Richard, wheezing from running faster than he had in years, wrenched open the gate to the field where the chestnut mare had finally stopped, peacefully grazing without a thought to her fallen rider.

"Hyacinth! Are you all right?" Richard managed to say between breaths.

Hyacinth tried to stand up, but winced with pain before she could even get into a sitting position.

"Richard, if I'm dying, please give my regards to Sheridan, and assure him Mummy is very sorry for dying so soon. And tell the vicar I want 'What a Friend We Have in Jesus' played at my funeral."

"You're not dying," Richard assured his wife. "Now, I'm going to help you up. Just hang onto my arm, okay?"

Hyacinth nodded as Richard eased her to her feet. A few moments later, Emmett came riding up on the brown gelding he had rented from the stable.

"Everything okay, Hyacinth?" he asked, more concerned than he would ever admit aloud.

"I'm just-ow!-fine, Emmett," Hyacinth said serenely as Emmett leaned over in the saddle to take the reins of her riderless horse. "I'm just a little banged up, but I'll be back to normal in no time. No fear. This little fall hasn't damaged my singing ability, so don't hesitate to put me in your next amateur musical."

Emmett didn't bother replying, and the strange entourage made its way back to the stable. Richard was helping his wife, her once impeccably clean riding outfit a rumpled mess, hobble along, while Emmett steered his own horse with one hand and led the chestnut mare with the other. When they reached the stable yard, Elizabeth hurried toward them, while her brother dismounted and returned the two horses to a waiting groom.

"Are you hurt, Hyacinth? Do you need me to call an ambulance or get you to a doctor?" she asked.

"No, no, I'll be fine, dear," Hyacinth waved the gesture away. "I'll recover. Besides, my guests will be coming in a very short time and I need to make myself presentable again."

"If you're sure, Hyacinth," Elizabeth said. "Well, we'll see you soon."

Leaving their neighbors behind, Hyacinth and Richard made their way back to their car. It was a very slow walk, as Hyacinth was unable to walk more than a few feet without wincing and having to rest for a few moments. At long last, however, they reached the parking lot.

"I do wish you hadn't insisted on going horseback riding," Hyacinth told her husband indignantly as he drove 'home' to the country estate where they had rented a flat.

"Me? You're the one who wanted to go! You said you wanted to show Emmett that you could ride!" Richard exclaimed.

"Don't shout, Richard Bouquet! You obviously wanted to go, because you didn't tell me this would be a bad idea!"

"That doesn't even make any...oh, never mind," Richard said, defeated. "Let's just get you home so you can pull yourself together."

"Promise me you won't tell anyone what happened," Hyacinth said. "I would never be able to bear Mrs. Wilton-Smith or Mrs. Drummond finding out I can't ride a horse."

"Your secret's safe with me. I know you have appearances to keep up."

"Thank you dear. You're so considerate of my social standing," Hyacinth gushed, the sarcastic tone of Richard's words escaping her notice. "We'll act like nothing ever happened."

"What if someone asks why you're limping?" Richard asked.

"We'll tell them that I injured myself while I was moving our things into our flat."

"But I did all the moving-in!"

Hyacinth smiled serenely.

"But they don't know that."

(end)

A/N: I just re-watched 'Please Mind Your Head' and that inspired me to write a "filler" story taking place between Hyacinth falling off the horse and the cut to Richard helping her back into their countryside apartment. This is one of my favorite episodes because I used to ride horses. Somehow I managed to only fall off once.