“Aye,” Millie said as she pulled over the primer. Together they sorted out words until it was time to pull on the pants as if she were a boy. And though Yihui tried to hide it, they both knew she was nearly bouncing with excitement over Max’s gift. What kind of surprise would it be?
The clock had just struck the hour when Max knocked on the door. Millie opened it, and he stepped in, his eyes bright as he looked at her sitting with her hands clasped before her.
“Aren’t you looking lovely, Miss Wong? Are you tired of these four walls? If so, I’ve come to take you for a walk.”
“My lord,” she began, wondering exactly how to express her confusion. “I cannot walk yet.”
“I know. That’s where my surprise comes in.”
He didn’t leave her time to object. Within moments he had surrounded her with his arms and lifted her up. She had no choice but to wrap her arms around him, to revel in the feel of his hands on her body, and sigh as he effortlessly carried her out of her room, down the stairs, and out the front door.
He moved so quickly and with such happy enthusiasm that she was still deep in his warmth when he stopped—outside—as he held her above a small horse.
A small horse?
“Spread your legs,” he said. “Careful. I don’t want to knock your feet. I’m sure breeches feel strange, but it is the safest way.”
“I have often worn my brother’s clothing,” she murmured as she stared down at the creature.
“Truly? I see we have a topic of conversation.” Then he tried to set her down, but she gripped him too tightly. “Come, come,” he chided. “You’re healthy enough now that this will work. Won’t be confined to your bedroom so much.”
“But I have never ridden a horse.”
“Never?” He seemed startled. “Surely someone put you on one as a child.”
“I ran when I needed to go somewhere. And twice, I have ridden in a rickshaw.” She shook her head. “I don’t know anything about horses.”
“You must tell me about rickshaws. Perhaps as we begin our walk.”
“Uh…” She clung to him, refusing to leave the strength of his body. But he was firm as he gently settled her on the creature.
“Grip here,” he instructed. “You can steer the pony with your legs and with the reins. No need to use… Oh my. What did you do to your feet?”
Too much to understand so fast. Or maybe not because as she sat there, things began to get a little easier. She could balance and breathe. That was the first step. Then she began to notice things.
First, he and the creature were dressed to match herself. His waistcoat was the same robin’s-egg blue of her dress which she wore above her pants. The animal, too, had a fresh straw hat with bright blue flowers on it.
Max patted the horse’s neck. “She’s named Blue for her hat. I had to order her special from the country, and she arrived yesterday. And now she’s here for you.” He beamed at her, clearly pleased with himself, but she could only stare. How was she supposed to manage a horse? “Don’t you have ponies in China?”
“We have horses in China.” She didn’t know the wordpony.
“Blue is of a very small breed. Small enough that she can maneuver inside a house. She can go through doors and up and down stairs.”
“You want me to ride her inside?” She couldn’t imagine that.
“Only if I’m not around to carry you. This way you don’t have to stay cooped up in your room. You can see visitors. The entiretonwants to meet you.”
“On a horse?” she gasped. “Inside?”
“Not if you don’t want to. For today, let us just take a walk, yes?”
What could she say to that? It was glorious to be outside again. And wonderful to be by his side. And so she smiled and tried not to fall off the creature.
“Excellent,” he cried. And then he frowned as he looked down at the stirrups. She hadn’t put her feet in them, but the raised skirt showed the bindings on her feet.
“They are wrapped,” she answered. “Not bound as they do in China, but for proper healing. Mr. Torres helped me.”
In China, the bindings were tightened as hard as possible to make the foot smaller than a man’s fist. With Mr. Torres’s help, Yihui had set boards around her feet. One beneath with a rag for the arch, and two on either side, to hold the shape of a proper foot. Then she’d wrapped all of it in cloth and stiffened it with plaster.
