3
Back in Spotsylvania, Virginia, Elizabeth was spending a much-needed day astride her beloved horse, Hudson. At 16 hands, the coal black gelding is unusually tall for an Arabian, and Liz relished the view from his saddle.
It's hard to believe he's the same horse seized from the abandoned property of a blacklister just three years ago. He was skinny and lame, but when Liz found him in that tiny paddock, he immediately approached her with a soft knicker. "Hey buddy. Are you alright?" Liz spoke softly, offering her palm for him to smell. His whiskers tickled her hardened scar, and she immediately fell in love.
As a kid, Sam enrolled her in a horseback riding camp for eight weeks every summer, but it had been over a decade since the last time she rode. A sudden rush of memories struck her, and hard. She hopped the fence. When Red found her, she had her arms around the colt's neck, sobbing into his thick and tangled mane.
He silently watched the pair from afar, sensing how much she needed that moment alone with the horse. Even to his untrained eye, it was obvious that the horse needed her, too. He made a decision without deliberation. The ragged colt would never see an auction block, and Red would never have to tear Lizzie away from him.
Later that night, exhausted and elated, Liz kissed Red for the very first time.
She couldn't help smiling at the memory. That was their true beginning.
Hudson is boarded at one of Red's safe houses, a huge farm only a few miles from Interstate 95. Lizzie stays in the guest cottage whenever Red is away. From there, her commute to work is over an hour, but it's worth it.
Red never really cared for horses, but he likes to accompany Lizzie to the farm whenever he can. The secluded acres have become a sanctuary for their secrets. To Red, Lizzie has always been the most beautiful creature he has ever seen, but there are two places where she literally takes his breath away. The first, of course, is writhing hot, astride or beneath him, illuminated by the moonlight in Hempstead's living room. The second is astride a galloping Hudson, a blur of wind-whipped hair with an impossibly huge grin. Only Hudson can produce that grin, and only Red gets to see it. He leans against the fence in his three piece suits and watches her ride, breathless and spell-bound, as often as his schedule allows.
Liz is exhausted from work, but her solo rides are meditative. This is where she unwinds. This is where she can either think in peace or silence her mind with Hudson's even, rhythmic hoofbeats. She used to run, but now, she rides.
"This is so much better!" She says aloud, to no one. Then, tightening the reins and leaning back slightly, she cues Hudson to slow to a walk.
"Do you think Red is having a good time reconnecting with Denny?" she playfully asks Hudson, checking her watch. "He'll probably call soon."