***
He didn’t come.
It was all Ophelia could think of as she rode across the estate, her riding habit tall around her neck. Behind her, Grace trailed, not as fine a rider, but Ophelia was careful not to ride ahead and leave her behind.
“Is everything well, Ophelia? You seem quiet today.”
“All is well.” Ophelia forced a smile as she looked back at her sister-in-law. She had no wish to put into words how much it had disappointed her first that Elliot had left her bed so quickly the other day. Nor could she explain her sadness at him spending the days away from her.
What capped the matter off quite miserably was how Ophelia had waited up for him the night before, but he had not come to her chamber. For some minutes, she had stood by the door that connected their chambers and thought about knocking herself, to go to his chamber. His frequent absence from the house had held her back.
If he wants to come to see me, he will.
“Oh, I am not sure I can get used to this.” Grace’s words made Ophelia pull on the reins of her horse, slowing the animal.
“Is something wrong?” she asked, turning back to see Grace sat rather awkwardly in her saddle as she pulled up alongside Ophelia.
“I haven’t ridden for some years,” Grace explained, fiddling with the reins.
“Did you not like it?”
“I did, it’s just my mother said one should be a woman to ride.” She shrugged, as if the words did not matter to her. “I think she thought me a little too young.” Grace seemed to avoid looking at Ophelia with the words.
It was not the first comment of this ilk that Grace had made over the last couple of days. Ophelia chewed her lip as she wondered how many times Grace’s mother had sought to remind Grace that she was young and should stay that way.
“Well, you look like a young woman to me, Grace,” Ophelia said with a laugh. “You are sixteen, are you not?”
“I am.”
“Then you are a young woman! Though I will disagree with your mother in one regard. I often rode when I was a child. I frequently went riding with my father, and it was quite the most freeing time of my days.” She smiled, recalling those rides.
Sighing, she looked across the estate that bordered onto the back of the house. She and Grace had paused on their horses at the top of a steep bank, flanked with trees. It was a steep ride back to the rear of the house and the stables.
“You sound like Elliot,” Grace said with a laugh.
“I do?” Ophelia jerked her head to look at Grace.
“Oh, yes. Most days he goes riding.”
Ophelia looked around the estate, disappointed that he had not come riding with them today. She had been tempted to ask him to accompany them, but before she had even come to it, he had announced he had to go and pay off the last of their parents’ debtors in London. He also had business meetings to attend where he was going to invest some of the money to try to recoup their losses.
“I think I have grown too tired for this,” Grace said, yawning behind her cupped hand. “Can we return to the house?”
“Of course. Race you there?”
“Race? Oh!” Before Grace could answer, Ophelia set off. She took hold of the reins and raced down the hill, not afraid to indulge in making the horse gallop fast. Soon enough, behind her, she could hear Grace galloping too.
By the time they reached the stable yard, both were red-cheeked and laughing. Ophelia made the horse circle the courtyard as Grace arrived behind her, puffing a little.
“My goodness, that was fun.” Grace giggled.
“I thought you might like that.” Ophelia jumped down from the horse, only to notice that Grace didn’t jump down, too. She looked around the horse, as if waiting for someone to appear. Ophelia wrinkled her nose in surprise. They both knew there was no stable master at the moment, for they were yet to hire one. Ophelia had saddled the horses for them that morning before they left. “Is everything well, Grace?”
“I was just wondering…” Grace gestured to the ground. “How am I supposed to get down?”
Not for the first time was Ophelia reminded of how young Grace saw herself. She offered a reassuring smile, not wanting the young woman to feel that way anymore.
“You can climb down; I am confident of it. Just be careful and place one foot in the stirrup. Hold tightly on the reins, too, so the horse doesn’t move away.”