Never had Annalise willfully disobeyed.
God’s mercy was upon her with Uncle Phineas and Aunt Lavinia in town for the day.
Lord, please alleviate the case of nerves permeating me.
For if she failed at her attempt to warn Matthias, his life—and the lives of others, including her own—would be at stake.
Annalise swung open the barn door. Tandey, the stable slave, was grooming Annalise’s black horse, Eclipse. “Good afternoon, Tandey,” Annalise greeted him with a low voice. “I would take Eclipse on a ride.”
“Will it be the sidesaddle for you, miss?” A glimmer shone in the young slave’s eye as he reached for the saddle and placed it on Eclipse’s back.
“Yes, Tandey,” Annalise answered with her own smirk. Besides Annalise and her father, Tandey was the only other person who knew that Annalise had, on more than one occasion, ridden bareback. The memory of Father allowing Annalise to ride bareback with him through the vast fields of the Van Houten property while Mother attended a tea party warmed Annalise’s heart. He had allowed it thrice more, on the condition that no one must know that he, Hayes Van Houten III, had allowed his well-bred, high-society daughter and only child to partake in such an unladylike activity.
Annalise, of course, had agreed. Tandey, barely four years older than her and a slave who had been born on the Van Houten plantation, had taken particular delight in Father’s demand for secrecy. He had laughed for minutes as he watched Annalise clutching the thoroughbred she rode.
Mother would have suffered from the vapors had she known the truth about Annalise and the bareback rides on those hot summer days so long ago. It was the only secret Annalise held from her beloved mother. A secret necessary as Mother, bless her heart, wasn’t nearly as forward in her thinking as Annalise was.
Four times riding bareback for several hours each time without the irritation of that bothersome sidesaddle had made Annalise practically an expert. Under Father’s patient guidance, Annalise had been convinced she could win a riding contest with the best of the best.
Although Father hadn’t been that permissive.
Annalise smiled at the memory, thankful for the reprieve from the burdens that overwhelmed her.
Moments later, she rode slowly through the barn door and out into the open. Glancing down to ensure that her riding habit was draped carefully over her ankles, Annalise continued past slaves picking cotton in the fields, past the creek, and past the pecan grove. Riding sidesaddle was a torturously slow process.
Annalise did her best to act as though nothing was amiss on this hot and rather humid day. She held her head high, as she’d been taught in those riding classes Mother enrolled her in from a young age.
The sun was high in the sky, indicating that Annalise didn’t have much time before her aunt and uncle returned home. She must hurry if she desired to be effective in her discreet warning to Matthias.
How can one hurry with this most ridiculous excuse for a saddle?
Eclipse neighed, as if he heard her question and agreed.
Some miles later, Annalise spied the cluster of trees she sought. Pulling gently on the reins, she brought Eclipse to a stop and dismounted. Then, methodically, albeit swiftly, Annalise removed the saddle and hid it safely in the center of the trees, covering it with grasses and branches to disguise its presence.
She again mounted Eclipse, thankful for the pair of tan trousers beneath her riding habit. With a light tap of her heel to his flank, Eclipse took off at a gallop. Annalise clutched the horse’s mane and tightened her legs around his flank, welcoming the warm breeze.
Lord, please don’t allow anyone to see me.
Rarely had anyone taken the shortcut through the forest, a path Annalise was thankful to have stumbled on while out for a walk one day.
She ducked her head, as low tree branches hovered. Birds chirped, and the smell of wildflowers filled the air.
If only she could be free like this all the time, without the constraints of Aunt Lavinia and Uncle Phineas and their desire to marry her off to someone like the abhorrent Dale Hiram.
Think not of Mr. Hiram right now. There are more demanding tasks at hand.
So Annalise thought of Matthias as she rode briskly through the trees. She thought of his warm gray eyes and his handsome smile. Of his servant’s heart and his desire for justice. Of his strong arms and dapper appearance.
Of how he had almost kissed her.
Or so she had thought. Maybe she had imagined it.
Either way, no matter who her aunt and uncle desired to court and marry her, Annalise’s heart would forever belong to Matthias Sorenson.
Which was why she must reach him and warn him of the slave bait plan her uncle and his comrades had concocted.
It wouldn’t be much farther to Betsy and Adam’s house. Annalise urged Eclipse to gallop faster, and Annalise leaned low, pretending that she was one of the contestants in the bareback races Father had taken her to during the town’s Founder’s Day.
Only this race was for a life.