Treachery: Day 8

Word Count: 48,016

Summary of Events:

Adeline watched Edward work with Richard Jr.'s colt what little he could due to the stone bruise before Richard Jr. came out and tried to ride Edward's mare, but failed and was shown up by Edward. Mr. Leonard had some men come over to go hunting and one of them had a mare in heat that got Mr. Leonard's stallion excited; Edward managed to keep the stallion under control until Mr. Leonard and the mare's owner agreed to let the horses have at it. Adeline and Edward were whiling away time waiting for Richard Jr.'s colt's stone bruise to heal when they were called to help with one of the hand's horses . . .

Excerpt of the Day:

"Adeline turned her attention back to Edward as Leroy and George pulled their horses alongside Harvey's to watch.

Edward sat still on Roy's horse. Fred's horse trotted around for a bit before taking an interest in the still horse away from all of the action. She walked toward Edward, looking curious, yet somewhat apprehensive.

Slowly Edward turned his head in her direction and whistled softly. She seemed to relax a bit and continued toward him. She nosed the other horse. Adeline then noticed that Edward had slid his feet out of the stirrups.

With more slow and deliberate motion he reached over and started stroking the mare. She tensed for a moment, but remained where she was. Edward kept her settled down and Adeline watched as both of his hands got onto the saddle.

Suddenly, in a swift, but not hard motion Edward was in Fred's mare's saddle and suddenly she'd turned into something of a tornado. She bucked, spun, reared, and ran — anything and everything to unseat Edward.

Adeline felt her heart pounding, she hardly noticed Roy's horse hurry away to his companions lined up at the fence as she watched Edward ride the twisting, spinning horse as she put her head between her legs and fought to unseat him for all she was worth.

Leroy and George started out from their positions, but Edward shouted at them to get back and so they did. The mare bucked until finally she was tired and stopped, her sides heaving.

Edward reached down and rubbed her neck gently. Adeline was barely holding onto the fence, her hands trembled as she gazed at Edward, still aboard the mare, not looking at all shaken by the rowdy ride she'd just given him.

He then got her to start walking slowly in big circles. Adeline watched as the mare walked slowly, her sides heaving so much that Adeline could see them moving from as far as she was away. The mare kept her head low.

Finally Edward rode her toward the other horses, where she stood fairly well. Harvey had gotten Fred to say something to him, but Fred still seemed terribly dazed and out of sorts. Adeline wondered if he hadn't suffered a hard hit to the head.

Roy and Harvey got Fred to his feet and started to haul him back to the bunkhouse on their shoulders. Leroy and George followed, leading Harvey and Roy's horses. Edward went to follow, but Fred's horse shied suddenly.

Edward told Adeline to shut the gate and she did, leaving Edward and Fred's mare inside the large pasture. Adeline had a feeling she was going to see some more impressive work, even if it wasn't with the colt."