A Daughter's Quest by Lena Nelson Dooley Page A

didn’t want an inexperienced rider to hurt one of his animals.
    “Yes, we had a horse when I was growing up. I used to ride it across the mountain to school.”
    He stood with his hands on his hips. “So it’s been awhile?”
    “At least two or three years.” Constance didn’t like being put on the spot like that. Why couldn’t the man just rent her a horse and quit asking questions?
    He went into the open tack room and took a bridle off a hook on the far wall. He turned and strode down to a stall at the other end of the structure. After opening the gate, he went in and put the harness on the animal, then led the horse toward her.
    “This here horse is gentle but has enough spirit to make your ride a good one.”
    “Thank you, Mr…?”
    “Jones. Charlie Jones.”
    She took his proffered hand and shook it. “I’m Constance Miller. I’d like to rent the horse for most of the day. Should I pay you now?” She had some money tucked inside the waistband of her riding shirt. She’d find a way to remove it privately when she needed to.
    “Naw. We can settle up when you get back.” Charlie rubbed the horse’s neck and gave it an affectionate pat.
    He went through the open tack room doorway and brought out a side saddle. Constance hadn’t ever seen one. She had just read about them. They sure looked different.
    “I don’t know how to use one of those.” Constance pulled on the sides of her split skirt. “I’ve always ridden straddling the horse.”
    She watched Mr. Jones go back and exchange the saddle. He hefted it up on the back of the animal that stood patiently waiting.
    “What’s the horse’s name?”
    “Blaze, but it’s talking about this”—he pointed to the white slash down the horse’s face—“not about how fast he runs.” He chuckled at his own joke.
    Even though Constance didn’t think his words were that funny, she laughed. She didn’t want to insult the livery manager. After using the mounting block to get up on the horse’s back, she turned him toward the street and started riding east. It didn’t take her long to get a feel for the animal, and soon she was moving along at a good pace.

    Hans headed toward the livery stable with some harness he had mended for Charlie. In his pocket, he carried a shriveled apple from his root cellar. He liked to give Blaze a special treat when he went by his stall. Maybe he’d take the horse out for a ride, since he didn’t have much work right now.
    “Charlie, I’ve got your harness.” When Hans went from the bright sunlight into the shadows of the stable, for a moment he couldn’t see anything. “Where are you?”
    “Over here mucking out Blaze’s stall.”
    Hans hung the harness on its usual hook before meandering down the length of the building. He leaned his forearms on the top rail of the enclosure and put one booted foot on the bottom rail. “So where is Blaze? I brought him a treat.”
    “I reckon you’ll have to wait a bit before you give it to him.” Charlie didn’t let up working while he talked. “He probably won’t be back for quite a while yet.”
    Hans dropped his foot back to the dirt floor. “Someone rent him for the day?”
    Charlie stopped and peered intently at him. “Yup.” He looked back down at the pile of soiled straw he’d pulled into the middle of the stall. “Some woman. Kind of pretty, but I don’t think I’ve seen her before.”
    Hans straightened and shoved his hands into the back pockets of his trousers. “What did she look like?”
    “I tole you she was pretty. A little bit of a thing, but she knew how to ride a horse.” Charlie started forking the straw into his barrow.
    “Did she have brown curly hair?”
    “Don’t know how curly it is, but her hair was brown. She had it pulled back into her sun bonnet.” He hefted another forkful into the conveyance.
    “Did she tell you her name?” Hans hoped the thought that came into his mind was wrong.
    “Yup. I don’t let anyone take out a