Pains Of The Past

Chapter 2

“Is there something wrong Miss?” Carter called as he stopped the horse by the depot.

I made my way up the stairs with him close behind me before answering. “No, I am fine, what makes you believe that something is wrong?”

“Well, walking behind the buggy instead of riding in it for starters.” Carter said while finding the right key to the office. He opened the door and we went in.

“These two are mine.” I said, pointing to my trunks and avoiding his previous comment.

He carried them both out to the buggy and tied them down. Once he locked the office back up and hid the keys under the mat he came back down the stairs.

“If you don’t want to answer me, that’s fine. But I can tell that you are hiding something and your Aunt and Uncle don’t take kindly to that.” He held out his hand to help me up and I reluctantly took it.

“I’m afraid of horses.” I mumbled under my breath.

Carter stopped as he was climbing in and gave me a baffled look. “You’re afraid of horses? What did they do to you to warrant you being afraid of them?”

“I would rather not talk about it, if you don’t mind.” I responded without looking at him.

Out of the corner of my eye I saw him give a nod before cracking the reins, causing the horse to startle.

A sudden shriek escaped my mouth and I clung to the bench seat with all my might. Carter pulled on the reins and the horse stopped.

“You really are afraid, aren’t you?” He asked as he pulled my face up.

There were tears streaming down my cheeks and he brushed them away with his rough and callused hands.

“How have you been able to get around without riding?”

“Walking, I lived in the city and anywhere I needed to go was in walking distance. But if I had to, I would ride in the very back of the buggy, away from the horse.”

He looked behind us and there is only the one seat. “I’m sorry Miss, had I known I would’ve brought the wagon. What if we go slow and if you need to stop at any time, just let me know, okay?”

I thought for a moment and then nodded. This man that I just met was making me feel so safe and protected, that I wondered who he was to my Aunt and Uncle.

He gently snapped the reins and we headed off. We were riding in the buggy for about an hour when I started to feel very tired. I felt my body sway with the rocking of the buggy and I slumped onto Carter’s shoulder.

The comfort of his strong, yet soft shoulder held me safely in place as we approached the Ranch. Being picked up was not enough to wake me as I was being carried into the house.