Perhaps if she
sat well, and learned fine control of her horse, he might be pleased,
and turn to look at her, as they rode side by side, with that look of
approval and dawning warmth which brought such secret joy to her soul.

"When may I take my first lesson?" she said quite eagerly to Captain
Osborn, for whom a footman was pouring out a glass of wine.

"As soon," he answered, "as I have taken out the mare two or three times
myself. I want to know her thoroughly. I would not let you mount her
until I had learned her by heart."

They went out to the stables after lunch and visited the mare in her
loose box. She was a fine beast, and seemed as gentle as a child.

Captain Osborn asked questions of the head groom concerning her. She had
a perfect reputation, but nevertheless she was to be taken over to the
Kennel stables a few days before Lady Walderhurst mounted her.

"It is necessary to be more than careful," Osborn said to Hester that
night. "There would be the devil and all to pay if anything went wrong."

The mare was brought over the next morning. She was a shining bay, and
her name was Faustine.

In the afternoon Captain Osborn took her out. He rode her far and
learned her thoroughly before he brought her back. She was as lively as
a kitten, but as kind as a dove. Nothing could have been better tempered
and safer. She would pass anything, even the unexpected appearance of a
road-mending engine turning a corner did not perceptibly disturb her.

"Is she well behaved?" Hester asked at dinner time.

"Yes, apparently," was his answer; "but I shall take her out once or
twice again."

He did take her out again, and had only praise for her on each occasion.
But the riding lessons did not begin at once. In fact he was, for a
number of reasons, in a sullen and unsociable humour which did not
incline him towards the task he had undertaken. He made various excuses
for not beginning the lessons, and took Faustine out almost every day.

But Hester had an idea that he did not enjoy his rides. He used to
return from them with a resentful, sombre look, as if his reflections
had not been pleasant company for him. In truth they were not pleasant
company. He was beset by thoughts he did not exactly care to be beset
by--thoughts which led him farther than he really cared to go, which did
not incline him to the close companionship of Lady Walderhurst. It was
these thoughts which led him on his long rides; it was one of them w