Nell Gwynne's On Land and At Sea by Kage Baker, Kathleen Bartholomew

steer, you know, and so fast—up to eight miles per hour, imagine!—that they were finally banned in most places. The riders kept running over people on the pavements. This particular machine has been much improved by a Scottish Gentleman ”—again, the sidelong glance from under her lashes “—named Kirkpatrick Macmillan. The addition of treadles and the linkage arm allow it to be propelled by the rider, and since the tiller handles turn the front wheel, it is much more easily steered!”
    “I see,” said Herbertina, who actually could not imagine the acrobatics required.
    “Of course, one could not fall off the old hobby-horses very easily, whereas one must balance on this model, and stay upright by the use of momentum. Or so I am told,” said Mrs. Goodman. She looked at Herbertina’s legs critically. “You have a good length of limb, nephew, so I should think you can handle this quite well.”
    Herbertina stared helplessly at the dandy horse, and finally summoned up an inquiry: “Are there instructions?”
    “No. Not really.” Mrs. Goodman appeared to be suppressing a smile. “But I have seen the device in operation, and I will stay here for an hour or two and see how you get on. I am certain you will master it in no time, Herbert—you have ridden much more difficult mounts, I am sure!”
    That may have been true, but Herbertina had ample time that afternoon to consider that her previous mounts, no matter how wild, had actually wanted to be ridden. The dandy horse was not so inclined.
    The next hour or two gave Herbertina a great intimacy with the operation of the dandy horse. The greatest trick appeared to be the crucial moment when one lifted one’s feet off the ground and onto the treadles, and then pedaled like a desperate sailor on the pumps of a sinking hulk. Unfortunately, this also gave her an increasing familiarity with the cobbled floor of the courtyard, especially as Mrs. Goodman’s instructions ran heavily to: “Faster, faster! Now steer ! Left, left—your other left! Oh, dear…”
    Fortunately, the sounds of Mrs. Goodman’s cries and Herbertina’s curses, mingled with the drayman’s laughter, soon fetched down Dora, Maude and Jane. They were both appalled and fascinated, and with their aid as a sort of living mounting frame, Herbertina began to make real progress in getting on and staying on long enough to propel the cunning machine forward. The next step was the actual steering—with Maude and Dora running alongside and hauling with her on the curving handle, Herbertina finally began to grasp how to coordinate the diverse acrobatics the machine demanded. Braking—which required removing one’s feet from the treadles and dragging one’s boot heels—proved must simpler than driving forward, at least once Herbertina stopped falling over when her momentum was absorbed.
    At length, however, she rode triumphantly and alone round the yard, sole commander of her now-biddable dandy horse, whooping with delight. The Devere sisters jumped up and down and applauded wildly; and as Herbertina finally slowed to a perfect stop before Mrs. Goodman, yet more applause sounded from the third-floor balcony of the boarding house. The other Ladies stood there clapping their hands, and Miss Rendlesham threw down a rose, calling “Bravo! Bravo! Bravissimo!”
     

     
    Mrs. Goodman declined the offer of lunch with Mrs. Corvey, as she had to catch an afternoon train back to some carefully unspecified destination. She did consent to a refreshing cup of tea and a quiet chat before she left; the Ladies, gathering that Mrs. Goodman was a successful alumna of Nell Gwynne’s, left the two older women alone in their suite’s sitting room. Mrs. Corvey was most uncharacteristically giggling with their visitor as the younger Ladies sought other occupation for a while.
    Mrs. Otley took her calipers, measuring tape, lap desk and the bones from Kent’s Cavern and retired to the bedchamber she shared with Miss