Chapter 5 Horse riding

My dear son!" The baroness stretched her hand and hugged her son as he came to kiss her good morning.

"Good morning ma'am," the blond spoke with a smile still clinging to David's arm.

"Good morning, my dear,"the baroness said," Meet Celine, David's wife, and Celine, meet Arabella, David's secretary."

"It's a pleasure to meet you Celine,"Arabella said, "I couldn't resist the temptation to congratulate David personally,"she said, pursing her lips to blow him a kiss.

David smiled at her and patted her on her shoulders.

"Come off it, Arabella, the greetings are enough; you should go and handle the office matters since I am not there now."

"Sure boss!"She laughed, winking at him.

Celine could see the closeness between boss and employee; seeing them together, one could swear they were lovers, but Celine removed her mind from feeling jealous; after all, he is entitled to his behaviour.

Saying her goodbyes, Arabella went out of the garden; by the way, she walked freely as if she owned the place, Celine knew she was a regular visitor to the house.

"I would like to go to the stables later this morning Mother,"David announced.

"That is good son,"she said,"it's a long time you ride your horse."

"Celine!, the baroness addressed her," Do you know how to ride a horse?"

"Yes!"She answered," but it's been a while, so I would need some help with the horse."

"Oh, you don't need to worry," the baroness said," David is an excellent horseman,"she proclaimed proudly.

Celine looked at David and was tense as he looked at her with an indifferent expression.

"Mother!" he turned to his mother once again,"l cannot be teaching someone how to ride, you know I just wanted some air," he said gruffly.

"Yes, I know," the baroness said," Please take Celine along, the fresh air would do her good too."

"Okay Mother, if you insist," he said reluctantly.

Looking at Celine mockingly, he said," But she should not blame me if she can't hold her horse and gets her butts on the ground," he chuckled aloud with amusement.

This seems to annoy Celine;

"I can hold my horse,"she challenged, with a glint in her eyes.

His eyebrows raised as he saw her boldness.

"All right, we shall see," he said mockingly.

The servants brought the breakfast; there were a lot of dishes to choose from; she just ate some bread slices with honey and some eggs.

After breakfast, she stood up and excused herself to get her coat, as she went up the stairs two at a time.

*****

Following David to the stables was a good idea; her nostrils were filled with the smell of dung and horses as they went towards the stables.

David looked back at her skeptically as he saw her struggling to meet up with his strides.

He decided to slow down and wait for her.

"How long have you rode a horse?" he asked.

"About three years now," she replied, surprised that he slowed his pace for her.

"That is quite a long time, " he said.

"Anyway, just do as I say if you want, and you will be fine,"he said with a serious face.

Celine nodded her head in agreement and followed him to the stables.

"Good morning my lord,"a stable worker came forward and brought a magnificent black horse to David.

David collected the reins from him and patted the horse as he led it outside the yard.

"Prepare the brown horse for my wife,"he commanded.

"Right away my lord," he said and went back into the stables.

Celine followed David into the courtyard as he led his horse, looking at them was a beautiful sight for her. David looked so natural with the horse, she reminded him of knights who fought wars for kingdoms.

Hearing some sounds, she looked back to see the most beautiful horse she had ever seen.

It was a mare, brown in colour, well-groomed and decorated with a silver saddle.

"She is called silver,"David said as he gave the horse a soft Pat," and mine is called stony."

"Silver is a beautiful name, but why stony?" she asked.

"Is it because it's a magnificent horse?" she asked with a smile.

"Yes, of course!" he responded," it's magnificent; give it the name", he grinned.

"He should smile more," she thought with a sigh," it gives him a charming and cheerful look, instead of the indifference he always shows her."

He beckoned to her and she moved closer as if she was in a trance.

He put his hands on her waist as he pulled her close.

Being close to him made her breathless.

With a heave, he lifted her onto the horse.

She grabbed the reins and held it.

He looked down and fitted her legs to both sides of the stirrup.

"I think you are good to go. Be gentle with Silver, and she will be with you," he said with a grin.

She nodded and gave her horse a little push but got a surprise as the horse nervously leapt forward, throwing her off balance; before she could grip the reins tightly, she was already on the ground.

"My God!" she heard David exclaimed running towards her.

"Are you all right?" He said with a worried expression on his face as he helped her up.

Looking at him, she chuckled and tried to make a joke out of her fall.

"You have said already that I would fall, and now it has happened, are you satisfied now?"

David looked at her, his mouth twitching.

"I don't want to laugh because you fell, but you are funny, quit blaming me and admit you have forgotten how to ride a horse."

"Never!" she said out aloud, "I will not accept defeat.l know how to ride, being thrown from a horse is not a big deal," she said, shrugging her shoulders and cleaning the dust off her jeans.

As the stable worker brought back the horse, Celine put her hands under the horse's nostrils and patted it.

"Can you climb the horse?" David asked.

He didn't wait for an answer but went closer to her

She was shocked that her body reacted with a jolt as David came to her back and held her waist to put her on the horse once again.

"I can climb the horse myself," she said gruffly.

"Is that a thank you?"David asked Mockingly.

Looking at her and feeling satisfied that she could handle the horse, he went over to his horse and with a smooth stride he climbed it.

Turning the horse in the direction of the exit, he turned and looked at her.

"Let's go!" he commanded.

Celine put a little pressure on the horse to move it forward, then started riding the horse ahead of David in small strides.

***

David pushed his horse to move a little slower, as he looked ahead at the woman who was now his wife.

He never thought she could steer feelings of want in him.

"God!"He wanted her badly,he said to himself.

He has always been careful about how he relates with women, although women flock around him like sheep, making the media think he is a playboy.

He was prudent in his dealings with them, and he never let them come close.

But Celine was different from the type of women he had known, most of them were the clingy type, but Celine was calm and composed with an aura of confidence he admires in a woman.

Now about the feelings she steers in him, he shrugged and quickly shook off the thoughts,he will think about that later,he said to himself.

He pushed his horse forward, closing the gaps between both horses.