Page 34 of The Rake's Daughter
Lord Randall returned and joined Izzy. “I see Leo has ridden to your sister’s rescue. Are you enjoying the ride, Miss Isobel?”
Izzy gave him a droll look and made a snoring noise. He chuckled. “Yes, the stables didn’t exactly provide the mounts you and your sister deserve.”
“Lord Salcott has promised to bring us decent mounts next time. I trust you will hold him to it.”
“Oh, I’m to be invited, am I?”
“Naturally.” She shot him a mischievous glance. “I’m hoping for a ride on your beautiful Storm.”
He shook his head. “Not possible, I’m afraid. He’s not trained for sidesaddle.”
“Neither am I.”
He laughed. “I don’t believe it.”
“It’s true.” Clarissa joined them, leaving Lord Salcott speaking sternly to the dog owner. “Izzy taught herself to ride bareback when she was ten. It was only when I tried to imitate her and fell and broke my arm that Papa’s estate manager decided we needed proper lessons.”
“Only he insisted that we learn to ride sidesaddle like proper young ladies,” Izzy said.
Lord Randall gave her a speculative look. “And were you obedient young ladies?”
“Of course we were,” Izzy said.
“As long as Mr. Edwards was watching us,” Clarissa added with a smile.
“And when he wasn’t?” Lord Randall prompted.
“Oh, then Izzy would coax one of the grooms to saddle the horses with ordinary saddles.”
He frowned. “And they obeyed? But you were only little girls then, weren’t you?”
“Sidesaddles are dreary,” Izzy said. “Ordinary saddles are easier and more convenient to use. And safer. And we don’t need help to mount.”
“But—” he began.
“If sidesaddles were as wonderful as men tell us they are, why is it that men never use them?” Izzy said.
Clarissa laughed at his expression and explained, “It wasn’t so much that the stable lads obeyed us, as that they were afraid we’d ride bareback again, and they’d get into trouble if I were hurt. Besides, Izzy is quite good at persuading people.”
Lord Randall gave her a searching look. “You said they’d be in trouble if you were hurt, Miss Studley. Miss Isobel, too, I presume?”
“Oh no,” Izzy said blithely. “If I’d broken my neck, Papa would have probably rewarded them.”
Lord Randall gave her a startled look, as if unsure whether she was joking or not.
“Oh, Izzy, he wouldn’t,” Clarissa exclaimed in distress.
“What does it matter?” she said lightly. “I never did fall off, did I? So, Lord Randall, when are you going to let me ride your horse?”
“Never,” Lord Salcott said, coming up behind them. “It’s an unsuitable mount for a lady.” His eyes were all flinty again, and his mouth was flat and unsmiling. No hint of a dimple. Lord Grumpy was back. “It’s time we returned. At the rate those mares move, it’s going to take a while.”
“And whose fault is that?” Izzy couldn’t resist saying.
He gave her a hard-eyed look and moved off.
***
Well, that went all right,” Leo said that evening after the waiter had removed their empty plates.
