Chapter 27

That ominous feeling lingered into the following day, when Elwin led the guests to the stables so they could choose their horses.

Since Elwin’s late father had also been an Alpha, the count’s household kept two or three mounts large enough to carry bigger riders, which allowed both Dwight and Leon to find suitable steeds without difficulty.

The problem was Selena.

After a long hesitation, she chose the small pony Eleanor used for practice. The animal was too short and too narrow in its stride, which made it painfully difficult for a woman of Selena’s build to keep her balance.

The way she had bristled when Dwight suggested riding yesterday had likely come from a lack of skill. Mindful of a lady’s pride, Elwin approached the matter delicately and suggested another mount.

He assigned her a gentle mare better suited to her frame, but even then, Selena looked precarious in the side-saddle. Once everyone was ready, Elwin glanced at her anxiously.

“Shall we set out, then? If we ride east from the manor, there is a route with a gentle slope and a broad view over the fields. I believe that would be best.”

“As I mentioned yesterday, I already have a route in mind.” Dwight pressed his preference once more.

Elwin certainly remembered what Dwight had said, but he had proposed the alternative in the hope of bringing the outing to a safe conclusion.

“According to Mr. Frederick, the view along the northern hill road is excellent. He said it overlooks a gorge that drops sharply below the hill.”

The road Dwight mentioned did have a fine view, but its slope was steep, and the uneven path made it a treacherous course for an inexperienced rider.

Elwin cast Selena a sidelong glance. Part of him hoped she would simply refuse to go, but even with a sullen expression, she gripped the reins with white-knuckled determination.

On the walk through the garden to the stables, Dwight and Selena had exchanged several quiet, barbed words. Selena seemed to be voicing her dissatisfaction with the ride, while Dwight appeared determined to drag her along.

For some reason, Dwight was fiercely intent on today’s excursion. He had even declined his usual whisky at dinner the night before.

Does he simply enjoy riding?

If so, it was the one trait they might share. Elwin had little confidence in most physical pursuits, but he excelled on horseback. The narrow paths and marshlands surrounding the estate, impassable by carriage, had forced him to grow accustomed to traveling by horse.

Thinking this might finally be his chance to show Dwight a favorable side of himself, Elwin swallowed his unease and offered a pleasant smile.

“That is true. The view there is exceptional. I will guide you.”

As Elwin took the lead, Dwight urged his horse alongside him as if he had been waiting for the opportunity. Selena and Leon trailed slightly behind.

With practiced skill, Elwin guided the group around slick rocks and muddy patches, brushing aside encroaching vines with his riding crop. He also made certain to describe the passing scenery in meticulous detail.

Yet whether Elwin pointed out a hidden waterfall or converging streams, Dwight showed no interest in the gorge below. Although he had insisted on this route for its scenic beauty, his attention remained fixed on each fork in the path rather than on the landscape.

More than that, he pushed them to ride faster, as if something were nipping at his heels. The excursion felt less like a leisurely ride and more like a forced march.

While they crossed the level ground beyond the manor, the group maintained a decent formation. Once the hillside path began, however, Selena fell woefully behind, and Leon dropped back even farther, moving at an agonizingly slow pace.

Halfway up the hill, Dwight twisted in his saddle and scowled.

“We are making no speed at all. What on earth was he doing after graduating from public school if he never even learned to ride properly?”

Dwight clearly assumed Leon lagged behind because he lacked skill. In the capital, noble families were the exception. Even wealthy commoners rarely learned to ride, so the assumption was not entirely unreasonable.

Elwin believed otherwise.

From the moment they had selected their mounts, he had sensed Leon’s deep familiarity with horses. Dwight had immediately claimed the most striking steed, the one with the finest bloodline. Leon, however, had walked through the stables with deliberate patience, examining hooves and legs, bending to listen to the horses’ breathing, and meeting their eyes before selecting a plain brown horse.

That particular horse had belonged to Elwin’s father. It had a large frame and a cautious temperament. Well cared for even after the count’s passing, it was the safest and most suitable mount for a man of Leon’s stature.

Even now, Leon appeared to be sauntering carelessly, yet his wrists remained relaxed, his grip on the reins loose, and his balance impeccable. The only reason he rode slowly at the rear seemed to be his concern that Selena might fall behind.

Elwin kept his voice careful. “Would it be better to go a little more slowly? Since the scenery is lovely here as well, perhaps we might rest for a while.”

Selena was genuinely struggling. Her wide, fashionable skirt, wholly unsuited to riding, kept tangling around her legs. As her stamina ebbed, her pace slowed to a crawl, and her posture began to collapse.

Elwin pitied her, yet a baffling question nagged at him. How could a young lady from a great noble family like the Moros lack basic riding skills and never have attended a tea party? Was Selena, like Elwin, simply eccentric, or perhaps…

“Rest?” Dwight cut in, impatience sharpening his tone. “If we go just a little farther down from here, the train station appears, does it not?”

Dwight was correct. A side path from this point led straight to the train station. Carriages could not navigate the terrain, so it saw little use, but it remained the shortest route from the house to the station.

Did he want to see the train station? But he arrived by carriage, so he must depart for the capital the same way.

Baffled by Dwight’s intentions, Elwin nonetheless kept his gracious smile.

“The road to the train station is a steep descent, so it is dangerous. Would it not be better to take the northwest path over there, or to turn back from here?”

“Is riding not more enjoyable when there is a little danger?”

“But there is a lady with us.”

Dwight turned his head. “Miss Selena will be fine. Is that not right?”

Selena gave a reluctant nod.

Unable to crack Dwight’s stubborn resolve, Elwin steered his horse toward the slope.

Having traversed this path countless times, Elwin navigated it with ease. Dwight, too, tightened his grip on the reins and focused on his descent. Selena, predictably, looked entirely unsteady.

Unable to bear watching, Elwin gradually slowed his mount, intending to assist her. Yet the accident occurred before he could draw near.

Ah…!

It all happened in a heartbeat.

Selena’s exhausted horse stepped on loose gravel along the downhill path and slipped. As the creature’s body swayed sideways, Selena, whose center of gravity had already shifted outward, lurched violently.

“Miss Selena!” Elwin cried out, but the narrow road prevented him from turning his horse quickly.

In the meantime, panic drove Selena to yank hard on the reins, sending the horse into a thrashing frenzy.

Just as the sight of her impending fall made Elwin’s vision swim, Leon shot forward from the rear. He slipped his mount into the narrow gap at the edge of the slope with breathtaking skill and pressed his horse flush against Selena’s.

At the same time, he stretched out one arm, shoved Selena’s shoulder upright, and seized the reins beneath her grip, pulling them steadily downward. As he lowered the horse’s head and murmured, “Whoa, whoa,” the agitated animal began to settle.

Elwin finally remembered how to breathe.

He vaulted from his horse and sprinted to Selena, supporting her trembling frame as he helped her down from the saddle.

“Are you all right, Miss Selena? Are you hurt anywhere?”

“Y-yes…”

Selena’s cheeks, usually rosy and vibrant, had drained of color. Deciding he could not allow the outing to continue, Elwin made the call.

“We are returning now.”

Dwight, who had turned his horse back toward them after noticing the commotion, flinched at the command.

“But, Sir Elwin.”

“Going any farther would be dangerous. The road ahead only grows rougher, which makes it impossible for Miss Selena to continue. For safety’s sake, we must return.”