Sparks o' a Story: Devoted Admirer

What can I say? This was just FUN, pure and simple.

Day 4:

In first person, from the view of someone who doesn’t understand the actual point of the scene

Source

That new young man, the one who came out from town with Lidy (a relation, not an admirer, much to the disappointment of some), was standing by the window when I entered the front room. I gave him a cheery good morning, but he responded in such a hasty, half-hearted fashion that I instantly surmised the trouble.

"There's no need to be nervous." I reassured him. "I heard Mr. Emerson say that he would mount you on Bella. She is as safe a hunter as anyone could wish. Why, I've often ridden her, myself!"

"Safe? Faugh!" Lidy swept into the room, the long skirt of her riding habit bunched high in both her hands, and her chin cocked at the customary lofty angle. "I don't believe that Edmond has ever been frightened of anything in his life. Have you, Ed?"

Edmond did not reply, for a sudden clattering of hooves attracted all our attentions to a scene taking place outside the window. Felicity's huge black, with Felicity atop him, cavorted into our line of sight. She sat him well, I thought, and looked less plain than usual in her dark green habit, with the morning sun glinting in her copper hair and the cold air adding color to her cheeks.

I stood a little to Edmond's left, and noticed with my usual quick eye how admiringly he gazed out at horse and rider. 'Ah! He is a horseman, after all.' I thought, 'and a good judge of form.' I am not a good judge of form, but those who consider themselves experts in such things have always maintained that Felicity's black is a magnificent creature.

Lidy gave a sudden, irrelevant little laugh. "Oh, dear! Perhaps I've made a mistake in bringing you down here, Ed. I told you such tales of the hunt, and now I've begun to worry that the quarry might prove too elusive for your satisfaction."

"On the contrary!" I exclaimed. "Do not discourage him! I'm certain I heard Williams say that there is a sure fox for you this morning."

"And I should not mind a long chase, as I judge the reward to be well worth the effort." Edmond asserted, glancing briefly 'round at us before turning his attention back to the horse.

Lidy laughed at him again (honestly, I have never in my life met another person so prone to laughing) but addressed herself to me. "Shouldn't you like some breakfast, aunty?" (She calls me 'aunty', you know, even though I am not her natural aunt).

I smiled and declined. "Thank you, my dear, but I've already breakfasted."

"Oh." She replied, then, "Ed, I think you should relinquish your poor hat before it's destroyed completely."

Edmund started and stared apologetically down at his disheveled hat, which he had been gripping with extreme force (due, no doubt, to his excitement). He made a slight attempt to amend the crumpled brim, then flung it aside. "I'm afraid your warning comes too late." He remarked.

I have seen several fine hats destroyed, one way or another, in the presence of Felicity's black. I smiled knowingly at Edmund's profile as he continued to spectate. "It is a magnificent sight, isn't it?" I commented.

"Yes." He said, fervently.

Lidy's eyes took on an inexplicable expression, and she bit hard on her lip, turning her face away from me. I was alarmed at this sudden change.

"Dear girl! Are you quite well?" I queried. "Perhaps you oughtn't go out this morning."

Lidy coughed lightly, but assured me that she was in perfect health. "I wouldn't miss this hunt for worlds!" She asserted.

"But there will be others." I reminded her. "If you're at all uncertain about your health..."

"I want to see this one!" Lidy stated. "You know that Frank Jeffery and all three of the Randall young men are coming. The competition will be fierce."

Her comment interested Edmond sufficiently to turn his gaze from the antics of the black. "Very fierce?" He asked.

"Positively tooth and nail."

Further conversation was cut off by the youthful voices of my great-nephews clamoring suddenly in the hall.

"The boys are down." Lidy observed. "And the horses will be waiting. Might I have your arm, Ed? I'm not safe in these skirts until I've reached my saddle."

Edmund positively tore his eyes away from the horse (honestly, I do not think I've ever seen such a devoted admirer) and proffered her his arm. Lidy, also, must have marked his attention to the black, for as she and her skirts rustled away down the hall, I heard her say, "I'll see if we can't find you a swifter mount than old Bella. You'll need it if you're to keep up with the chase."

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