notice that the rift in the friendship between the two men was slowly healing. She didn’t want to be the cause for a friendship of long standing to be destroyed.
“How would you like to ride a horse for a while this afternoon?” Adam asked later. He rested against the wheel of the wagon, watching her graceful movements as she cleaned up from their noon meal.
“With you?” she asked dubiously.
“Of course with me, sweetheart,” Adam replied with a chuckle. “Hawk’ll drive the wagon and I’ll ride his horse. I’ll saddle mine and you can ride it.” Adam’s horse remained tied to the tailgate of the wagon most of the time, since he usually drove the team. Molly was delighted at the idea of freedom from the wagon.
She hurriedly finished her chore while Adam saddled his horse. She saw the two men in serious discussion but ignored them. She was determined to let nothing, including an argument between Adam and Hawk, disturb her day.
Tying the bonnet ribbons firmly beneath her chin, Molly walked to the back of the wagon. She saw instantly what must have been the cause of the latest confrontation.
“Adam, that’s not my saddle,” she pointed out calmly.
“I know, sweetheart, but Hawk feels a sidesaddle would be too dangerous in the wilderness.”
“I wonder if he’ll consider a broken neck dangerous when I fall off because of that saddle,” she mumbled to herself as she eyed it.
“I’ve never ridden astride and I don’t believe this dress will allow for it,” she said to the waiting men as she tried to hide her disappointment. “Perhaps we can have our ride another time.”
“Riding astride gives you more grip and better control over your mount,” Hawk said as he walked up beside her. Grabbing the sides of her waist he easily lifted her onto the saddle. He adjusted the stirrups to the correct length while ignoring her attempts to protect her modesty as she pulled down her bunched skirt.
Adam’s lips thinned into a tight line as he fought not to comment on Hawk’s rough handling of Molly. He handed the reins to her and mounted his borrowed horse. He had seen her ride once at a park in Charleston and knew that she was an able horsewoman. However, that had been on a sidesaddle.
Hawk watched her intently for several minutes as she accustomed herself to the saddle. After sliding from side to side several times she seemed to get the hang of it and managed to control herself and her horse. Nodding with satisfaction he turned to Adam.
“The trail forks about a mile ahead, take the right fork. There’s a good stopping place beside the river, you can’t miss it because it’s just after the waterfall. I’ll meet you there this evening.” At Adam’s nod he turned and climbed onto the wagon seat.
Molly rode at a sedate pace until the wagon was out of sight behind them. Once she knew she was away from Hawk’s penetrating gaze she grabbed the reins firmly and urged the horse into a gallop. She quickly discovered the advantages of the saddle as the horse twisted and turned through the trail.
Adam stayed just behind Molly, making no effort to stop her or slow her down. Unequal to the force of the wind in her face, the flimsy bonnet blew off her head and tumbled to the ground. At first Adam wondered what Hawk would think when he drove past it, then he realized that his Indian friend would easily read the signs on the trail and think that they had raced the horses recklessly down the path.
But if Hawk could see Molly now he would know that she was far from reckless — in fact, she was in complete control. Watching as her hair tumbled from its pins and streamed behind her, Adam knew that he was in more danger than she. She rode her mount with the grace of a natural-born horsewoman. Adam found himself falling further and further behind as she raced the wind for freedom.
Realizing the danger of being separated from Adam, Molly slowed her horse to a more leisurely pace until he was again at her side.
“How would you like to ride a horse for a while this afternoon?” Adam asked later. He rested against the wheel of the wagon, watching her graceful movements as she cleaned up from their noon meal.
“With you?” she asked dubiously.
“Of course with me, sweetheart,” Adam replied with a chuckle. “Hawk’ll drive the wagon and I’ll ride his horse. I’ll saddle mine and you can ride it.” Adam’s horse remained tied to the tailgate of the wagon most of the time, since he usually drove the team. Molly was delighted at the idea of freedom from the wagon.
She hurriedly finished her chore while Adam saddled his horse. She saw the two men in serious discussion but ignored them. She was determined to let nothing, including an argument between Adam and Hawk, disturb her day.
Tying the bonnet ribbons firmly beneath her chin, Molly walked to the back of the wagon. She saw instantly what must have been the cause of the latest confrontation.
“Adam, that’s not my saddle,” she pointed out calmly.
“I know, sweetheart, but Hawk feels a sidesaddle would be too dangerous in the wilderness.”
“I wonder if he’ll consider a broken neck dangerous when I fall off because of that saddle,” she mumbled to herself as she eyed it.
“I’ve never ridden astride and I don’t believe this dress will allow for it,” she said to the waiting men as she tried to hide her disappointment. “Perhaps we can have our ride another time.”
“Riding astride gives you more grip and better control over your mount,” Hawk said as he walked up beside her. Grabbing the sides of her waist he easily lifted her onto the saddle. He adjusted the stirrups to the correct length while ignoring her attempts to protect her modesty as she pulled down her bunched skirt.
Adam’s lips thinned into a tight line as he fought not to comment on Hawk’s rough handling of Molly. He handed the reins to her and mounted his borrowed horse. He had seen her ride once at a park in Charleston and knew that she was an able horsewoman. However, that had been on a sidesaddle.
Hawk watched her intently for several minutes as she accustomed herself to the saddle. After sliding from side to side several times she seemed to get the hang of it and managed to control herself and her horse. Nodding with satisfaction he turned to Adam.
“The trail forks about a mile ahead, take the right fork. There’s a good stopping place beside the river, you can’t miss it because it’s just after the waterfall. I’ll meet you there this evening.” At Adam’s nod he turned and climbed onto the wagon seat.
Molly rode at a sedate pace until the wagon was out of sight behind them. Once she knew she was away from Hawk’s penetrating gaze she grabbed the reins firmly and urged the horse into a gallop. She quickly discovered the advantages of the saddle as the horse twisted and turned through the trail.
Adam stayed just behind Molly, making no effort to stop her or slow her down. Unequal to the force of the wind in her face, the flimsy bonnet blew off her head and tumbled to the ground. At first Adam wondered what Hawk would think when he drove past it, then he realized that his Indian friend would easily read the signs on the trail and think that they had raced the horses recklessly down the path.
But if Hawk could see Molly now he would know that she was far from reckless — in fact, she was in complete control. Watching as her hair tumbled from its pins and streamed behind her, Adam knew that he was in more danger than she. She rode her mount with the grace of a natural-born horsewoman. Adam found himself falling further and further behind as she raced the wind for freedom.
Realizing the danger of being separated from Adam, Molly slowed her horse to a more leisurely pace until he was again at her side.
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