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“Right leg around the pommel,” Miss Crawford repeated. “Got it.”

“Are you ready, Ezra?” Simon asked.

“Yes, m’ lord.”

“Hold her steady.” Simon placed his hands around Miss Crawford’s tiny waist. A frisson of awareness pulsed through him, setting his senses humming. He cleared his throat, hoping the action would also clear his mind. “On the count of three, Miss Crawford.”

She gave a small nod. He counted and then lifted her onto the saddle. She slipped sideways, reaching for his shoulder to steady herself. Belle shifted slightly, and Miss Crawford gasped.

“I have you,” he said, taking her hand. “Relax.”

“I’m perched on an animal ten times my size,” she said, her eyes wide. “Relaxing is a bit hard.”

“Think of Sam and Will waving at you from their ponies,” he said.

She took a deep breath, and her viselike grip on his hand eased.

“Well done.” He guided her fingers to the reins. “Take these. Ezra will remain at Belle’s head, and I shall remain at your side. We’re going to walk slowly around the yard, just as the boys did.”

“Emphasis on slowly, right?” she asked.

He nodded solemnly. “Snail’s pace.”

Isla had to admit that she’d seen more improvement after one hour on a horse this morning than she had after the same amount of time with a quill yesterday. Just a moment ago, a second stablehand had brought Lord Bancroft’s horse out to join them. Even with her limited experience, Isla recognized a majestic animal when she saw one. Blaze was stunning, and if his pricked-up ears and alert eyes were any indication, he was ready for more than a sedate walk around the yard.

Despite Belle’s placid demeanor, Ezra kept a reassuring hand on Belle’s bridle while Lord Bancroft mounted his horse. Isla waited, grateful that she’d relaxed enough in the saddle to actually enjoy the experience. She wasn’t ready to canter off alone, but her knuckles were no longer white, and she could appreciate the thrill of being outdoors astride a powerful animal.

Lord Bancroft guided his horse closer. “What do you think, Miss Crawford? Are you ready to venture out of the yard?”

“I think I am.”

He smiled. “I am glad to hear it.”

Isla willed away the flush of warmth his obvious pleasure at her response brought on. She had not left the house or its immediate surroundings since her arrival, but now that she felt more comfortable astride her mount, her eagerness to see more than the woodshed and yard was hardly surprising. Her strong desire to share a new experience with Lord Bancroft, however, was a little more disconcerting. And it was something she’d rather not admit to. “What did you have in mind?” she asked.

He pointed toward a wooden gate in the nearby hedge. “If Ezra opens the gate for us, we can take the horses into the meadow. There’s a footpath that leads to the crest of the hill and a lookout of sorts. It’s not far, but it will give you a feel for riding on something other than the hard-packed dirt and gravel of the yard.”

“That sounds perfect.”

“Shall I open th’ gate, then, m’ lord?” Ezra asked.

“If you’d be so kind,” Lord Bancroft said, angling his horse so that he was within reach of Isla. “I believe Miss Crawford can manage.”

Ezra relinquished his hold on Belle’s bridle and hurried across the yard. Belle tossed her head as though glad to be free of that added restriction. Isla tightened her grasp on the reins. She might have doubts about her ability to manage the horse unaided, but Lord Bancroft didn’t. It was time to dig a little deeper for some confidence.

“How will Belle know when to move?” she asked.

“If I allow Blaze to take the lead, Belle will follow.” He offered Isla a reassuring look. “These two are well used to each other. Martha and I have ridden them together many times.”

“Okay.”

“Okay?”

“No fair!” Isla said. “I can’t think about using old English words when my whole focus is on staying in this saddle.”

He grinned. “Reasonable enough. I shall come up with my own interpretation. You used this word the last time we were talking about Blaze, so I imagine okay means ‘I wish I had ridden many more times also.’”

“Or it could just mean ‘very well,’” Isla suggested.