better.”
She stared at him in surprise. She had completely forgotten that he had said he was going to find her a riding mule. “I — Well, there is nothing pressing — ” she began.
“Good,” he said, cutting her off. “Right after dinner. Which is now. Are you done here?”
In somewhat of a daze, she stoppered up the liniment jars and followed him out to the dining hall, where — for a change — Sebastian was there without a book. “Oh, good, Eric found you!” he said cheerfully as they came in. “Did you want me along on this ride?”
Eric didn’t give her a chance to answer. “Not now. Wait till the mule gets a chance to get used to you. You can go feed it apples in the stable until it stops trying to run from you.” Eric also didn’t wait for the Spirit Elemental to serve him food; he took a dish, heaped it with stew and bread, and sat down to stoke himself methodically. “I want to see how well she rides, and how well the mule behaves, and we don’t have a lot of sunlight.”
Bella thought Sebastian looked more than a little crestfallen, but he agreed readily enough. “Early supper?” he suggested.
“Definitely. It’s cold enough to freeze a bear’s balls out there, and we’ll need it when we get in.” Eric seemed blithely unaware that his language was exceptionally inappropriate in front of a lady, but Sebastian flushed.
Then again… Eric probably hasn’t spent any time being taught what’s appropriate around a lady…
“I’m hoping this beast is going to be as good as promised,” Eric continued. “I couldn’t ride it. I’m too heavy for it. You know mules, load them heavier than they are prepared to carry, and they won’t stir a step. Went sweetly enough for the wench I hired to try it out, but that was in a city. So…we’ll see.”
Seeing how fast Eric was eating, Bella made haste with her own food. She was afraid when he finished his plateful, he was going to get up and demand she leave her half-finished meal, but instead he got a second helping. That gave her just enough time. Sebastian was barely a third done when Eric got up and finally looked at her to see if she was finished.
“Good, you don’t dawdle.” He eyed her gown dubiously. “I don’t suppose — ”
“Give me the time it takes to saddle both beasts and I will meet you at the stable in something more practical,” she said firmly. “Sidesaddle or astride?”
“You can ride astride?” He raised an eyebrow. “Not that it matters. Sidesaddle. That’s what the beast was sold with, and I don’t think we have another saddle in the stable that will fit it.”
With that, he stalked out the door. She cast a glance at Sebastian, who shrugged a little and gave her a wry smile, as if to say, “At least now he is treating you normally.”
She ran to her room and to Sapphire’s dismay, pulled out a pair of flannel trews, a heavy woolen skirt that was short enough to show her ankles, stout well-worn boots with chunky wooden heels, a flannel chemise with a high neck and a knitted woolen tunic of un-dyed, raw sheep’s wool. This was her “coldest weather” clothing, which she wore when she had to trek out to Granny’s in weather that no “lady” would venture into. Poor Sapphire! This was all gear she could get into unassisted, which meant it was so unfashionable the Spirit Elemental was probably near fainting.
But at least while she was dressing, Sapphire recovered enough presence of mind to get out deerskin gloves, her old woolen scarf and sheepskin hat, and her heavy cloak. Murmuring thanks, Bella seized all of these things and hurried out the door and down to the stables. The less she irritated Eric, the better this day was going to go.
In fact, when she arrived, a little out of breath from running, Eric was checking the girths and rump-bands on both beasts. Eric’s mount was a powerful dark bay gelding with a wicked eye that promised no end of mischief if you didn’t keep him firmly under control. Which, she knew, she couldn’t. She had seen this horse, and the other three like him, in the stable when she had gone exploring. They were mannerly enough when they were in their stalls. When turned loose in their paddock, the amount of energy they had was daunting. And she could tell by their behavior that they needed expert riders because, given a beginner, it was they who would be in control, not the rider.
But Bella’s new mount was at least four hands smaller, and was such a pretty little thing that it was all she could do not to clap her hands with glee.
Someone must have bred a very fine palfrey to the jack-donkey to produce this little beast. She was a creamy gray, as dainty as a china statue, with neat little hooves, alert ears and a mild eye.
“Good God, you are here!” Eric exclaimed ungallantly. He eyed her costume with approval. “Have the idiots sew you up a coat for next time, but otherwise, that’s perfect for riding in. And the cloak won’t matter much today. We’ll be trying out the beast’s paces and temper slowly.”
He took the mule’s reins and led her to the mounting block. Bella scrambled into the saddle as best she could, and while Eric was busy mounting his horse, got her legs and skirt arranged in the peculiar configuration demanded by the sidesaddle.
The mule stood with perfect patience while she did so. As soon as she got herself arranged, Eric put heel to his horse and rode out of the stable without looking back to see if she was going to follow.
Well, she wasn’t a good rider, as were people who lived out in the middle of nowhere, or nobles who could afford to keep horses in stables in the city were, but she wasn’t a novice. She lifted the reins a little, gave her mule an encouraging chirrup and touched her with the heel of the leg that wasn’t wrapped around the high pommel.
The mule stepped out neatly and obediently, her head bobbing a little with each step as she stretched her legs to keep up with the taller horse. Her gait was easy and comfortable, and rather than moving into a trot to keep up, she merely sped into a faster walk.
“How is she?” Eric called back, looking over his shoulder as they moved out of the forecourt and through the gates in the wall. The forecourt, paved with bricks, had been swept completely clean of snow — though it wasn’t very big, just large enough for a carriage or two. Nothing like the grand forecourt of the Royal Palace.
“I like her!” she called forward, excited now. They passed beneath the walls and came out into the snow and sunshine, and for the first time she saw what the Manor looked like from the outside.
The wall only enclosed the forecourt, and it looked like a later addition. Still later was a stout gatehouse of two stories built up against the wall. This must be where Eric lived. From the outside, at least, it looked to be about twice the size of her suite of rooms. The gatehouse looked like a little fortress itself, although she suspected that
