You will, I hope, be of the
party?"
"Thank you. I do not ride."
"It is rather refreshing to meet a young lady who is not horsy, but it
is a loss to yourself not to ride."
"I dare say it is. Yet what one has never known cannot be a loss. I am
sorry I was not accustomed to ride in my youth."
"It is not too late to learn, remote as that period must be," said De
Burgh, smiling. "You are in the headquarters of horsemen and horsewomen
at present. Appoint me your riding-master, and in a couple of months I
shall be proud of my pupil."
"I am not particularly brave," she returned, "and the experiment would
produce more pain than pleasure."
"Pain! nothing of the kind. I have a capital lady's horse, steady as a
rock, splendid pacer, temper of an angel. He is quite at your service.
Let me telegraph for him, and begin your lessons the day after
to-morrow." De Burgh raised himself from his lounging position, and
leaned forward to urge his pleading more earnestly. "Let me persuade
you. You will thank me hereafter."
"Thank you," said Katherine, shaking her head. "It is too late. I shall
never learn how to ride, but I should like to know how to drive."
"There I can be of use to you too. You will want an instructor.
Pages:
309
310
311
312
313
314
315
316
317
318
319
320
321
322
323
324
325
326
327
328
329
330
331
332
333