Page 81 of A Thistle Beyond Time
“Aye. I do. I hear he fancies a lass named Jenna. Have ye heard it too?”
“I think I might have heard that rumor going around,” Jenna teased him back.
Managing to draw her attention away from Cormac, Jenna was amazed by the darkness of the sky and by the bright dots of lights that were scattered across it. “This is beautiful, Cormac. Thank you for bringing me here.”
“’Tis my pleasure. Ye shared yer favorite places in San Francisco with me and I wanted to do the same for ye.”
“I’m so happy that you did,” Jenna replied, as she snuggled closer to Cormac. “I’m feeling a little cold. Could you warm me up, please?”
“Ye dinnae have to ask me twice.” Cormac pulled her close and wrapped her in his strong embrace. “Is that better, love?”
“Yes. It’s perfect.”
Chapter 26
The morning air was chilly, but Jenna was focused on the fact that she was about to mount a horse and take her first riding lesson since her accident as a child.
“Dinnae fash, Jenna. I willnae allow anything to happen to ye,” Cormac reassured her.
“Okay. It’s just that I’m afraid and I know Rose can sense it. Are you sure I won’t make her nervous?”
“She is a verra quiet mare. Many a child has learned to ride on her. Now ‘tis yer turn.”
Jenna tentatively stepped up next to Rose and laid her hand on the horse’s neck. “Hi, Rosie. Be good to me, okay?” Cormac helped her mount the horse and then took the lead rope and walked Rose around the circular pen near the stable.
“’Tis important that ye learn to balance yerself,” Cormac instructed. “I’ll hold onto Rose and ye can concentrate on yer seat.”
Jenna did as she was instructed and Cormac had her first walking, and then trotting around without holding onto the horse or the saddle. He taught her how to sit, where to keep her legs and most of all how to relax on her mount. Rose for her part, was a star. She never once took a wrong step and she seemed as concerned as Cormac that Jenna stay safe in the saddle. Rose was a very placid horse and if she felt Jenna’s weight shift, she seemed to push herself instinctively to that side, in order to save Jenna from falling. Jenna’s confidence grew with every passing minute and she found herself smiling and enjoying herself.
“Shall we take her to a canter, Jenna?” Cormac asked.
Apprehension lit Jenna’s face. “I’m not so sure that would be a good idea.”
“Try it for me. Have Rose and I not taken good care of ye today?”
“Yes, you have,” Jenna said. She squared her shoulders and sat up straight and tall. Taking a deep breath, she said, “Okay. Let’s do it.”
“Jenna, put yer right foot back and squeeze,” Cormac instructed.
“Oh, my…” Jenna squealed when Rose broke into a gentle canter. She grabbed for the saddle for balance.
“Ye can hold onto the saddle if ye like, Jenna. Dinnae be afraid. Yer doing verra well, lass.”
Jenna held the saddle with both hands for a minute or two and then, she put first one arm and then the other straight out to either side and relaxed into the saddle and the rhythm of the horse without holding on for support.
“Jenna, we’re going to go back to a trot and then to a walk.”
As Rose slowed to an eventual walk, Jenna’s face lit up with a glorious smile. “I did it, Cormac! I did it!” Stopping Rose, Cormac scooped her from the saddle and she wrapped her arms around his neck, kissing him soundly on the lips before alighting on the ground.
“Ye did it! I’m so proud of ye. Thank ye for trusting Rose and me.”
“I can’t wait to tell Ashley. She’ll never believe it.”
“Tomorrow I’ll take ye off the lead and ye can do it on yer own.”
She couldn’t believe it, but she was actually excited about overcoming her fear. It felt so good to be in control of something that had been a constant source of stress all these years.
“You’re the best teacher, Cormac. I love you,” she blurted the words before she could stop herself.
