His young assistant pointed out that one of the older horses, the one the groom used himself, was available.
“Well Ma'am, if you insist. Flower, here, is an old and rather slow ride, but you can ride her. She's not a pretty horse.”
“I do insist. I'm only riding the few miles up to Llanthony farm. Unless there's a problem with her. Is she a steady ride?”
“Oh yes Ma'am.” Flower was a steady ride. He'd even ridden her when he could barely stand after seven or eight pints. She was very steady, at least on the way home. “It's just that she's a bit stubborn. Makes up her own mind when she wants.”
“Would you let your wife ride her?”
“I'm not married Ma'am.”
“You know what I mean. Would I be safe on her?”
“Yes, Ma'am.”
“Then the problem is solved. Saddle her and I'll get my ride after all.”
A few minutes later, Miss Arnold mounted Flower and pointed her out of the stable-yard. As she left, the assistant pointed out to the groom, “I hope Miss Arnold is as strong-willed with Flower as she was with you.”
“What do you mean?”
“You usually only ride Flower to the pubs, don't you? I hope for you that horse don't take it into her mind to only walk her usual, to one of your usual haunts.” The groom looked shaken, and replied with a quake in his voice, “Do you think she'll mind?”
“I wouldn't be worried about Miss Arnold. It's what Miss Wood will say to you that will sting.”
Jane found Flower a steady, if slow, ride. She pointed the horse up the country lane at the bottom of Cwm Bwlch, and the horse walked along slowly. Jane gave her mount a short whack with her switch, the way both George and Cecelia had shown her. Flower walked along a little faster for a few moments, then reverted to her normal pace. The next time she tried her switch the horse didn't even bother to speed up. Riding alone on the lane, she let the horse know how she felt with much less guarded language than she would ever use in company. “All right you bloody-minded damned sorry excuse for a horse. As long as you walk me to Llanthony. I can always get Julia to drive me home.”
All went well, albeit slowly, until they reached the Queen's Head pub, about a quarter of the way to Llanthony. Flower stopped. Nothing Jane could do would make her walk a step farther. Finally, in frustration she pulled the horse around to point back towards Penyclawdd. Flower cantered back, past the turn to the farm and into the small town of Llanvihangel Crucorney. There she stopped at the pub on the Hereford road and halted.
Jane caught her breath. “That's it, you damned horse.” She dismounted and tied it to a rail. Then she sat on a bench in front of the pub, a low and common place, and let loose with her tears. Things like this just did not happen in either Bath or London. In her distressed state she didn't notice an elegant carriage turn up the lane towards Penyclawdd.
The two horsewomen who trotted along behind the carriage noticed her and stopped.
“Miss Arnold, Jane?” It was Cecelia and Mary.
Jane looked up at them, then glanced away in shame. Cecelia tried again, “Jane, what is it?”
“That horse, Flower. She won't go where I want her to.”
“I'm not surprised. She’s a deuced stubborn and unpleasant creature. Why are you riding her?”
“My horse had a loose shoe and I wanted to ride to Llanthony today. I was going to surprise Julia. Your groom said she was safe for me to ride.”
“I'll have to talk to him. I can see that he's spending too much time in the public houses.”
“What do you mean?”
“Why do you think the horse is coming here and not returning to her stable?”
“Oh. Is that what they do?”
“Sometimes.” Cecelia thought for a few moments, then asked Mary, “Would you like to visit the Landors today?”
“Why not?”
Cecelia dismounted, and passed the reins to Mary. Then she told Jane, “Get up on my horse. She'll take you.”
“Is she well-mannered?”
“Mostly, but she's also tired and a tired horse is a well-behaved one. She'll do well by you.”
“What about you?”
“I'll take that sorry nag. Then we'll ride together to Llanthony if you'd still like to go.”
“I would, I think Mr. Landor would have told Julia to expect us. Even if he asked me if I'd like to surprise her.”
“Then up you get.” Cecelia helped Jane mount her horse and made sure that the saddle was properly adjusted for her. “Why don't you two ride on? Make my apologies to Julia if I'm late. This miscreant will get a little training.”
Mary asked, “Are you sure you'll be fine, Miss Wood?”
“Of course. Flower and I know each other well. We are old friends.” She slapped the horse on the back and addressed it, “Aren't we Flower?” It whinnied discontent. Clearly its idea of an 'old friend' didn't completely tally with Cecelia's. Returning her attention to her friends, she continued, “If I pass you, just keep going. Flower and I are going to have a little fun.”
She watched as Mary and Jane trotted down the lane. Jane was having a much better time of it with a reasonable animal. Cecelia turned to her unreasonable one and told it, “You will behave, won't you? We're going to talk with John, the groom first, and then you will happily take me to Llanthony.”
Cecelia untied Flower and mounted her. Flower stolidly stood still and refused to budge. She gave the horse a few well positioned kicks with her left foot and a hard whack on its backside. After this encouragement Flower walked down the road toward Penyclawdd. With a little additional urging, Flower began to trot.
Julia had about given up hope that Jane would visit her when she heard the noise of two horsewomen approaching. They were chatting to each other and enjoying the ride. When she met them in the farmyard, she recognized Miss Arnold. The other woman looked familiar, but she couldn't quite place her. Jane introduced her partner.
“Mrs. Landor, this is Miss Mary Somerset, Georgie for short.”
“I'm delighted to make your acquaintance. Weren't you at the Raglan fair last week?”
“I was.”
“Oh and please call me Julia, we're informal here.”
“Where is Captain Wood?”
“He and Mr. Landor are still far up the Cwm. Georgie, they are hunting wood pigeons. So if they're lucky we'll eat well tonight. I'd be very pleased if both of you would like to stay for dinner.”
“I'm a little worried about Cecelia. We left her with a stubborn horse, Flower was it?”
“Oh, Flower. That's her groom's horse. He mostly rides her to the pubs.”
“I'm late because of that animal. Yet I'm also glad it was stubborn because I would not have had the chance of knowing Miss Somerset so much better.”
Mary added that, “Cecelia told us not to worry about her and not to wait for her either.”
The Landor's groom came over and took their horses. The three women went inside for a cup of tea. They had barely finished the first cup when a loud cat-calling howl of a noise accompanied by the clatter of hoofs reached them. They ran to the window just in time to see Flower gallop into the farmyard with Cecelia howling at her while she whipped it with her switch. She gave the horse to the groom and strode over to the main door of the house. A few moments later she was enjoying a cup with the other women.
“Cecelia, what was all that noise about?”
“That blasted horse. She stopped at the Queen's Head, and didn't respond to my commands. So I gave her the 'what for'. I don't normally do that.”
“Is that why you were yelling?”
Cecelia smiled and laughed as she said, “You heard me, did you? I don't think Flower will soon forget. You have to be secure on the horse, but you can make them think a wild-cat is riding on their back. Then they move.”
Jane asked, “Cecelia, weren't you worried about your dignity?”
“Not really, they all know me around here. I doubt I have much dignity left to lose. I'm
going to have.” She remembered that Penyclawdd was no longer hers and paused, “Captain Wood is going to have to tell that groom off. Letting you ride such a sour old screw of a horse. She's not a good ride for anyone, especially not a rider who is finding her way.”
Jane pouted, “George said I was a good rider.”
“Jane, I didn't say you were a bad rider, just a beginning rider. If Captain Wood says you're a good rider, then I believe you are one. He ought to know. That awful horse would tax almost anyone. It's just I know her and used a few tricks on her that elegant female equestriennes are not supposed to know.”
“So I shouldn't scream like that at my horse?”
“At least not in Hyde park. From what you've told me it would cause all the horses there to bolt.”
“Horses, horses, horses,” Julia spat out, “can we talk about something else? All everyone wants to talk about here is horses and riding.”
“Sheep, it will be the rut soon.”
“That's not any better Miss Wood.”
“I'm worried about Bath. You've all been there, to balls and concerts. Mixing with,” Cecelia paused in embarrassment and lowered her voice as she blushed, “Men, fashionable men. I'm worried that I will be seen just as an untutored rustic. That I won't know what to say to them or how to behave.”
Jane smirked, at least there was one chink in this girl's armor. Something she wasn't confident about. “Miss Wood, Cecelia, dear. I shall help you find your way. Bath is wonderful by comparison to this desolate backwater.”
“I hope so. It's not often that I'm intimidated, and the idea of going 'husband hunting' is giving me butterflies. It seems so cynical.”
Julia added, “Cecelia, I wouldn't worry about it. Men, even opinionated and stubborn men like Mr. Landor, are much more tractable that horses. My circumstances were much more desperate than yours, and I still found someone who loved me.”
“What happened?”
“My fathers' bank went rotten. That happens all the time, so in itself it wasn't a problem, but he left town between a flash of lightning and the thunder. If Walter hadn't seen me at the ball and immediately fallen in love, I'm not sure what I would have done.”
“How dreadful, still I suppose it worked out well.”
“Even though he is dashed otherworldly at times, often forgetful and more than a bit prone to ranting, I love him dearly. So I'd say it did.”
A voice coming from the front door asked, “Who's otherworldly?”
“You are my love, and don't deny it. You wouldn't be a poet if you weren't. How did the shooting go?”
Captain Wood answered for him, “Very well. We left our brace of pigeons with the cook.” His voice elicited a loud series of barks from the stables. Cecelia asked, “Is that Heulwen? What is she doing here?”
“She followed me. Couldn't take her shooting so we left her in the stables.”
“She can't stay there, I will go release her.”
Captain Wood added, “Let me come with you. Jane, did you want to come too?”
“No, I shall stay here and converse.”
As they walked to the stables, Cecelia told George about Flower. “You'll have to tell that groom off. He should never have let Jane ride that horse. He should have offered to drive her if there wasn't a horse she could ride. And he spends too much time at the local pubs.”
“If you say so. Why don't you tell him?”
She stopped, and with a catch in her breath explained, “Penyclawdd is yours now. That's why.”
“You love that place, don't you?”
“Yes.”
“And you don't want to leave it.”
“No.” The thought of leaving it brought tears to her eyes. “I really don't want to go. Even though Miss Arnold says that Bath and London are such wonderful places. This is where I belong.”
George stopped and searched her expression. It was evident she was upset about something besides leaving Penyclawdd. He asked her, “You're scared of visiting Bath, aren't you?”
Cecelia whispered, “Yes.”
He took her hand and gave it a squeeze, in what he thought was a brotherly gesture. “Don't be. You're a beautiful young woman, and with the touch of town bronze the Somerset's will give you, why, you'll have multitudes of heart-struck swains falling at your feet.”
She laughed, “I don't want too many swains falling at my feet. It would make it hard to walk.”
“Just one is all you need. Anyway, let's find Heulwen and release her before the other wonder if we've ridden off together.”
“Yes, lets.” For a mad moment, she wanted to add “ride off together”, but she repressed the thought and added, “Let’s find poor Heulwen.”
Dinner, which was largely roast pigeon with a few side dishes, went very well. The Landor's table wasn't as formal as the Somerset's but it was more formal than usual for Penyclawdd. With her recent practice at the Somerset's, Cecelia negotiated the settings with ease. Jane was in a good mood and so her conversation flowed without the occasional snipe at the country, country people or country manners. Mary was delighted with the relaxed atmosphere. She was also pleased that she could be called 'Georgie' without her mother reminding them that she was to be called 'Mary'. Most miraculously of all, Captain Wood had been able to shoot pigeons without a return of his worries about the French. His 'Spanish disease'v seemed to be abating.
Early the next morning, back in Penyclawdd, Cecelia roused Mary and dragged her out to the stables. “Time to check on our horses.”
“Do we have to?”
“Well, yes. If we find something wrong, it may take all day to treat it. Besides, we rode them much longer than I had planned yesterday and they might need extra care before we try riding up Hatterrall hill.”
“Wouldn't my groom check these things?”
“He should, but grooms are lazy.” She paused and then shouted, “Did you hear that John?” In her normal voice she continued, “They don't always check everything and you don't want to end up miles from anywhere with a lame horse.”
“I see. It is different from riding in the village, isn't it?”
Cecelia showed her friend how to check the horses for stiffness and sore muscles. She asked, “Georgie, what do you think?”
“They do seem sore, don't they?”
“I agree, what should we do?”
“You're the expert.”
“Perhaps, but I want to hear what you think.”
“I suppose they need to rest.”
“Good start, what else?”
“I don't know. Wait, when my older brother would get sore after a game, the next day he'd often do something gentle to work his muscles out. Could we do that?”
“That's what I'd do. We'll trot them around the yard on a line this afternoon. Warm up their muscles, but not overdo it. We can always do the hill tomorrow.”
As they returned to the house, Mary asked her, “What else are we going to do today?”
“I don't know. I thought I'd try to practice on the spinet. Maybe you could help me?”
“I can try, have you ever had it tuned?”
“Tuned?”
“It might be hard for me to help you if it's too far out of tune. It hurts my ears to play one that is too far out of tune.”
“I hadn't thought of that. Anyway I'm always busy here, you can tag along and help me with my chores.”
“Your chores?”
“Visiting the tenant farmers, keeping an eye on them. There are several who think that just because we're 'Saeson' they can rob us blind.”
“Saeson?”
“Welsh slang for the English. There's one of the farmers who wants to cut the local wood down, and sell the lumber. Our wood, his profit.”
“I guess you really do keep busy.”
“There's a lot to do when you're running an estate.”
“What are you going to do when Miss Arnold becomes Mrs. Wood?”
“I don't know. Somehow I doubt they'll want me to stay here an
d manage Penyclawdd. I expect my aunt in Swansea will look after me, at least until I'm married.”
“If you say so. I think my mother would be willing to put you up.”
“That would be very nice of her, but I'm not sure I could accept.”
“I don't know why not. I'd certainly like your company and now young Master Charles wants riding lessons too.”
Cecelia laughed, “I suppose I could support myself as a riding instructor and horse coper to the gentry. But that's not very ladylike.”
When they finished breakfast, Cecelia suggested that they harness one of the carriage horses to the gig and ride to the farms. “After that, fate no doubt will provide a distraction.”
Fate didn't, but Miss Arnold did. She met them in the yard when they returned, and demanded, “Where were you?”
“Just riding around, looking in at the tenants.”
“Didn't you think I might want to come?”
“I'm sorry, I thought you hadn't awoken yet.”
“I hadn't. That doesn't matter, I sat here all morning, bored and alone.”
“Jane.”
“Miss Arnold!”
“Miss Arnold, I'm truly sorry. Neither of us thought that you would be interested.”
Jane snapped, “The trouble is you didn't think.”
“We still have to warm up our horses so they are ready for tomorrow. Would you like to help?”
“Tomorrow? What are you doing tomorrow?”
Mary answered, “We thought we'd ride up Hatterrall hill or one of the other ones. We were going to do it today but our horses are too sore from yesterday.”
“I don't know.”
“Miss Arnold, you are welcome to come with us. If you want we can bring Captain Wood too. Otherwise, we'll just go ourselves. It's your choice.”
“I think I shall not. I'm finding all of this horse business tedious in the extreme. When we move back to the city, after the Captain and I wed, I hope never to have to deal with horses again.”
“I think Miss Somerset is in need of some refreshment, I certainly am. If you'll excuse us, we'll see what we can find for a nuncheon.”
Miss Arnold made dinner interesting. She snipped at Cecelia for much of the meal, criticizing her manners, deportment, and even the color of her hair. Part way through the meal, she announced, “George, I have decided that you should plan on selling this forsaken place once we're married. In fact, its sale should fund my portion.”
What About Cecelia? Page 8