“Bravo, Harry! it does one good to see you and the 'Cid' together again,” exclaimed I, patting the arched neck of the noble animal; “how well he is looking!”
“Is he not?” replied Oaklands warmly; “the good old horse knew me as well as possible, and gave a neigh of pleasure when first I spoke to him. Is Fanny nearly ready?”
“She will be here directly,” replied I; and the words had scarcely escaped my lips when she made her appearance, looking so lovely in her hat and habit, that I felt sure it would be all over with Lawless as soon as he saw her.
“Why, Fanny,” exclaimed Oaklands, dismounting slowly and with effort, for he was still lamentably weak, “I have not seen you in a habit so long, I declare I should scarcely have known you; the effect is quite magical.”
A smile and a blush were her only reply; and Oaklands continued, “Will you not like to mount now? Lawless will join us; but he means' to abandon us again when we get near Eversley Gorse, for the superior attractions of a run with the subscription pack.”
“Oh, I hope the hounds will not come in our way,” exclaimed Fanny; “if you think there is any chance of their frightening my horse, I had better not ride to-day.”
“I do not think you need feel the least alarm; though spirited, Rose Alba is perfectly quiet; besides, we are not bound to ride towards Eversley, unless you approve of doing so,” replied Oaklands.
As he spoke, Lawless rode up just in time to catch the last few words. He was dressed in an appropriate hunting costume, and sat his horse (a splendid black hunter, whose fiery temper rendered all those in whom the bump of caution was properly developed remarkably shy of him) as easily as if he formed part of the animal. As he checked his impatient steed, and taking off his hat, bowed to Fanny, his eyes sparkling, and his whole countenance beaming with pleasure and excitement, he really looked quite handsome. The same idea seemed to strike Fanny, who whispered to me, “If ever your friend has his picture taken, it should be on horseback”.
“Good-morning, Miss Fairlegh!” cried Lawless, as flinging the rein to a groom, he sprang from the saddle, and bounded towards us; “glad to see you in what I consider the most becoming dress a lady can wear—very becoming it is too,” he added, with a slight bend of the head to mark the compliment. “What did I hear you say about not riding to Eversley? You never can be so cruel as to deny me the pleasure of your company, and I must go there to join the meet. I would not have hunted to-day, though, if I had known you wished to ride in another direction.”
“It was only that Fanny was afraid the hounds might frighten her horse,” replied I.