“Okay, Lady Ellen,” Reese said, approaching her palomino Honey again, “watch me embarrass myself.”
She grabbed her skirt and raised it to step into Jem’s cupped hands. Tall as she was, he lifted her easily into the saddle. With her bum now firmly in place, she tried to move her right leg. She’d managed to get the skirt stuck underneath her, but after some awkward shifting around, she freed enough of the fabric to get her leg over the top pommel. Ellen moved her horse close beside the palomino.
“Press your left limb against the leaping head,” she whispered, glancing at the men. At Reese’s confused expression, Ellen added, “The lower pommel. Using both, I am able to hunt with my brother, who is an excellent whip.”
Reese did as instructed and could feel the pull in her muscles. “Well, you sure don’t need a thigh master if you ride sidesaddle.”
Ellen frowned, confused. Then, as if what Reese had said finally sunk in, Ellen’s eyes widened, and her cheeks went the brightest red yet.
“Sorry.” Reese gave herself a mental kick. “I forget how sensitive you people are about using the real names for body parts.”
“Do you feel steady up there?” Jem asked.
Reese walked the horse around the little stable area. She couldn’t help grinning. “I feel steadier than I would have expected to. Let’s go.”
Jem mounted his gray. He nodded toward Lady Ellen. “We don’t know which way to go.”
She set her bay in motion, and Jem followed her. Reese held back a little, watching as the young woman talked animatedly to him. The girl definitely had a thing for him.
Reese went over logical reasons why it should bother her. For one, she really liked Ellen and didn’t want her to get hurt. Jem didn’t really have a fortune, and he wouldn’t qualify as an appropriate suitor. They wouldn’t be in 1850 all that long, so it wasn’t like Jem could be Ellen’s happily ever after. Reese pushed away the sadness that Jem couldn’t beherhappily ever after either.
“This is where I must leave you,” Ellen finally said.
Reese urged her horse faster until she came abreast of them. “Maybe we can go riding again.”
“I would like that.” Ellen darted a glance at Jem but spoke to Reese. “I would love for you to visit me for a few days. My brother is not due back from London for a fortnight.”
“That would be fun,” Reese said.
“I will send you an invitation.” Ellen stared at her gloved hands. “Perhaps your cousin would like to come for a visit as well.” She looked up. “Once my brother returns. You might enjoy shooting with him.”
“I’m not much into shooting,” Jem said, “but I would be happy to meet your brother and see your home.”
“Very good, then.” Lady Ellen nodded to her servants, and the three of them rode away.
“What do you think of her?” Reese asked when they were out of earshot.
“She’s a cute kid,” Jem said. “Why?”
“Did you see that first guy she danced with at the ball?”
“I’m not likely to forget him.”
“Well, I don’t like the looks of him,” Reese said. “I’ve dubbed him Sir Slimy.”
“Reese.” Jem choked back a laugh but then tried to put on the big brother scolding voice he’d used when they were kids. “Don’t go calling him that in front of other people. You don’t want to cause problems for Nellie.”
“I might have already done something that could cause problems,” she said with a grin, remembering how satisfying it had been.
“What did you do?”
“I cut him at the ball.”
“Did you really?” Jem asked. “How?”
“He had the nerve to introducehimselfto me, all the time staring at my chest.” It still irritated her.
“I don’t remember hearing that you had hit anybody.”
