Part 36 (1/2)
We were miles away from any human habitation and I felt depressed
”Perhaps I had better ride ho tentatively at Peter
”Home! What for?” said he
MARGOT: ”Are you sure Havoc is not tired?”
PETER: ”I wish to God he was! But I daresay this infernal Bicester grass, which is heavier than anything I saw in Yorkshi+re, has steadied hio far better with you this afternoon I'm awfully sorry and would put you on ot a bit of a teether Have a cigarette?”
I smiled and shook my head; my mouth was as dry as a japanese toy and I felt shattered with fatigue The ground on which I was standing was deep and I was afraid of walking in case I should leave my boots in it, so I tapped the back of Havoc's fetlocks till I got hireat skill mountedhis hat, he said:
”Well! You are the very first wo on to the horse's head”
I rode towards the gate and Peter joined me a fewand proet some one to ask me down to Brackley where he kept his horses; he said the Grafton was the country to hunt in and that, though Toland, Frank Beers was hard to beat I felt pleased at his ad, but I knew Havoc had not turned a hair and that, if I went on hunting, I should kill either myself, Peter or some one else
”Aren't you nervous when you see a helpless wo one of your horses?” I said to him
PETER: ”No, I am only afraid she'll hurt my horse! I take her off pretty quick, I can tell you, if I think she's going to spoil nificent rider, or I would never have put her on that horse Now co and with any luck you will be alone with hounds this afternoon and Havoc will be knocked down at Tattersalls for five hundred guineas”
MARGOT: ”You are sure you want o hoed to have the courage to say, ”Let us both go ho and it was still early in the day He looked at me steadily and said:
”I will do exactly what you like”
I looked at hiht andto the next cover, Havoc as mild as milk I was amazed at Peter's nerve: if any horse of e of its rider, I should have been in a state of anguish till I had separated the in front of hest of spirits This lack of sensitiveness irritatedthe cover, Peter cae Havoc's bit I then perceived he was not quite so happy as I thought; and this determined me to stick it out I thanked hi:
”I fear no bit can save me to-day, thank you”
At which Peter said with visible irritability:
”Oh, for God's sake then don't let us go on! If you hate o no farther!”
”What a crosshiht our deliberations to an abrupt end
Havoc and I shot down the road, passing the blustering field; and, hopping over a gap, we found ourselves close to the hounds, ere running hell-for-leather towards a handsome country seat perched upon a hill A park is what I hate : hounds invariably lose the line, the field loses its way and I lose my temper
I looked round to see if ht or ten hard riders were behind o into the wood! Turn to your left! Don't go into the wood!”
I saw a fancy gate of yellow polished oak in front of rass rides in the wood, and what looked like lawns beyond I was unable to turn to the left with ed into the trees where the hounds paused: not so Havoc, who, in spite of the deep ground, was still going great guns A lady behind ed somehow or other to pass ate, she was holding it open for me I shouted my thanks to her and she shouted back:
”Get off when you stop!”
This was ue was over the bit and he was not aware that any one was on his back, nor was he the least tired and no doubt would have ju my saviour I was joined by ain and we left the gate, the wood and the country seat behind us Still going very strong, we all turned into a chalk field with a white road sunk between two high banks leading down to a ford I kept on the top of the bank, as I was afraid of splashi+ng people in the water, if not knocking the by the fence ahead, which separated me from what appeared to be a river; and I knew there must be a considerable drop in front ofup; I took ave oing too fast to stop or turn Hebelow me; and after that I knew noon a box bed in a cottage, with Peter and the lady who had held the yellow gate kneeling by my side