Chapter 20:
Jack had led her along the promenade right to the end when they approached a couple of stables. Jack had been down here before, alone just to gather his thoughts. He had watched the horses from afar, just grazing in the fields behind. Everything looked clean and well-maintained. The barns looked freshly painted, and the fields were nicely mowed. No trash or tools lay out of place anywhere in sight.
''Is this place in use often?'' Rose enquired, glancing about in the bright light of the beautiful warm sun.
''Yes. It was always so clear out this way.''
Rose could see two horses standing next to the stable, already saddled and bridled.
As Rose saw the horse, she let go of Jack's hand staying close but she carefully approached the horse. A stable worker stopped tending for just a minute. Rose was ever so gentle.
''Oh my, isn't she beautiful?''
Rose rubbed the mares nose, causing her ears to prick up.
''Well she's never usually so taken.'' The stable worker laughed. He was around fifty, wearing work jeans and an old shirt. ''Can I help you?''
''I've come to rent a horse,'' Jack glanced at Rose with the mare and couldn't help but notice her natural tenderness with animals, ''or this one if we may.''
''You ridden before?''
''Yeah, here actually and she has too.'' He answered quickly in case Rose had never rode. He planned to do something which he knew she would have never done before. He needed for her to taste freedom, just for a little while.
''Only side-saddle.'' She turned her attention away from the horse for just a moment, ''but I would try any other way.''
''Well you can take Bella here and I will go fetch you another.'' The stable worker told them. He disappeared into the stable before returning with a brown chestnut gelding with a lazy walk and floppy ears. ''This is Biscuit, he likes the slower walks.''
Jack watched as the worker saddled up both of the horses. He had obviously been doing this for years with a vast enjoyment for it. He admired that work.
''I'm sure we can manage a slow walk.'' Rose smiled. ''We don't want to wear the poor boy out.''
''Say I haven't seen you two young 'uns around here before.'' The stable worker commented. Jack handed the worker a couple of dollars to rent them for one hour from his pocket.
''We're new.'' Rose told him. ''I'm Rose.''
''David.'' He held his hand out to Rose. ''I must say it's nice to see a couple of young faces. We usually get the older generation around here.''
Jack laughed. ''I'm Jack.'' He shook David's hand. ''Well I will fetch them both back all intact.''
''That's good to hear.'' David smiled.
Jack led the horse which he would be riding, Biscuit and Rose with her horse, Bella out of the stable and onto the promenade which led onto the beach. The sun was just beginning to set.
David watched as they headed out onto the beach, their hands joined and he smiled. This was what life was about when you're young. He continued with his work.
They walked a little farer out onto the beach when Jack stopped.
"Alright," Jack was as calm and as confident as ever. "Here's what we're gonna do. I'm gonna get you set up on Bella first... you're gonna put your left foot here in the stirrup, and you're gonna grab this little knob here on the saddle, it's called the pommel. And I'm gonna help you swing your right leg over the horse. I'll kinda help boost you."
Rose looked nervous.
''You ready?'' Jack asked. Rose nodded, clutching onto the reins of the mare. over the horse. I'll kinda help boost you."
Trying not to show how nervous she was, Rose slipped her left foot into the closest stirrup. The skirts of her pale pink and grey dress flourished about her boots, tangling round her legs and as she placed her foot where it should, Jack worked to arrange the layers about the place to ensure she had a smooth transition to the horse. When his fingers caught her thigh, even though all of the layers, Rose felt the warmth of something spread through her body but right now, that needed to be ignored in order to focus on the task at hand. With Jack holding Bella steady, Rose suspected that the horse would have stood and waited patiently even without Jack there. Even though she radiated gentleness, and she wasn't nearly as massive as Biscuit, she still felt much taller than Rose had expected. Adjusting her dress, Rose contemplated just how she was going to get her other leg over Bella's back, when that back was higher than her own shoulder.
However, as Rose stepped up into the stirrup, Jack put his hands around her waist and helped to lift her onto the wide back. With his boost, her right leg swung easily over the saddle. Rose wanted to squeal out, but knew not to spook the horse. It was damned high up! It was higher than expected. It was—wonderful.
''I thought I would have a hard time getting my thighs around her, but the saddle is comfortable.''
Jack adjusted Rose's pale pink skirts about the horse so they wouldn't tangle in the reins. It smelled nicely of leather, and Penny smelled nice too-like clean hay and sunshine. Beneath that, a not-unpleasant scent of animal sweat. Jack passed Rose the reins, and she took them hesitantly and he sensed the nerves as it flashed upon her eyes.
''Right, hold these and sit tight one second while I get up too," he told her.
This was something he had done more than once but he couldn't help but notice Rose was unsure about it all.
He turned to see her worried expression. ''Relax, you don't need a death grip on poor Bella.''
''I'm sorry. I have just only ever ridden side saddle and that was at my uncle's farm. This is so-open.'' She glanced ahead at the open space of the beach as the horses left little footprints in the white sand. She looked about at everything, taking it all in.
''You will get used to it. You have adapted so quickly to everything. You may even like it.'' He winked.
''I already am beginning to.'' She laughed.
Rose released her grip a little more and her face changed from terror to ease and she even began trotting and matched the pace which Jack was taking Biscuit. Every so often he would glance behind to watch her and he would have done anything to keep that picture of her forever. She was beautiful, her hair billowing loosely in the warm breeze of the summer evening, the sky an array of pinks, blues and purples and then the sea which was growing closer inwards with the tide. Rose remembered their first kiss right there in the tide, laid in the cool water, screaming and chasing each other. She smiled to herself as she glanced over at Jack. He made her feel so happy.
She relaxed as the salty sea breeze washed over her. Jack was taking it slowly at first but then they had begun to trot, side by side. She felt her confidence growing and as Jack smirked mischievously they both soon began to canter and the next thing they knew they were both galloping down the beach, their laughter lost in the wind.
This was what she had wanted her entire life; this freedom. She had never soared so much in her entire life. This feeling of flying was a taste of what her life could be like. It didn't take long for her to forget everything which had took place that day.
Adapting to a better position, to mirror the one which Jack was taking, Rose felt ridiculous, but still, once Jack had nodded his approval, he shouted-
"HA!"
And the horses took off.
Rose thought she would undilute; but she remained on the horse, clinging to Bella with her knees, leaning low over her neck, gripping tight onto reins until they almost cut into her delicate hands. If her heart was hammering before, then it would fall out of her chest then in that second. Out on the open field, it felt bright green and velvety; if she was to fall, she would probably not injure herself. Her hooves thundered beneath Rose, propelling her forward and soaring further into the field. Jack was right; it was easier to gallop and to follow the rhythm of Bella's movement at a gallop. The wind streaming into her face was cool, clean and invigorating.
Slowly, confidence was gained. Wasn't that the only thing which was needed in order to try new things? Her smile was infectious, but she concentrated on her riding, but her eyes travelled outward, to Jack. Biscuit seemed thrilled to be running. He's was stretching his neck out low, his powerful legs churning, not even seeming to feel the weight of Jack on his back.
The two horses ran in tandem, only a couple of feet between them. It was beautiful, utterly beautiful. The vast stretches of the farm seemed endless all around them. The sky was like a huge, inverted bowl, brilliantly blue like Jack's eyes, almost cloudless. Her heart was racing -partly from fear, but also from exhilaration. As her hair came loose from the ponytail, held together with ribbon and clips, it streamed out behind her like Bella's tail. Rose realised that she wasn't gripping the reins so tight anymore but she was actually squeezing Bella with her legs, wanting her to run faster and faster. Wanting to feel exactly this, more and more.
Jack' was right beside her. He let out a whoop, partly to urge on the horses, and partly out of pure happiness. Every now and then, he checked Rose, to ensure that she was enjoying this just as much as he was. She was. The day was gorgeous, bright and lovely. Jack's whoop echoed about the greenery, as though they were the only two people on earth.
Rose felt as though she was soaring. Enlightened. Alive. She felt terrified and exhilarated and thrilled, all at once. Every golden hair on Penny's smooth coat, every blade of bright green grass, every bird soaring overhead Rose saw as though it was the brightest colour ever discovered. The smell of the various trees, of the sea and the smell of Jack acutely all over her body; she wore him like a woman wore perfume or a man wore cologne.
A half hour later, the excitement had died down a little. The horses stood quietly beside each other as Jack and Rose took a rest. The sky was a blend of pink, orange, and yellow. Jack slid his hand from Rose's for a second to roll up the bottoms of his trousers once again and Rose watched him, amused. She turned her head to the left and gazed out to the endless blue sea which seemed to span as far as the eye could see. The sea breeze hit her face sending her curls billowing about her face and she closed her eyes relishing the moment. She clutched the bottoms of her dress tighter and turned to see Jack's eyes on her. Her face was peaceful, and it was how she felt too - peaceful and calmness. Their hands slipped into each other's again as they continued their stroll across the beach. The feeling of the sand between their toes was glorious, freedom had finally come to Rose and she had found a love in Jack she thought she never knew existed. Was this the life which he was inviting her to join him in, to live to peacefully and happily?
Jack came to a small spot beneath the pier and he gestured for Rose to sit down on the soft sand. Her red dress matched her mood, she felt wild and free and Jack knew he could never tame her, nor did he wish to. He felt his nerves flutter slightly, and Rose positioned herself so she could sit in front of him in-between his open legs and rest her head on his chest. Their fingers entwined and silence fell over them for a few moments.
''So, this is what you wanted to show me?''
Jack nodded. ''Yes, it is.''
She sighed with contentment. This was what she could get used to. How could she have lived by the beach for so long before Jack had brought her here and not even thought to witness this beauty? She could stay here forever. Worries were lost. Nothing mattered. She sighed though as her head wondered back to the reality of the day.
''I spent three hours at the boutiques today. Just with my head so lost...buying dresses, silly expensive dresses with Cal's money.''
Jack felt his stomach sink. ''Is that what you want?''
''God, no. I don't want the dresses. I don't want to marry him. I don't want that life. i want this.'' She realised that she was still wearing her engagement ring and she held up her hand. ''I don't want this.''
Jack sat upright. Carefully, he removed the ring from her finger. The relief which followed was wonderful. Her confidence had come from Jack, she had never felt this way. He felt like throwing the ring into the ocean so that it could never be retrieved but he knew he shouldn't.
''Then don't do it. Don't marry him. Come with me, tonight.''
Rose leant forward to throw her arms around Jack but instead they ended up tumbling backwards into the sand in each other's arms laughing hysterically until she stopped and remembered something.
''What about all of this? About what happened today?''
Jack placed his finger on her lips to silence her. ''Let's not worry yet.'' He told her. ''Nothing could come of it. But we can be out of here before anybody even notices that we're gone.''
She nodded. She needed to forget. Her ring fell from her lap into the sand and it was long buried. She grasped his hands and led them to her hips, he massaged them as he had the night before. She found his lips with her eyes closed. The heat coming from him almost set her alight. She knew they would need to dim their behaviour but once she started with him there was no stopping. She found the strength to pull away and sat up so that she was straddling him.
''I'm yours, if you want me. All of me.'' She told him, quietly and shyly.
''Oh, Rose. I want you, I have since the first damned day I met you.''
She smiled as he kissed her fiercely. She felt the breath knocked from her lungs. ''I love you.'' She whispered against his lips. There, she had said it. ''You were my first everything and I don't want you to let me go.''
He tightened his grip on her waist, grasping at her skin through her dress. ''I love you, too.''
The first time he had told her so, he was unsure, not of his feelings but of her reaction but now he had never been surer about anything in his life.
''Rose, I would marry you tomorrow if that was what you wanted. I won't ever let any harm come to you.'' Jack's voice was soft, it almost was inaudible from the sound of the waves lapping gently against the sand. Rose turned her head slightly, feeling her stomach knot. A small smile came across her face.
''Oh, how I would like that.'' She giggled. ''To be your wife.''
Jack couldn't help but smile. ''This is crazy. You know that.''
''Yes. But I trust it.''
Rose nuzzled herself against him. She noticed that the sky was now darker and they would need to take the horses back soon but right now they seemed as content as Rose was with Jack. She glanced out at the ocean, taking everything in. The moment was wonderful.
''There is actually something which I have to do tomorrow.'' He told her ever so quietly.
''So, what do you have to do tomorrow?'' She asked suddenly so serious.
''I have to take you to the church and make you my wife.''
Her face rested and her lips curled into a smile. ''Yes, I am all right with that.''