Chapter 40
“Pick one.”
Grace stood at the entrance of the stable, her mouth slightly agape. Inside, dozens of horses were lined up in a row.
“Any one?”
“You should choose one that catches your eye. Go ahead and look around.”
At Frederick’s suggestion, Grace slowly began to walk.
Each horse was different in color and size. Some of them neighed softly and pawed at the ground when Grace approached, making her flinch a little.
Grace tried to examine the horses carefully. But she had no idea what would make a horse suitable to ride.
“I really don’t know.”
“Would you like me to pick one for you?”
“Yes…”
She answered honestly, nodding with an awkward smile.
“A mare would probably be better. They’re usually calmer in temperament.”
Frederick began inspecting the horses one by one. As Grace followed him, her eyes met those of one particular horse.
It was pure white. Its body was sleek and elegant, and what caught her attention most were its deep, black eyes staring straight at her—they looked so beautiful.
Grace didn’t know what made a good riding horse, but for some reason, she felt drawn to this one.
“Frederick! This one…”
“Is this your choice?”
Frederick walked over and studied the horse Grace had chosen.
“Good choice. It’s a mare, and it seems just the right size for you. A horse that’s too big wouldn’t be ideal.”
“Yes, Frederick.”
He stepped closer to the horse and gently stroked its mane.
Grace widened her eyes. The way he was petting the horse looked so kind and gentle—completely unlike his usual self.
“You have to be gentle. If you upset them, they can get aggressive.”
The horse, seemingly pleased, rubbed its head against Frederick’s hand. He turned to Grace.
“You try petting her too.”
“O-okay…”
Grace approached and placed her hand on the mane. Though awkward, she carefully stroked the horse.
She could feel the warmth of the horse’s body through her hand, and its dark eyes gazed back at her. Grace smiled at it. Even though it couldn’t talk, she hoped the horse would grow fond of her.
“Wait outside for a moment. I’ll bring the horse out.”
“Alright.”
Grace stepped outside the stable to wait. A moment later, Frederick came out with two horses. One was the white horse Grace had chosen, and the other was a black horse she hadn’t seen before.
Frederick left the black horse behind and led the white one to stand in front of Grace.
“Step on this with your left foot, then swing your right leg over the horse’s back.”
He pointed to a mounting step. Grace took a deep breath and stepped up, lifting her right leg—but it didn’t quite land right on the horse’s back.
“Ugh…”
“Try pulling yourself up a little more.”
Frederick came up behind her and supported her torso, helping her up. Grace pushed hard with her right leg and finally managed to mount the horse.
“It’s so high…”
But immediately, she felt a wave of anxiety. The horse was higher than she expected.
It reminded her of the first time she’d ridden Lisetta’s horse when she first arrived at the estate. She closed her eyes tightly.
“You need to open your eyes. You’ll adjust quickly. Don’t look down—keep your eyes straight ahead. Just stay still for now.”
After making sure she was settled, Frederick mounted his own horse and came to her side.
His horse was even bigger, and he sat higher than her. Grace found it amazing how calm he looked from such a height.
“You alright? It might feel strange at first, so try not to overthink it.”
“…Okay.”
“If you pull the reins forward like this, the horse will start moving.”
Grace did as he instructed and gently pulled the reins.
“Ah!”
As the horse began to move and her body rocked, Grace let out a startled cry.
“Still a little scared, I see.”
“Ugh…”
“You’ll get used to it soon. You pulled a bit hard because you’re nervous—try a gentler grip.”
Grace loosened her grip on the reins, following Frederick’s advice.
“If you feel like you’re going to fall, squeeze your thighs tightly.”
She still felt the horse’s movements with every step, but using her legs to hold on, just as Frederick said, helped a little.
“Try to stay relaxed. Horses respond to their rider’s emotions. They’re smarter than most people think.”
“Alright…”
“Let’s go this way. Pull the reins to guide her.”
Grace followed Frederick’s lead, adjusting the reins, and the horse turned in that direction.
“This pace is okay? It’s not too fast, right?”
“Yes… I think it’s alright.”
The height of the horse and the swaying of her body slowly became less frightening. Riding around the estate on horseback felt so different—faster than walking, with a broader view of everything around her.
“Let’s head in here. What do you think?”
“Yes, sounds good.”
As they continued, guided by Frederick, the forest entrance came into view. Grace nodded and turned her horse toward the trees.
“If you feel okay now, try pulling the reins a bit harder. Just enough to get her to trot.”
“Hmm…”
After a brief pause, Grace pulled the reins a bit more firmly.
“Whoa…”
The horse began to trot. Grace braced herself, holding tight with her hands and legs.
The speed increased, but it no longer felt scary. Maybe it was because Frederick was riding beside her, matching her pace.
The wind blew through Grace’s bangs.
So refreshing…
A smile crept onto her lips. Riding through the forest on horseback felt exhilarating and joyful, like any lingering tension could just vanish.
“You’re doing well. You’re adjusting really quickly.”
Frederick praised her.
Grace thought she’d like to ride more often. She’d been cooped up in her workshop a lot lately, and this felt like a breath of fresh air.
You must’ve wanted to run free too, huh?
She figured the horse must’ve been bored stuck in the stable all day. Grace reached out and gently stroked its mane.
After running for a while, the horse gradually slowed down, sensing there were no more commands.
“Want to take a break over there?”
Frederick pointed to a small spring. His horse was slowing down too.
“Let’s give them some water and rest a bit.”
“Alright… Frederick.”
They guided the horses toward the spring. Both horses, seemingly glad to see water, neighed softly and came to a stop.
“Need help getting down?”
“Yes… Thank you.”
Frederick dismounted first, then came to help Grace. She took his hand and leaned into him as she climbed down.
Once both of them were off, the horses eagerly walked over to the spring to drink. Frederick and Grace sat down by the water’s edge.
“They must’ve been… really thirsty.”
“Well, we did run quite a bit. Makes sense.”
Grace gazed absentmindedly at the white horse.
“If you ride regularly, you’ll be able to control her freely in a few months. It’s much less tiring to cover long distances this way too.”
“When did you… start riding, Frederick?”
“Me? I think I started around six years old.”
Six years old… Grace’s mouth opened slightly in surprise. She, a grown adult, had been scared on her first ride—wasn’t little Frederick afraid?
“Were you good at it?”
“What’s there to be bad at? It’s not that difficult.”
Frederick answered indifferently. Grace had nothing more to say and just nodded as she looked straight ahead.
The sun shone over the lush green grass by the spring. It was a quiet and peaceful afternoon.
“Is everything going alright lately?”
Frederick broke the silence with a question.
“Thanks to you… everything’s going well.”
“I didn’t really do much, though.”
“That’s not true. You sent Isaac and Hailey to help me… That was a big help.”
Without Isaac and Hailey, producing and distributing the prints would’ve been impossible. More than that, Frederick had always stepped in at just the right time with the help she needed.
“You’re like a savior to me… Frederick.”
“A savior? That’s a bit much.”
A faint chuckle escaped from Frederick. Grace stared at his face in a daze.
It was the first time she’d seen him smile.
