Page 34 of The Duchess Debt

“Well, Max,” he muttered as he petted the gelding’s muzzle, “we deserved that.”

The animal snorted in agreement.

Without warning, a bird flew up from the bushes beside them and screeched as it shot up overhead. The horse startled and darted to its left.

Alice screamed as she lost her balance and pitched far to the right. Her hands grabbed frantically for the horse’s mane, her fingers tangling in the hair, and her little legs clamped down hard on the saddle.

“Whoa!” Gabe held tight to the bridle and brought the horse to a stop before it could swing its hindquarters in a circle. His other hand went immediately to Alice’s thigh to hold her firmly in place. She was still screaming and now attempting to jump from the saddle.

He opened his arms. She launched herself from the back of the horse, and Gabe easily caught her. She wrapped her little arms around his neck so tightly she nearly choked him.

When he set her onto her feet, he had to unwrap her arms to free himself. “You’re fine, Alice. Only a bit frightened but nothurt,” he told her as he straightened. “You were in no danger of falling.”

Alice choked down her frightened cries, but clearly, she didn’t believe him. She clasped her hands in her skirt and sniffed long and hard, staring at the ground and refusing to look directly at him.

Damnation.

“Alice!” Helena stopped the pony cart, tied off the reins, and jumped down. She hurried back to them and dropped to her knees. Alice rushed into her arms with fresh tears.

“She’s all right,” Gabe assured Helena. “She was startled, that’s all.”

But Helena continued to hug the girl and coo soothing words into her ear.

Gabe shook his head. Helena’s concern and affection were not what Alice needed at that moment. In fact, Helena was making the situation worse. “Alice, come here.”

The two ignored him, with Helena continuing to reassure the little girl and Alice sniffing loudly as if to prove how traumatic the situation had been.

“Alice,” Gabe ordered quietly, “come here. You need to get back onto the horse.”

The little girl looked up at him but didn’t leave the protection of Helena’s arms.

“I think she’s ridden enough for today,” Helena interjected. She straightened the little girl’s bonnet. “You can ride with me on the pony cart again. Won’t that be—”

“No.” He folded his arms across his chest. “She needs to go back on the horse.”

Helena’s lips parted to argue, but when she saw the look on his face and his immovable stance, whatever challenge she was going to level vanished. She swallowed. Hard.

“But she’s upset,” she countered gently. “Surely, it can’t be good to make her ride the horse again if she’s frightened of it.”

“Which is exactly why she needs to get right back on it.” On this, he wouldn’t budge. “If she doesn’t, she’ll be afraid of horses for the rest of her life, and she will never learn to ride. Do you want that?” He fixed her gaze with his and threw her earlier words back at her. “Or do you want her to learn to be capable and independent?”

Helena bit her lip in consternation, but she knew better than to argue. Instead, she gave a curt nod, released the girl from her embrace, and rose to her feet. She took a long step back as if she were afraid she’d impulsively snatch the little girl up into her arms and dash off with her. For a moment, Gabe wondered if she might do just that.

“Alice,” he ordered and tugged his gloves at his wrists. He nodded toward the horse; the gelding was completely unaffected now by the earlier surprise and waited calmly. “Come here so I can put you back in the saddle.”

Hesitating, the little girl finally nodded and slowly came forward, but her wide eyes fixed on the horse. It was the same fearful look she’d given Gabe earlier. It was a toss-up, he supposed, of whether she was more frightened of the horse or of him. But it couldn’t be helped. She had to learn not to be wary of horses. Starting right now.

“That bird startled Max,” he explained and brushed his hand soothingly down the horse’s neck. “He jumped with fright the same way you do when you see a mouse. When you see a mouse and jump, you don’t mean to hurt anyone, do you?”

Alice shook her head.

“Neither did Max.” He patted the horse on its broad forehead. “Why don’t you give him a pat and let him know that you understand what happened and don’t blame him for it?”

Her hand trembled as she reached out to stroke his soft muzzle. The horse’s nose twitched, and his rough whiskers tickled her hand. A soft smile tugged at her lips.

“There, see? He forgives you for crying and frightening him even more.”

“I didn’t frighten him,” she protested in a soft voice. “He’s big!”