Sitting up, I dusted grass off of my back. “Didn’t you hear? I’m ...” I stopped myself. Matilda was watching me curiously.Does she not know I’m supposed to be kept on the property?The first seed of an idea grew. “You work with the horses, right?”
“Yup.” Gripping the dirty sides of her torn jeans, Matilda beamed. “Have for around five years now.”
The pride in her face made my heart swell. Standing, I ducked out from under the rosebush I’d been hiding beneath. “So if I wanted to ride one, you’re the girl I need to see.”
“Oh. Um.” Her eyes darted back toward the stables. “Pretty much. Why, you wanna take one out?”
The pounding in my chest reached a crescendo. “Very, very much.” It wasn’t a lie. I’d wanted to touch those horses since I’d seen them. Their raw smell called back some of my fondest memories.
Matilda motioned to me, her steps light. “I don’t see why not.” Brightening her voice, she said, “I thought you might be a horse person from the minute I saw you.”
“Oh, yeah?”
“Mm-hmm.” She nudged the stables open, leading me inside. “The way you were looking at Rosel the other day gave it away.”
My ears turned red. “I rode a bit when I was little.”
She led me over to the same chestnut mare as before. Clicking her tongue, she reached out, her palm gliding over the animal’s smooth flank. “You want help?”
“It’s like riding a bike,” I said, suddenly unsure. It had been thirteen years since I’d last sat on a horse. My determination gave me the courage to move forward with my plan.
Matilda set about saddling the horse. As she did, I walked closer, moving to Rosel’s right flank. She set one big, round eye on me. Her massive nostrils flared. Swallowing, I extended my fingertips slowly toward her. “Hey, girl, relax. I’m not going to eat you. Though I once heard horse was a delicacy in some places. Ha-ha. Hah.”
Matilda gave me a look.
With my smile twitching, I ran my hand over Rosel’s muzzle. She was even softer than I expected, my head swimming with memories. The mare pushed forward, demanding more of my petting. For a minute, I forgot about what I was going to do. I was lost in the wonderment of this giant animal, how she could be so gentle—so sweet—when she was capable of crushing my skull.
“She likes you,” Matilda said.
“I like her, too,” I said softly.
Tightening the last strap, she gave the animal a quick tap. “I’ll lead her out, then it’s your turn.” Taking the bridle, she guided Rosel out of the stable with me close behind.
Under the bright sun, the horse glistened like freshly poured caramel. I noticed the tip of her nose was pink and white, and there was a single sock of dark color on her rear left leg. Flicking her tail, she kept her eyes on me.
Matilda stepped back, so I took that as my cue. Gripping the saddle, I stuck my foot in the stirrup and prayed I wasn’t about to fall on my ass. Maybe it wasn’t like riding a bike, but then again, I’d never ridden a bike as a kid. My body remembered what to do, though. Grunting, I lifted myself onto the horse, straddling her.
The shift in position changed my worldview. I could see over the estate, the roses dotting the green in bright pops of color. There were a few trees in the distance, then beyond, I saw the hills of grass and hedges.
Beyond that is the road.
“Okay,” Matilda said. “Let me just show you around, we’ll take it slow.”
“Listen. I’m really sorry,” I said earnestly.
Laughing, she looked up at me with her brow in a knot. “For what?”
I didn’t speak, I just dug my heels into Rosel. In a burst of muscle she flew forward, nearly knocking me from the saddle. It took several desperate, minor adjustments of my body’s tension to make sure I was leaning over her in a way that would keep me afloat.
Behind me, Matilda shouted something. I didn’t hear the words; I didn’t need to.
I’m sorry,I thought for the fifth time.I really am.I’d make sure that Rosel would get back to her. I wished I could have explained that I just needed to do this, that it was the only way out.
The wind tore at me as we raced over the yard. The flat ground was broken up by the gardens. I spotted a gazebo to one side, a large storage facility on the other. As I passed, two men stumbled backward, watching me in abject shock.
They didn’t stop me, but I expected them—or Matilda—to alert the rest of the Badds. People would come after me soon. I had to get to the road as fast as possible.
“Come on,” I hissed into Rosel’s ear. Over the rushing air that pushed her mane into my eyes, I wasn’t sure she’d hear. My plan was to get to the street and follow it back to a rest stop. I could call for a taxi from there. I had no money on me, but if we went back to my house, I could pay them. As far as I knew, my purse was still hanging in the kitchen.