Wow! Hello again! I did not know I would be here again! And so soon! xD I got sidetracked in my "spring cleaning" and found a wittle piece I hoped to flourish at one point and it turned out to be this point! I figured with the holidays upon us, I'd give you another chapter!

The little bit of info I usually put after the summary changes for this particular chapter because it takes place far (not really) into the future :)

Happy Reading!

Summary: Out on one of her rides, Elle meets a handsome stranger.
Number of years married: 37
Sons: 5
Daughters: 4
Children at home: 1


~:~ Elle's Race ~:~

"Don't go too far," Belle chided as she helped Elle saddle Rosie – the chestnut Arabian horse Nathaniel had gifted her for her fifteenth birthday. "Papa said he would be out hunting in the woods to the west until the sun sets-"

"But Mama, you said I could be out past-"

"I know what I said, but I have changed my mind," Belle sighed. She secured the saddle. "I don't like those storm clouds in the distance, and I don't want you to be out when the rains come."

Elle opened her mouth to argue but Belle gave her a scolding look.

"You'll either obey me or you can ride Rosie a week from now."

Her daughter blanched with a squeak. Then she frowned in defeat. "Fine."


She slowed Rosie to a stop at the top of a hill that overlooked the valley. She took out the spyglass she convinced Julia she needed when her sister traveled to London. She focused on the trees and cottages in the distance. It was all so beautiful. She loved open fields and rolling hills.

Mama said she was just like her when she was younger – all about adventure. That's why Mama had been strict about her not going too far.

She would go as far as her heart contented had Mama not given her restrictions.

"It's beautiful, isn't it?" a voice spoke beside her.

She started and jerked the spyglass, fumbling with it greatly before it flew out of her hands and tumbled down the hill. She let out a scoff.

"Do forgive me!" the voice – a young man – said hurriedly. He jumped off his own horse and chased after the telescope.

She wasn't sure what to feel when he walked up to her and returned the spyglass. "Thank you," she managed albeit with a slight frown.

He offered a smiled. "Robert, mademoiselle. And I didn't mean to frighten you. I had been riding and I noticed you looking at the hills. Fancy a ride down the valley?"

Her heart skipped several beats. "I'm Elle… and ride?"

He lightly shrugged. "Race, really."

She felt herself break out in a wide grin. "Race?" Then her mama's warning crept in her head and her smile faltered a bit. She glanced up at the sky – the clouds weren't as scary-looking anymore and the sun was still high in the sky. It was highly unlikely Mama would find out… She looked at him again and said, "To that tall tree straight ahead?"

"Ha! That's way too far! That tree's a speck from here!"

She pulled at the reins and Rosie stopped chomping on grass. "What's the matter? Scared?"

He snorted, "No-"

"Good," she grinned. She clicked her heels into Rosie's sides and took off.

"Hey! Wait! That's no fair!" He scrambled onto his own horse and rushed after her.

She was halfway there when he caught up to her. She urged Rosie faster and faster, grinning when the boy did the same. The tree drew closer and closer! She could feel the satisfaction of winning at the tips of her fingers.

"Ha!" she called out in victory when she passed the tree. She glanced over her shoulder and might have laughed at the loser.

He slowed his horse to a trot. "You didn't follow the rules," he countered, shaking his head.

She snorted and circled Rosie. "Rules? There are no rules in racing."

"Back home, there are rules."

"And do you win all those races?" she egged.

"Of course!" he said boisterously. He dismounted his house.

"Well," she began, leading Rosie past him. "Where I'm from, there are no rules." She held more satisfaction when Rosie's tail whipped his face. She smiled sweetly when he glared. "So, I win." She followed suit and dismounted Rosie.

He neared her with his reins in hand. "And where, may I ask, are you from that you think this way?"

"Born and raised in the countryside," she said proudly.

He snorted.

"But my papa and mama are from Villeneuve," she said quickly as an attempt to stop the boy from not liking her. "My papa is a war hero and my mama's an inventor."

He raised an eyebrow. "Inventor?"

"Yes, she's sold many in Paris! And she knows a nice Englishman who takes her inventions to London every summer!"

"Never heard of a lady inventor before," was all he said.

She might have punched his arm. "Mama said anyone can be anything they want to if you put your mind to it. My granpapa was an inventor too, or so I'm told. He died before I was born."

"Oh," he said a bit more sobered. "I'm sorry… It's just where I come from, women stay home. I live south of here."

"That's how it is Villeneuve. That's why Mama and Papa don't want me going there."

He looked at her. "So, you live out in the countryside yet you're not allowed in town. When I caught you looking at the hills- You want freedom, don't you? You want to have adventures."

She smiled and let out a longing sigh. "I do. I do. Papa says I'm just like Mama when she was young."

"My ma says I'm the spitting image of my pa. Not just my looks, but his need to get out and see the world." He glanced at her then down at his shoes as they continued walking. "That's what I want to do someday: see the world."

"I just hope to get of the countryside. See a city- another town- see what other people's lives are like," she said with mild awe and excitement. "My older sister lives in Paris and she travels every summer. A few years ago, they went to London and I told her I needed a spyglass. She bought it for me and a few other trinkets but… receiving gifts is not the same. I want to be there! Experience things for myself."

"Your parents don't travel?"

She shook her head. "Paris is as far as we go, but we haven't been there in a while. Not since my sister had her debut on the stage."

"Your sister's an actress?" he said a wee bit awed.

"I told you you could do anything you wanted if you put your mind to it," she mused. "Yes, she's very famous now. I feel sort of special when I see her- It's like she's royalty, and I'm related to her!"

He laughed. "All my brother is a blacksmith. It's slow work but good pay."

"One of my brothers is an inventor. He lives in London. Another travels with the circus. He wrangles animals… which is sort of odd because when he visits, he and my papa go hunting. And then another sister is a marksman- or- yes, she can outshoot any man for miles around! And-"

"How many brothers and sisters do you have?" he interrupted with a puzzled frown.

"Oh! I have five brothers and three sisters! I'm the youngest. I only grew up with a brother and sister. The others were grown and moved out. But I still see them from time to time."

His jaw might have dropped. "Five and- and three?!"

"Yes," she said as if it all were perfectly normal.

He took a while to recover but when he recovered Elle noticed something terrible- okay, not too terrible, just more along the lines of.. she was going to be in deep trouble. The storm clouds had moved during their conversation and now rumbled above their heads. Elle silently cursed. She looked to the young man. "I'm sorry, I have to get back home." She climbed on top of Rosie and steered her in the direction of home. She glanced over her shoulder, "It was nice meeting you!"

He waved, "Same to you! Goodbye, Elle!"

"Goodbye, Robert!"


Elle was soaked to the bone when she finally stepped into the house- Well, she sloshed to the front from the stables then slowly opened the door. She poked her head in and… Mama and Papa were nowhere to be seen. She let out a breath and clambered in, managing to shut the door quietly. She made it as far as the middle of the hall before she was caught.

And mind you, she was never a very good liar.

She swallowed – Mama's arms were folded and she and Papa looked very stern. "I lost track of time," she said just as her mother opened her mouth. "It won't happen again." She sloshed by them and to her room.

Gaston sent Belle an 'I told you so' look and she rolled her eyes.

Elle – now dressed in a long nightgown – tiptoed around her puddles and carried her soaked clothes to the washroom. She managed to squeeze most of the water out. She turned her head at the sound of her mother's faint sigh. "I know, I know," she said – maybe hoping to guilt-trip them into not punishing her. She tiptoed past them with her clothes and into the common room. "I'll not be allowed on Rosie for a week. I know."

Gaston raised an eyebrow but Belle held up her hand, shielding his face from hers before he could send her another look.

"Elle," she sighed.

The teenager hung her damp clothes over the rack near the fireplace.

"She's just like you," Gaston couldn't hold back anymore.

Belle glared at him. "She's here. You can go to bed now."

He smirked and winked at her to which to playfully snorted.

She waited until he had closed the bedroom door then she knelt beside her daughter who was trying to straighten out the wrinkles in her wet clothes. She tucked a stray brown curl behind Elle's ear. "You're on thin ice, dear, until I can trust you again." She pursed her lips. "I'll let it slide-"

Elle's eyes were bright when she looked at Belle with a sudden smile.

But her mother held up a warning finger. "Just this once."

"Thank you!" she squealed, flinging her arms around her mother's neck. "Thankyouthankyouthankyou!"

Belle smiled and kissed her. "Now, off to bed. I'll finish this."

Elle smooched her mama's cheek and scurried off to her room. Perhaps she'd get to see Robert real soon!


Thank you for reading!

If any of you are curious:

Julia is the actress | Thomas is the inventor | Agatha is the marksman | Jonathan is the circus worker

They'll all each get their turn... someday ;)