Chapter 62: Britainization, Mounting Up
You are nervous as you ride the tube. This is a long ride, and you've never been this far from Brixton. You have been to London, Kensington, and a few others, but not this far north.
You keep your eyes into a book called "Mindfulness." It is supposed to tell you how to live in the moment, observe everything internally and externally, and more importantly, not to let the past rule over your future actions.
You finally get to the end of the line and make your way to Trent Park Equestrian Centre. You made an appointment to talk to someone about stable life. You have asked to work in the stables as part of your education as a rider, starting from the bottom of sorts, which means lots of dung and hay and getting water. But you want it. Though the lady you explained this to seemed bothered, you don't care. You want to know this from the ground up. You might actually own a horse someday. You realize that even though this stable is considered a woman's business, you may run into some resistance.
"Hi, I'm Finn," a fair-haired man greets.
"Hi, Finn," you say and introduce yourself. You bump elbows.
"Is it true you want to learn horse care and riding from the ground up?" Finn asks.
"Yeah, I do," you shrug.
"And why would you want to learn that?"
"I had a pony once, but it was a long time ago," you say. "I rode him, but never really had to care for him."
"What was his name?"
You grin. "Prince."
"Really?"
"Yes, really."
He blinks at you. "You loved him."
"Told him everything."
Finn chuckles at that as his eyes drop to your ring and come back up to meet yours, his look more serious. "You realize you don't have to—"
You frown, not missing where his gaze lingered. "I want to."
"Then you know—"
"I'll probably be cleaning stalls and washing horses or fetching water," you finish. "I don't mind."
"And taking...private lessons?" Finn presses. "I think I can give you a break on the price if you are willing to work on every visit."
"Yes." You realize this is an undertaking, but this is also a way to get into and stay in shape. You also plan to take self defense classes since you read an article about how women seem to be treated in the UK, but he need not know that.
He sets you to work right away. You figured as much. You are introduced to a stable boy named John, who shows you how to clean the stables, brush the horses, and clean their hooves. You wear one of Henry's old sweatshirts, not the one you sleep in, but one he didn't care about as much. You have your riding shirt in your backpack, as well as snacks and water to pull you through.
"You seem happy to do this," John observes. "Why?"
"I'm an American, as you can hear, and I'm trying to sort of learn some aspects of English culture, I guess." You say.
"But he set you to work like a stable hand!"
"It's okay, nothing new under the sun."
"Well, shit isn't, that's for sure."
"Ah, that's not so bad," you shrug shoveling. "When I was in school, I had a Newfoundland. And, I've cleaned and changed adult diapers."
"You a nurse?"
"No, but my mother was very sick, and I looked after her until the end," you shrug again. "We wanted her to pass on in her home with family around, you know?"
"Oh, sorry to hear that."
"She was almost ninety," you sigh. "I miss her deeply, but after awhile, I decided to try a new life, travel, kind of see what's out there." You laugh. "I mean, I'm okay with this. You can always do something new and compare it to something you've done to make it more familiar, then it's not so bad."
You and John are laughing by the time you're done. "I thought you were just going to watch!" John chortles happily, realizing his work would be done before time.
"I said I wanted to learn and do," you laugh at him.
"Yeah, but you really...."
"Learned and did?"
"Yeah!" He leans in to say, "Most ladies don't want to do this, or they are so busy trying not to get dirty that I'd wish they'd go away."
"Well, the smell can be a bit much," you joke. "For some reason I think the piss is worse."
"You too?"
Finn reappears and looks around. "Good work, John."
"I can't take all the credit," John shrugs happily, giving you a look of gratitude. You smile back, feeling you've made a friend.
Finn raises an eyebrow. "Hmm." He pauses. "Did you clean Lucifer's stall?"
John's eyes drop. "No."
"Then get to it," Finn nods and looks at you. "Lesson in fifteen."
"Lucifer?" you repeat. "Who would curse some poor animal with a name like that?"
"He was a race horse," John explains. "People pay to breed him." He creeps to the stall at the end. "He's mean."
"I'm never calling him that," you say. You edge with him. Inside the stall, the horse seems a bit nervous or irritated. "How do you do it?"
"I usually have to try to take him out, and then clean the stall."
"Why isn't he out with other horses?"
"He's been a handful." John looks a little sad. "You'd better get ready for your ride Miss."
"No, the job's not done till we do this," your curiosity is absolutely piqued. "Ready?"
"Maybe he'll come if you call," John suggests "He doesn't like me very much."
"Luc?" you see the stud's ears reverse toward you.
"His name is—"
You arch an eyebrow at John and call again "Luc?"
The horse turns his head to you, looking at you with real curiosity.
"Hey, it's time for a turnout?" you say the last word as a guess, trying to use some of the new words you learned today. "Luc, let's go. You don't want to go out?" you ask him as if he was a child.
Luc turns in his stall.
"Shit," John looks wide eyed. "You can put his bridle on. I'll walk you through it, alright?"
"Uh...okay," you nod, looking at Luc. John leads you into the stall. "Hey. Hey, Luc." You introduce yourself. "I know, I sound different, don't I?"
You nod. Don't be scared, you tell yourself. He's just a new person in your life...on four legs.
"Okay," John says, handing you the bridal and lead. "Stand next to him, put your hand around his head so you can slip it on."
"Okay, Luc," you almost whisper, standing next to him. "Let's get you ready." You put your hand around his head and slip the bridle over his nose and up over his face."
"Yeah, that part right there where the head and neck meet? Doesn't have to be tight." John looks excited. You are, too, but you're also nervous.
You keep the lead rope in your hand and slowly push the gate out. "Oh, YouTube, don't fail me now."
John looks panicked. "What?"
"Nothing." You have been studying YouTube videos for awhile, and now you are hoping you remember and what you remember is correct. "Okay, Luc, okay." You giggle softly. "You know I don't know what I'm doing, don't you?" You laugh again, and head out to the dry lot.
You walk him out and take him to the dry lot. You gesture in front of you and he keeps straight. You step inward to the right, he turns right. "Thanks for listening. We can walk and talk now."
*******
HENRY POV
I hadn't seen her in a few days. I missed her. I decide to surprise her at Trent. I tried so hard to get her to ride at Hyde Park by me, but she seemed adamant about Trent, loving the landscapes she saw in photos and videos.
"Hi, may I he..." the woman's voice dies in her throat. I was used to this.
"Yes, I am looking for someone?" I gave her name with a smile.
"Uh, yes, she's in the stables, I think," the woman replies, her voice breathy.
"Caroline—"
I turn to see Finn Sinclair coming toward me. "Sinclair?" I didn't think he'd be there today. "Finn Sinclair?"
"Cavill," he nods, bumping elbows with me when we meet. "So those emergency forms were true. You are her contact?"
"Yes," I confirm. For some reason, I felt terribly important knowing she put me down as such.
"I laughed when I saw it," Caroline admits. "I thought it was a namesake or a joke."
"Afraid not, Caroline," I chuckle. "I'm that Henry but hers as well."
"Oh!"
"Where is she?"
"I'll take you to the stables."
"How've you been?" I ask him. "Still part time modeling?"
"Yeah, it's good money, you know that," Finn nods. "I bought out the third partner, so I have forty-five percent of Trent now."
"Congratulations," I smile.
"You've been busy, even during Covid," Finn nods, impressed. "not everyone has been so lucky."
"Modeling has been good, hasn't it?"
"Yeah, more online shopping and catalogs means more to market and wear," he sighs. "How did you meet her?"
I laugh. "She's a writer."
"She cleaned the stables today—"
I turn. "What?!"
"She said she wanted to learn it all, Cavill, not just ride," Finn shrugs.
"How's the Lucifer project?"
"Oh, still haven't found the—" Finn's voice fades.
"What?" I ask, following his gaze. "Oh, my God."
"John, what the hell—"
John throws his hands up. "He likes her!"
"Did you clean his stall?" Finn bites out.
"Yessir," John nods.
My heart is in my throat. My love is walking Lucifer. Lucifer is a retired racing English Thoroughbred with a foul temper, a well known one at that. I know that Sinclair bought him for breeding at a low price because of the horse's temperament, but that looked a contradiction now.
"I see you've met Lucifer!" Sinclair calls.
The horse begins to dance. She talks to him softly and he settles down. ''His name is Luc!" she calls back.
Sinclair and I look at each other.
"Bring him in, please?" Sinclair calls.
I watch her walk the horse back with ease. "Henry!"
"Hello, darling," he greets. "Hi, uh, Luc?"
"I don't think he likes the other name," she shakes her head.
"I guess not," I say slowly.
"You didn't ride today," Finn frowns. "when will you be back?"
"I was thinking twice a week," she shrugs, wrinkling her nose. "When do I get to ride Luc?"
"Luc?!" I look at Sinclair for support and he seems alright with it. Well, I'm not. "Luc is different, not one of your regular riding horses, right, Sinclair?"
"Well, not right away," Finn gives a small smile. "You should ride another for a bit, work with—Luc—and then eventually—"
I give Sinclair a look. "I'd like to be here the first day you ride Luc."
She frowns at me. "You do?"
"Yes, I want to be here for your moment with him," I smile down at her. "Maybe we can take a trail together?"
"I'd be honored to take you," Finn adds with a smile.
I can tell she can tell something's up, but then she lets it go. "I'd love to ride with you, Henry." She gets up on tip toes to kiss me. "I'll be back."
"I'll be right here," I wink at her. After she leaves, I change my look completely.
"Henry, Lucifer—Luc—has been hard to deal with," Finn explains quickly. "if she can help—"
"If anything happens to her, I will hold you responsible."
"Henry—"
"I mean it," I growl at him. "it'll make that match in 2019 look like a dance."
"I'll keep her safe, I promise."
"You bloody well better."