Word Count: 30,011
Summary of Events:
Edward left Adeline outside of the next town they came to, where he bought her boys' clothes. They stopped to camp for the night and Edward let his colt for a gallop, although as the colt approached Edward Adeline screamed, which spooked the colt and gave Edward a cut on his jaw. The next morning Edward and Adeline breakfasted before Edward let his colt go for a gallop again just to show Adeline he knew what he was doing, and then told her he planned on having her pose as his assistant . . .
Excerpt of the Day:
""I don't know that much about horses," she protested.
"I know," Edward replied. "I can tell. But I'll learn y'all the important things."
"Like what?" she asked.
"Whatever I need you to do," Edward replied, fitting the packsaddle onto the colt's back.
"Which I should hope isn't something like standing in the path of a galloping horse," she snapped as she shoved the bedrolls into his chest.
"So long as y'all don't go screamin' when I happen to do it again I won't," Edward replied. "I know what I'm doin', and I'm certain if y'all go screamin' like a banshee'll set the cat out'a the bag and they'll know y'all's a lady. In fact, I'd prefer if y'all didn't go sayin' anything, unless y'all's talkin' to me."
"What sorts of things would you want me to do?" she asked, looking dubious.
"Pass me things or take things from me for the most part," Edward replied, pulling the cinch tight and giving his mare's belly a firm slap.
He finished tightening the cinch and made sure everything was set. Then he grabbed her around her lower ribcage and hoisted her off the ground.
"Put me down!" she snapped, swinging a foot at his legs.
"Stop it," Edward said. "Just stay still, I want to test somethin'."
She sighed and hung still in his hands.
Edward brought her a little closer to himself to put more bend in his arms and gave her a gentle toss. She shrieked shrilly, even though he managed to catch her, and clutched his shoulders tightly.
Setting her down, Edward sighed, shaking his head.
"What were you doing!?" she demanded.
"Estimatin' your weight," Edward replied. "I'd say you weigh about half as much as I do, maybe a little more."
"And you do that by tossing people?" she demanded.
"If they're light enough," Edward replied.
"If it weren't for your horse I'd walk to Dallas from here," she snapped.
Edward sighed. "Bein's y'all're so light I'd probably have y'all back the colt," he said, swinging into the saddle.
"You mean I'm going to ride this horse that you're going to train?" she asked, her eyes wide.
"Yeah," Edward replied, dallying his colt's lead and tying it in place.
"Before anyone else does?" she asked.
"Yeah," Edward replied, removing his foot from the stirrup and holding his hand out for her elbow.
"But those horses buck," she said.
"Not any I've trained," Edward replied.
"Are you sure?" she asked.
"I trained this mare and she hasn't given a buck with someone on her back once," Edward replied, rubbing his mare's shoulder. "Not that she's a friskily-minded horse anyways."
She looked at him dubiously still.
"And she's the first horse I ever trained," Edward added.
"How old is she?" she asked.
"Gettin' about fifteen," Edward replied.
She finally put her foot in the stirrup and lifted her arm so he could grab it and help her aboard."
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