The next morning, Elizabeth woke up early. She had hardly been able to sleep last night because she was so excited. What did he have planned for her? At the back of her mind, she was just happy that it got her away from Carter.

Because she didn't know what they were doing, Elizabeth didn't have a good idea what she should wear. Finally, she chose a pink dress that was a little more casual than she usually wore. It was mostly a dusty pink color with insets of a different fabric that had small pink flowers on it. Her handmaiden, Sarah, helped her dress.

"What are you doing today, Miss?" she asked. Elizabeth tried to hide the smile on her face but was failing miserably.

"I'm going down to the barn for a little while."

"Oh, going to take out Barefoot Contessa? She hasn't been ridden for some time, Miss," she said. Tessa was Elizabeth's chestnut mare that her father had given her for her fourteenth birthday. She loved to ride her but hardly ever found the time.

"I think so. I miss her terribly," she said. Maybe they would be riding horses…

"Is Carter going with you? That was a surprise that he proposed, Miss. I don't think any of us were expecting it."

"Yes, it was a shock. But I need some time to think it over so I think I'm going to go by myself," she said. Sarah nodded knowingly.

"Well, you're done getting dressed, Miss. Have a lovely time," she said with a smile. Elizabeth stepped down from her dressing stool and made a b-line for the door. It was just her luck that she should bump into none other than Carter.

"Oomph! It a bit of a hurry, are we?" he said as he gazed down on her with a smile. Elizabeth tried to smile back but she realized that all she could do was glare. "Where are we off to this early in the morning?"

"I'm going to the barn. Not that it's any business of yours," she said with a bit of venom in her voice. She hoped that Carter got the message but his skull was so thick that it just bounced off.

"Lovely! Would you like me to join you?" Elizabeth clenched her fists. If this pig didn't shut up, she was going to be late to meet Will.

"I kind of want to do this alone. A lot to think about, you know?" she said with a shy smile. Carter seemed to get the message and winked as he walked past her. Elizabeth let out the breath she had been holding in. The self centered, egotistical jerk…

Elizabeth ran through the house until she was safely outside. It was only a short walk to the stables from the main house. It was a lovely June morning. The grass was still wet with morning dew and the sky was still hazy from the rising sun. It would be a beautiful day for a ride.

When she reached the stone building that housed the soldiers' horses, Elizabeth went looking for Tessa. She wasn't in her usual stall and Diablo was missing as well. She walked through the rows and rows of big, muscular steeds. She had not been moved. Elizabeth began running through the barn until she stopped dead in her tracks.

Standing in the central courtyard of the stable was Will. He was sitting astride the big black horse, Diablo. Saddled and waiting next to them was Tessa. Elizabeth ran out to where they were and took Tessa's reins from Will's hands.

"Will! Are we going to go riding?"

"Indeed we are, Miss Swann," he said. Elizabeth looked up at him. His boyish features were lighted by the early morning sun. There was a grin on his face from ear to ear. She returned it as he dismounted and walked to her side. "Ready to mount up?"

Elizabeth nodded and grabbed the saddle and lifted her foot. Will grabbed her leg and her stomach did a somersault. She was lifted easily into the saddle and positioned her legs so that she was sitting saddle-side. Will mounted easily back upon Diablo with no help. He looked so majestic on horse back.

"Where would you like to go, Miss Swann?" he asked. Elizabeth thought for a moment and then turned her gaze in his direction.

"Let's go down to the beach. Oh, and Will?"

"Yes?"

"Call me Elizabeth. Not Miss Swann."

"That's a deal, Elizabeth," he said as he started trotting off towards the gate. A smile plastered itself on her face as she rode off after him.