Jane and Julia led Cecelia back to the fair. Their efforts, combined with a bodice from the village seamstress, restored Cecelia to a presentable state of dress. Cecelia asked Mr. Landor, “Where is Captain Wood? I'd like to thank him for lending me his jacket. For that matter I'd like to give it back to him.”
Mr. Landor was staring off into the distance, verses coursing through his head, and didn't hear her. Julia, familiar with her husband's peculiarities, waited a moment, then pinched him. He jumped, “What?”
“Sorry, my love, but where is the Captain?”
“Halfway to Penyclawdd, given the way he was riding. Unless he stopped to climb Holy mountain. Probably didn't, though it would do him good.”
Disappointment showed itself on Cecelia's expression, “I so wanted to thank him for my rescue.”
“Rescue?”
“The way my dress was parted, I'd have inspired you to write a poem about the Amazons.”
This brought a laugh from the Landors but not from Jane. Cecelia noticed Jane's discomfort, and told her “Captain Wood was a perfect gentleman. He lent me his jacket because my dress was so badly ripped that I was nearly indecent. Then he turned his back and protected my modesty while I put it on. You're very lucky to be engaged to him.”
“I am, aren't I?”
“Jane, please don't worry about my cousin and me. We're just friends. I'd like to be one of your bridesmaids if you'd have me.”
Jane seemed mollified, and smiled at Cecelia, “You aren't trying to take him from me?”
“Me? Lord no. Why would you ever think that?”
“It's just. Let's say once burned is twice shy.”
Mr. Landor inserted himself into the conversation. “Ladies, this is a horse fair. Neither Miss Arnold, nor Mrs. Landor has even looked at horses today.”
Cecelia remembered the purpose of their expedition, “Come, and let’s see if I can't find you a good mount.”
They hadn't gone very far into the crush when they bumped into Lord Charles and his daughter the Honorable Mary Georgiana Somerset. He condescended to notice them. “Is this young woman the one who rode that horse?”
Cecelia curtsied to them. “I am, my lord.”
“And your name?”
“Miss Cecelia Wood.”
“Miss Wood? I've heard of you. Sir Giles Wood's daughter aren't you? Quite a horsewoman, one of the best in Monmouth County.”
Cecelia blushed with embarrassment, “I'm sure my reputation is overblown.”
“I watched you ride that shrew of a horse. My steward wasn't sure that our jockeys could handle her as well as you did.”
“Ionie is just a bit unmannered. I've ridden worse.”
Jane was quietly simmering in the background. This commoner was getting all the attention. She interrupted, “My Lord Somerset, don't you remember me?”
“I'm sorry Miss, but I don't.”
“I'm the Honorable Jane Arnold, daughter of Lord Andover. We met in Westminster last year.”
Sir Charles frowned, then recognized her, “Jane. I'm sorry. What are you doing in this forsaken place?”
“I'm affianced to Captain Wood, Miss Wood's cousin. He's inherited Penyclawdd House.”
“Captain Wood? Oh yes, we talked earlier today. A quiet, but distinguished looking young man.”
“I think so. He's been ever so attentive to me.”
“Wasn't he mentioned in dispatches from the first siege of Badajoz?”
“He was.”
“I gather that battle undid him. Shame. He was a good officer and bound for better things. With luck he'll recover some of his poise.” Sir Charles paused for a moment's consideration and then to Jane's immense annoyance asked Cecelia, “Miss Wood, I've been trying to find suitable mounts for my daughters. Could you help?”
“It would be my pleasure. How well do they ride?”
The Honorable Mary spoke up, “Nothing like you, Miss Wood. I can just go up and down in Hyde park.”
“Hyde park, I've never been there. Is it difficult terrain?”
Jane nudged Cecelia, “It's in London.”
“So all on the flat with no jumps. How boring.”
This brought laughter to most of the company, and confusion to Cecelia. “I'm sorry, I don't understand.”
“You've never been to London, have you?”
“Bath, once, when I was a little girl, but London, never.”
Mary described Hyde Park for her. “It's just a big flat open area next to the city. You walk your horse up and down it while talking to other fashionable people.”
Cecelia dug herself into a deeper hole by replying. “That doesn't sound like fun at all. No wonder you and Miss Arnold can't ride properly. I'd be very happy to help you pick out a horse, but you have to promise me not to condemn the poor creature to such a miserable existence.”
“Why?”
“Any horse worth riding likes to run occasionally.”
Sir Charles did the unforgivable, at least in Miss Arnold's eyes. He laughed and said, “Miss Wood, it sounds to me like my daughter could use some instruction in equitation. Would you be willing to help her learn?”
“My Lord, it would be my pleasure. I'm due to go to Bath in a couple of weeks with Miss Arnold and her fiancée, but until then I'm available.”
“Bath, you say. Mary weren't you planning to stay there with your Aunt next month?”
“Yes, father, as you well know.”
“Miss Wood, why don't you accompany us to Raglan House this afternoon? You can spend a couple days tutoring Miss Somerset, and then maybe she can help introduce you to Bath society. That would be a fair exchange, wouldn't it?”
“More than fair, I'd be happy to accept. Can I make sure that my friends can get home safely without my help before I accept your offer?”
Mr. Landor intervened immediately. “Don't worry about us. Julia's a fair whip and we have only the two gigs. Especially if someone purchases Ionie.”
Sir Charles laughed again, “Landor, you really do want to get rid of that horse, don't you?”
“She's not a suitable ride for Mrs. Landor, and she eats like a pig. So yes I'd even give her away to get rid of her.”
“How's twenty-five pounds?”
“Done. Even if you don't race her, she's good breeding stock.”
Jane managed, with difficulty, to keep her opinions to herself until she and Julia were part-way back to Abergavenny. Eventually they boiled up and erupted into heated speech.
“I thought the idea for this trip was to find mounts for us, not introduce that puffed up ignorant little girl to society.”
“Is your nose out of joint that she was invited to the Somerset's and you weren't?”
“No, well yes it is. My family has known them for years, and she's a nobody. A little countrified nobody. Just because she can ride well, she gets to visit them.”
“That's not quite fair, Jane.”
“I'll tell you what isn't fair. We're riding home in this gig, without horses. That's what's not fair.”
“There weren't many mares for sale at this fair. None that were any good.”
“George bought a horse.”
“Only because he needed to get away from the crush in a hurry. Something upset him.”
“Still I should have been invited to stay at Raglan too. I'm almost family.”
“But you aren't are you?”
“Yes I am, my mother's second cousin once removed is Sir Charles' great-uncle.”
“I suppose that's close enough to be called family.”
“It certainly is. I consider myself snubbed.”
“Do you want Cecelia to live with you and Captain Wood once you're married?”
“Good God No!”
“Then she has to find her way into society. Sir Charles is doing her a great favor by introducing her to his daughter.”
“It should be me too. Cecelia should teach me to ride.”
“I'm sure she will when she has the chance.”
<
br /> Eventually Jane's grumblings reached the point where Julia felt the need to stop them. She pulled the reins and stopped the gig. She turned to her passenger and bluntly told her, “Jane, when you twit at Cecelia like that, you only make yourself look awful. It's one of your less appealing traits.”
“But?”
“Would you like to walk the rest of the way to Penyclawdd? Miss Wood is my friend as well as you. I'm happy that she's making some acquaintance with a larger society. You should be as well.”
Jane paused, it was never pleasant to have one's character flaws pointed out. After a few moments thought she replied, “I'm sorry Julia. You're right. I'm just so worried.”
“Why? Captain Wood certainly seems to love you. He is getting better with time, and you have friends here who like you. In spite of your occasional snappy comments.”
“I don't know. There's just something off. I just can't be happy.”
“I can't solve that for you. You have to make up your own mind to enjoy your life.”
“Doesn't make it easy, does it?”
“No it doesn't.” Julia paused and then continued, “I know it's not quite as much fun as riding, but can you drive?”
“A little, I've done a few passes up and down in Hyde park.”
“Time for a lesson, then.” She passed Jane the reins and they swapped places in the gig so that Jane could reach the brake. “If you're ready, give the reins a shake and tell the horse to 'walk on'.”
Jane was moving along the Hereford road in decent style and showing that she had a good eye and a decent touch on the reins when a lone horseman crashed out of the brush ahead of them. Their horse reared in surprise and backed the gig into the hedge before the two women could get it back under control.
“George! What are you doing? You startled our horse.”
“I'm sorry. I didn't see you.”
“You should have looked.”
“I was just up enjoying the air and the view on Holy Mountain. Thought I'd come back to see how the search for a horse was going.”
Jane sulked, “Not well. We didn't find any. But Miss Wood is going to tutor that Somerset girl.”
“One of Lord Charles Somerset's daughters. Good for her.”
“I wasn't invited.”
“Oh that's a shame. I guess we'll have Penyclawdd to ourselves for a few days. That should be amusing.”
“Is that what it will be like when we're married?”
“I suppose so, except when we invite company.”
“We'll have company often, won't we?”
“I'd expect so. Jane, I'm sure we have a horse you can ride if you want. I'm no mean bit myself. It would be my pleasure to tutor you.”
Julia interjected with a smile, “I didn't know you could ride side-saddle Captain Wood.”
“I suppose I could, but I don't. Horses are horses, however you ride them. I'm sure I can teach riding even if I use a different saddle.”
“See Jane? These things have a way of working out. You'll get your riding lessons after all, and Captain Wood is a skilled horseman.”
“As long as he's sober.”
“I'm skilled even when I'm drunk, but I'm staying sober now. Mr. Landor is right that getting drunk doesn't help with the memories. They just come back harder with the morning head.”
5. Riding Lessons.
The Honorable Mary Georgiana Somerset escorted Cecelia away from the horse fair to their hall. The hall was a large house at one end of Raglan, where Castle road met Monmouth road and the start of the town's high street. She asked, “Are you sure that you would like teach me to ride well?”
“Why not? It gets me away from Captain Wood and his fiancée, Miss Arnold. I'm in their way all the time.”
“You don't mean Miss Jane Arnold, do you?”
“Why?”
“Poor fellow. Caught by that man-trap. She was called 'Lady Nero' or 'the Vampyre' by the ton. The 'on-dit' has it that this isn't the first man that she's managed to ensnare. The last one twisted free.”
“Are we talking about the same Jane Arnold? The Jane I know can be a bit snappy when she's out of sorts, but I think her heart's in the right place. We usually get on.”
“If she has a heart, from what I've heard. My Jane Arnold is shorter than you, has darker hair, and a much more developed figure. The woman who was with you looked just like her.”
“She did sweep the Captain off his feet when he arrived from Spain.”
“As I said, poor man. Though I suppose it's possible that she improves on further acquaintance.”
“I'm sure you're being unfair to her.”
“If you say so. You must know her better than I do. I'll have to send to Penyclawdd for your good clothes. Don't worry about tonight, as my father likes to see the distinction in rank preserved, but you really should wear your good clothes to dinner.”
“These are my good clothes. At least some of them, maybe not my best, best clothes.”
“Oh dear. We'll have to see what we can do for you before you go to Bath.”
“Why?”
“Mr. King won't let you into the assembly if you're dressed like such a dowdy frump.”
Somehow Cecelia found herself feeling less sympathetic to the Honorable Miss Mary Georgiana Somerset. It showed in her expression.
“I can see that you're upset at what I'm saying. Please don't be. I'm sure you're dressed in the best clothes you have. How often have you been to Bath?”
“Once when I was eight.”
“Well no wonder your clothes are so far out of style. Living here in the wilds of Wales, you'd never see the current mode let alone have a dress made by a modish mantua maker.”
“Miss Somerset, horses don't care about style.”
“Please call me Georgie, everyone does. Is it fine if I call you Cecelia?”
“Yes Georgie. Why Georgie?”
“My father and mother thought I was going to be a boy, and they promised to name me after our King. So I was christened 'Mary Georgiana'.”
“Could have been worse, had they named you after the Princess of Wales, Caroline.”
“Thank God they didn't. I was presented to her once, you know. She smelt like a horse. No, I take that back, my horses smell better than she did.”
“Speaking of horses, why don't we stop in your stables? I'd love to see your mount.”
“I think the stables are this way. Usually my groom, Charles, just brings her out saddled and ready to ride.”
“That won't do while you're learning. Once you know horses, you can figure out your mount quickly, but you need to know horses first.”
“What do you mean?”
“One horse is much like any other horse, though each has its own few quirks and peculiarities. A good horsewoman knows what to expect the horse to do before the horse does it. You'll see once we get started.”
They found the stables, and the next problem arose. There were more than two or three horses. Cecelia asked, “Which is yours?”
“I don't know.”
One of the grooms walked over and interrupted them, “Miss Somerset, what are your looking for?”
“My horse, and one for Miss Wood.”
“If you would wait by the house, I'll bring them out.”
Cecelia put a stop to that, “No, if you'd please, I'd like Miss Somerset to meet her mount in its stable and work with her a little before we ride.”
“That's highly unusual. I'll have to ask Sir Charles for his permission.”
“I'm teaching your mistress to ride, and my first lesson is for her to be familiar with her mare. She needs to build confidence with the horse. To understand what it is thinking.”
“I'm sorry, but I can't let you do that.” He shooed them out of the stables adding as his Parthian shot “Minding them horses is my task, Miss.”
Mary pointed out to Cecelia, “Since your other clothes haven't arrived yet, it's best if you don't get too dirty. There's nothing for you to change into.”
/> “True. I suppose Sir Charles objects to the smell of horses in the dinner room.”
“Father doesn't care at all, but my mother will turn up her nose at it.”
“I'll approach him about getting access to your mare.”
“Are you sure? She twitches in ways that always surprise me.”
“That's why I want you to handle her yourself. Horses often twitch, and when they don't twitch they shy. It shouldn't be a surprise when they do.”
As they assembled in the drawing room before entering this fine room, Sir Charles welcomed her, and pointed out that as a 'family meal' everyone was in their informal dress. Cecelia blurted out, “Your informal dress is much more elegant than my best.”
He replied, with a cryptic bit of a smile, “I do like to have the distinctions of rank preserved.” Then he quickly changed the subject, “Did you have a chance to start on the riding lessons? Georgie is so looking forward to dazzling the fair riders when she has her next season in the village.”
“The village?”
“London.”
“Not really. Your groom wouldn't let Miss Somerset and me look at her horse. I'd like her to work with it herself.”
“You can call her Georgie here.”
“It was probably for the best, because I'd smell even more strongly of horse than I do. Not having a change of dress.”
Lady Elizabeth asked, “Why does my daughter need to look at her horse? Isn't it enough that she wants to ride them?”
“In order to control your horse, you need to know how it will react. How it thinks.”
“Do horses think?”
“After their own fashion.”
Sir Charles inserted, “Dean Swift thought so, with his Yahoo's and Houyhnhmns.”
Cecelia welcomed the turn to the literary, “I've been reading Byron's latest poems from the circulating library.”
“The library in Abergavenny stocks 'Childe Harold's Pilgrimage'? That's not even out in London. There's already a list of subscribers for it.”
“I was thinking of 'Hours of Idleness'. I suppose it isn't his latest. But they'll have it as soon as it is available.”
What About Cecelia? Page 5