“Then you should be careful when walking around the gardens of the estate. I’ve fallen foul of Brutus myself. He doesn’t mean any harm, mind you,” Charlotte said. Honoria blanched.
“Is that another horse? One that is free to roam the gardens?”
“Brutus is a dog, but he’s as big as a horse!” Clara said, laughing. This didn’t do anything to settle Honoria’s unease.
The servants fastened the picnic basket to Mary’s horse, and then they were away, Lydia leading the charge. She let out a loud cry as she broke into a swift gallop, her hair flying in the breeze. Lydia was never braver than when she was on a horse, and Charlotte was pleased to see her enjoying herself.
Mary and Clara followed while Charlotte came afterward. Honoria was lagging behind, struggling to keep pace.
“This horse is not as obedient as the ones I am used to at home. They are far more docile,” she said, straining with the reins.
“You must be strong, My Lady; remember that you are in control, not the horse,” Charlotte cried out.
“I don’t feel that way at the moment,” Honoria said as the horse lurched to the side. Charlotte held back and used her own horse to guide the other. They fell into a trot, and while there was some distance between them and the others, they were all following the same path.
They rode for some time until they reached a glade. The grass was mossy, the air redolent with the scents of nature. Charlotte dismounted from her horse and breathed in the fresh air, stretching out her hands and spinning around.
“I feel as though I am home,” she said.
The horses walked over to the nearby stream and bent their heads, slaking their thirst. Lydia and Mary unfolded the picnic blanket while Clara started to run about, peering at the flowers and chasing butterflies. Honoria moved stiffly and looked about warily.
“Do you not find the outdoors pleasing, My Lady?” Charlotte asked.
“I do, although I am more used to sitting in our garden. Being in the wild like this is… a novelty.”
“For me, this is where you get to see the true beauty of the world. Look at all the different types of trees, the various flowers, all the splashes of color. It’s astounding.”
“The trees all look the same to me,” Honoria observed.
Charlotte pointed to a cluster of trees.
“Look at the shape of the leaves on these trees and then compare them to the trees over there.”
“Be careful, My Lady; once she starts talking about nature, she won’t stop,” Mary said with a teasing smile as she unpacked the picnic. Lydia was helping her. Honoria sank down onto the picnic blanket.
“That’s because nature is fascinating. There’s always something new to learn, and I believe we should seek to understand the world around us as deeply as we can. When I publish my research, everyone shall be able to learn about nature,” Charlotte said.
“Your research?” Honoria asked.
“Yes, I am working on a book, a manual of sorts to help educate people about common and not-so-common plants and herbs. There are many uses for them, some of them quite incredible, and they are all sitting practically on our doorstep!”
“I see,” Honoria furrowed her brow. “Why would you want to do a thing like that?”
“Clara, come and get some food,” Mary called as she laid out the picnic. There was an array of sandwiches as well as some fruit, a selection of cheeses, and chutney. Clara abandoned her investigation of the surrounding area to return to the picnic.Lydia was already leaning back, enjoying a sandwich. Honoria took a handful of grapes and ate them one by one.
“In part, it is to honor my parents, who were both researchers,” Charlotte replied, “but I also want to contribute something to the sum of human knowledge. I would like to give something that other people can enjoy.”
“Are there no books like this already?”
“Well, yes, but none that are as approachable as mine will be. Most of them are for academic purposes, and they use incredibly dry language. I hope to create interest among those people who have a passing or casual interest in the matter. At the moment, the texts available would scare them off,” Charlotte replied.
“I see. That all sounds rather ambitious. I assume you seek to complete this work before you are married?”
Lydia and Mary glanced at each other.
“Actually, marriage is not part of my plans. I am focused on my research. I feel that anything else would prove to be a distraction.”
“What?” Honoria gasped. “Forgive me, but I cannot imagine denying marriage. How are you going to secure a home and a future for yourself?”
