“Of course. I’ll wrap it up in some paper for you.”
“Thank you.”
By the time we got back to Peter Morris’ place, the afternoon was beginning to wane. We had a couple of hours of daylight left if we were lucky. Best to get on home and get the horses settled before dark.
“I gave her a grooming and tacked her up. She’s ready to go.”
“Thank you,” I said. “Oscar’s eager to ride her.”
Peter looked at Oscar. “Now, you need to show her who’s boss. She’s a nice horse but she’s young, and she’ll take advantage if she can.”
“Yes, sir.”
“I’m very glad to have sold her to such nice fellas as you and Jimmy. I know you won’t mistreat her, and this way, I can see her from time to time, whenever you come into town.”
“That’s so. Thank you kindly,” I said.
For a second, Oscar looked a little green around the gills. It had been a long while since he’d ridden on his own. His very last solo ride had ended with tragic results, and I reckoned he was fielding some unpleasant memories.
“Could I try her out in the paddock first?” Oscar said to both me and Mr. Morris.
“Of course, you can, son,” Peter said, giving Oscar a kind look. “That’s a good idea. Give you both a chance to get your bearings.”
Peter led Onyx out of the barn and into the middle of the paddock, where Oscar went to meet her. The saddle she had on was sturdy but fancy, with elaborate stitching around the edges and pressed designs in the leather.
Peter apologized. “I got this stuff for my granddaughter, so it’s a bit on the feminine side. I hope you don’t mind.”
Oscar was busy petting his horse and talking gently to her, but he glanced at the saddle and smiled. “At least it ain’t a sidesaddle. That would have been a little hard to explain.”
Peter laughed. “True. Times are changin’, you see, and I didn’t see any reason my granddaughter couldn’t ride a horse like her pa does.” He sighed with a sadness he couldn’t conceal. “They decided to go out east a few months ago. Ain’t even heard from them or nothin’. Missus and I are hopin’ for a telegraph soon, else we’ll have to believe they perished. It’s a tricky business, this overland travel, especially when you have a family. I just hope they’re all right.”
Oscar’s forehead creased. “I surely hope so, too, Mr. Morris. And the saddle suits me fine. I like it.”
Peter nodded, blinking quickly. “You need a hand up?”
Oscar came around Onyx’s left side and grabbed the pommel of her pretty saddle. “Nope, I got it.”
He fit his boot into the stirrup and swung up in a graceful movement, as I recalled teaching him the basics of riding on our journey. Being a city boy, he hadn’t had any riding experience, which hadn’t been an issue until we’d abandoned the wagon after encountering a member of my old gang and I’d decided it would slow us down. I’d had to lead Oscar on Sprite for the first day or two, until he’d found his seat and was ready to try to handle the horse himself. But, by the time we’d ridden across the Yukon to Whitehorse, then to Telegraph Creek and most of the way to Port Essington, he’d become an excellent horseman, although the downing of Sprite by a pack of wolves had ruined his confidence. At least Oscar had survived. I didn’t even want to think about the alternative. It had been bad to lose that horse, but it would’ve been a million times worse if I’d lost Oscar. I don’t know if I’d have been able to go on, especially being in Port Essington on my own, when the only reason I’d come here was for him.
Peter moved out of the way and Oscar shifted in the saddle, getting comfortable. Onyx’s ears flicked back and forth and she shied to one side, but Oscar clucked to her and urged her forward with an instinct that came back to him.
Onyx began to walk, and Oscar turned her to go by the fence. When they passed close to me, he threw me a grin as his eyes sparkled.
“She moves like a dream, Jimmy. She’s perfect.”
Chapter Four
A Lustful Interlude
“You remember how to ride,” I said, grinning and crossing my arms on the fence of the corral. “That’s good.”
“I reckon you’re a good teacher,” he said o’er his shoulder as he turned Onyx to walk the other way. The horse responded to his signals, her ears flicking back and forth as he clucked to her and gave her encouragement.
I blushed at Oscar’s praise, remembering those early days of fumbling about and finding our way together. I had taught Oscar to ride a horse, but Oscar had taught me things I’d never imagined. Best not to think of those things right now, though, lest I were to embarrass myself in front of Mr. Morris and reveal the truth of our relationship.
Oscar took Onyx around the edge of the pen several times, all the while with that childlike smile on his face as he coaxed her into a trot then a canter. I soaked it in while trying not to look like I was staring. He gushed with pleasure and confidence, sitting so comfortably in the fine saddle that I knew we’d made the right decision to buy the black mare. The two of them together made my heart sing because they made such a pretty picture.
“He named her yet?” Peter asked me. “I wanted to let my granddaughter name the horse, so I’ve just been callin’ her ‘girl’.”
