Duainfey by Steve Miller, Sharon Lee Read Free Book Online Page B

noble brow, came 'round the curve in the path, shaking her head so that her mane slapped the side of her neck, reins hanging loose; saddle, disturbingly, empty.
    "Here now," Becca said softly, raising a hand. "Stop a moment, lady."
    The horse checked slightly, sending a testy, interested glance in Becca's direction.
    "Stand!" Becca said firmly, and at that the horse blew hard, as if to say, "Well, finally!" slowed, and then stood, as she had been bid.
    The too-sweet jangle of bells ceased, and Becca gave a sigh of her own.
    "Well, now," she said conversationally. "Where have you left your rider?"
    The filly stamped one emphatic forefoot, waking an irritation of bells.
    "I understand," Becca murmured. "Plainly he is an idiot. I sympathize with your predicament and applaud your forthright action. Alas, we cannot leave him to lie in a ditch."
    The horse blew a light interrogatory.
    "Well," said Becca, moving forward in a smooth, soothing glide, her eyes decently lowered. "There are those who would judge you harshly for your action, and never ask if it was justified. It is wholly unjust, but we must deal with the world as we find it, and accommodate ourselves to those things which we cannot change." She had reached the filly's side, and carefully raised her hand to stroke the silken neck.
    "Now, what we may very well be able to do is convince your rider to have done with those idiotish bells, which I think would please you a very great deal, would it not?"
    A slight shake of the head.
    "I thought it might," Becca murmured, stroking. "However, for this plan to work, we must find your rider, fool though he is, and show proper consideration for his health. In this way, he will come to understand that you had merely laid out a lesson for him, and bear no lasting enmity."
    The filly flicked her ears, apparently in some skepticism of this sentiment.
    "Come now," Becca murmured, leaning into the warm shoulder. "Own that he might do very well, eventually, if you have the schooling of him."
    There was a pause, as the filly considered this, then a sigh of agreement.
    "I knew you would be sensible," Becca murmured. "Attend me, now. I am going to take your reins and the two of us will follow your track back to the place where you left your rider." She paused, then reached up and gathered the reins, pulling them gently over the filly's head.
    "I am sorry," she said, as she got them turned around and heading back the way the horse had come, "about the bells. If we walk softly, perhaps they won't be too bad . . ."
     
    They walked slowly, indeed, Becca murmuring commonplaces about the weather and the trees, interspersed with praise for her companion's good sense and forbearance. The bells were, unfortunately, nearly as irritating at a whisper as they were in full throat, and Becca made a mental note to read the filly's rider a very stern lecture, indeed. What person of sense needed to advertise himself in such a wise? If—
    There was a movement at the edge of Becca's eye. She turned her head, and the filly stopped, blowing lightly against her shoulder.
    "Praise harvest!" Devon Jestecost was somewhat the worse for wear, Becca thought critically. His coat was dusty, and torn, his hat was gone and there was a crusty scrape across one rather pale, downy cheek.
    "Good morning, Devon," she said politely, and as if there was nothing the least bit unusual in finding him en déshabillé at the side of the road, one leg before him and the other bent at a painful and not entirely natural angle. "Did you lose something?"
    "Say rather the wretched beast lost me!" he retorted. "Damn, but I'm glad to see you, Becca! Help me up, will you! I've got to get her back before she's missed!"
    Becca stood where she was, the filly's nose against her shoulder.
    "Get her back?" she repeated.
    "Well, you don't think she's my horse, do you? She's Leonard's."
    Becca stared. "What in land's bounty can Leonard want with a horse—" Like this , she had been about to