concentrating on the animal. He was attuned to Elizabeth’s slightest move. “Relax your arms a bit,” he coached her. “The animal can feel your tension. Despite the size of the horse, it will respond with the least flick of your wrist.The bit in its mouth tells it what to do. Ah, that is better,” he assured her. A few more turns, and he could see she was a natural. “Straighten your back, Miss Elizabeth. It will stop you from bouncing so much.” Darcy moved closer to her.“You look fine, Miss Elizabeth,” he said.
“This is exciting, Mr. Darcy,” she said with a slight smile. “I cannot believe I am actually sitting on a horse.” Darcy nodded to the groom, and the man stopped by the block.“Is the lesson over?” she asked with some disappointment.
“Not if you do not want it to be,” he said while reaching up for her.“I want the groom to adjust the lead. I thought we might take a short ride together. I will lead your horse behind mine.” She slid down into his arms as he helped her to the ground. Darcy resisted the urge to pull her into his embrace—to let his grasp tighten about her. Instead, he inquired, for the benefit of all within earshot, “Are you adventurous enough for such a trip, Miss Elizabeth?”
“Of course, Mr. Darcy,” she declared politely.
The grooms scrambled to bring out his horse and to fix the straps. Darcy moved her out of the way as they worked.“It will be fine, Miss Elizabeth. If you tire or become frightened, you must let me know at once. Do you understand me? I will not have you injured or afraid simply to prove something to me.”
“I understand.”
At last, he led her back to the block and helped her up to Ceres’s back.The straps were adjusted again, and he handed up the reins. “We will go slowly and stay to the lower path.” She nodded, and Darcy strode to his horse and swung easily up into
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