you need is work, and more work! Thank you for the
last ten days, and forgive me for being impulsive. I
promise not to waste your time again!"
"Heavenly!" he called, "Stop! Wait . . ." I didn't wait. Somehow I reached the saddle,
not caring if I did it right or wrong. My heels dug into
my mount's flanks, and she leaped forward while I
was blinded by silly tears, more angry with myself
than with him. I did everything wrong. My mare was
made confused and uncertain. To correct my mistakes
I yanked hard on the reins. Rearing upward almost
vertically, the mare snorted, pawed at the air, then
bolted forward, running wild and fast through the
woods. Low branches came at me one after another,
branches that could sweep me out of the saddle, break my neck, back, legs. With more luck than skill I managed to duck each branch. And the more I moved in the saddle, the more erratic my horse ran! My screams were like long, thin scarfs blowing behind me. Almost too late I remembered Troy's advice on how to cling to a runaway horse. I fell forward and clung to my mare's thick, brown mane. Over ravines and ditches, jumping dead trees felled by storms, my uncontrolled horse raced. Squeezing my eyes shut, I began to say her name over and over, trying to calm
her.
The next thing I knew she stumbled; I was
thrown from her back straight into a shallow ditch
half-full of slimy green rainwater. Scrambling to her
feet, my mare whinnied, shook herself, threw me a
disgusted look, and wheeled about to head for home,
leaving me stunned and shaken and hurting. I was also
missing my left boot. I felt a total fool as I lay
sprawled on my back in the fetid water, staring up
through the canopy of leaves to find the sun full in my
face.
God's punishment, I sourly thought, for
presuming too much! I should have known better than
to fall for the first man who made my blood run fast
and hot, especially after Cal, and Logan's rejection. No Casteel had ever won any prize! Why should I
think I was any better!