A New Way of Seeing Things Pt. 03 Ch. 09

"Friday?" Gwen delayed while she formed her response. Sylvia Danning was way, way, way outside her world and only a bit closer to the one she had left behind when she married. Still, growing up in her parents' world had taught her that invitations from someone so powerful and well connected were more like summonses, and to refuse them had consequences. Consequences like KD's scholarship...she looked at the pile of paperwork and sighed. If she worked late all week, she might be caught up enough to take Friday off. "Yes, I believe my schedule is open," she replied, repeating the response she had heard her mother give during her childhood, "please tell Mrs. Danning I would be delighted to ride with her."

"Wonderful! Friday at 2pm it is then. The stables are down behind the house, where you were for the party. Just stop at the gate and the guard will direct you from there. Oh, and Mrs. Nelson, Mrs. Danning is running a tight schedule, so if you could arrive a few moments early, should we need to find you more suitable attire..."

Gwen bristled at the implication. "Is this a formal affair, or more of an outing?"

If the young assistant intended any slight, she gave no indication. "Oh, just an outing certainly. You, Mrs. Danning, and myself to tend to anything that might come up."

"I'm sure I have something that will be appropriate," Gwen said coolly. "Shall I trailer my horse?"

"You're more than welcome to, but we have one or two mounts here that might serve if you'd rather not go through the bother. 2pm on Friday, then?"

"I'll be there and please thank Mrs. Danning for the invitation."

***

Gwen's next call was to Natalie, who while surprised by the invitation as well, did not feel the same misgivings her sister-in-law did. Tim was more sympathetic, telling her to cancel if she didn't feel like going, but Gwen knew that was not really an option. For her daughter she would play the game she had detested growing up.

She pulled her truck to a stop at the gate a full half hour early that Friday, rolling down the window to speak with the approaching uniformed guard. "Gwen Nelson, here to see Mrs. Danning?"

The guard looked at his tablet. "Yes ma'am. Miss Rayburn will be meeting you. Please follow the driveway to the right past the main house—you'll see the stables down the other side of the hill from there." He placed a massive thumb on the screen and the gate swung open. "Enjoy your day, ma'am."

Gwen drove slowly up the tree-lined drive, climbing up past the other end of the mansion they had entered the night of the party. She crested the hill and saw her destination nestled in the valley below. Rows upon rows of barns, indoor riding rings, storage buildings, all neatly arranged. A wide paved road led down to it between acres of white-fenced paddocks.

Rae Rayburn was waiting for her as she stopped to allow the gate into the facility to open. Gwen breathed a small sigh of relief—she at least had dressed as well as the young woman before her motioning the truck to a nearby parking spot.

"Mrs. Nelson, very nice to see you again," Rae said, extending her hand. "Mrs. Danning finished up her noon appointment a little early and is already down to the stable. I'll take you to her now." Gwen hurriedly grabbed the riding gloves off the seat where she had carefully laid them and hurried to the waiting golf cart.

They found Sylvia Danning at the last row of stalls, talking with two stable hands. She turned and smiled at the sound of crunching tires. "Gwen! Thank you so much for coming!"

"My pleasure, Mrs. Danning. Thank you for inviting me."

"Please, call me Sylvia." Her young assistant's eyebrows rose almost imperceptibly in surprise. The privilege of using Mrs. Danning's first name was rarely granted—mostly to very close friends, counterparts and those she wanted something from. The woman before her did not seem to be either of the first two possibilities.

"Your stables are lovely," Gwen said looking about. "You obviously care very much for your horses."

"I care for my horses more than I care for most people," she said with a laugh. "I get the sense you're of the same mind."

Gwen smiled. "For the most part, yes."

"So—who would you like to take out today? Any of the horses along this row of stables are ready for some exercise. Care to take a look?"

Gwen sensed a test was being given, just as she had given Cricket that first day in the barn, or the first time Mrs. Ritter had approached her all those years ago...she slowly walked down the line, eying the heads that looked back in curiosity. All were magnificent, but something about the one in the fifth stall...the massive jet-black horse eyed her, sizing her up just as she was doing to him.

"This one," she announced, looking over at Mrs. Danning. "Would he be suitable?"

The older woman smiled. "You have a good eye. Calazac Farms Dia Del Diablo. Very spirited. The exercise riders draw straws for him and the loser has to take him out. Quite a handful. Are you sure?"

Gwen and the horse continued to take each other's measure. "If that would be alright. I enjoy spirit."

"Of course." Grooms were summoned, and Gwen marveled at the speed the horse was saddled. One groom stood by after they finished, holding the horse still so the rider could mount. Gwen took the reins from the young man and easily swung a leg over, settling herself into a saddle that probably cost more than her truck. Horse and rider tested each other, the animal finally deciding that he could work with this one, and allowed her to lead the dance. Sylvia Danning beamed in approval.

"Rae, I don't think I'll be needing you on this ride—I would think Gwen and I can watch out for each other just fine. Would you go confirm my dinner plans, and make sure everything is arranged for my evening with the Repzynskis after?"

The young assistant nodded. "Yes ma'am. Shall I return here at a quarter to 4?"

"Yes, that will be fine. I'd rather ride than go to that damn dinner, but we all have disagreeable things we must do." A saddled horse seemed to magically appear next to Mrs. Danning. "Shall we go?" She led the way out of the yard and down a meticulously groomed tree-lined path. The stables were soon lost from sight as they crossed through green meadows and landscaped patches of forest.

Gwen was duly impressed. "This is marvelous," she said softly.

"I think my Kentucky farm is prettier," Mrs. Danning replied, but it's easier to run my affairs from here than there. I do try to get out there whenever the opportunity presents itself, though. Of course, some of my favorite spots to ride are on the continent. Have you ever ridden in Europe?"

"No ma'am, I've never been."

"You should go. My favorite spots are Ireland and the Alps, but there are so many nice places for you and your horse to just get lost for a while. I made a point of doing just that when I was over there a couple of weeks ago. Speaking of which, I ran into your old boss in Prague and gave her your regards."

Gwen stiffened. "Miss Ritter?"

"Mmm-hmm. She spoke very highly of you."

She doubted that. Miss Ritter never spoke highly of anyone. "I'm sure she was just being kind."

The other rider laughed. "We both know kindness is not one of her traits."

She had been very complimentary in her own way, Sylvia Danning thought. She had found her at one of the endless after-event parties that were required attendance for the equestrian elite. Miss Ritter stood off to one side of the room, in a small open space no one seemed to dare encroach upon despite the crowded nature of the affair. A young blonde girl respectfully stood one step behind her, awaiting the call to tend to her mistress.

"Else, very nice to see you again," Mrs. Danning said warmly, extending a hand.

The woman nodded. "Sylvia, you as well."

They talked for a moment, discussing who and what they had seen during the event, Miss Ritter not having a positive opinion on anything or anybody. "Oh, I should mention," Sylvia offered after the other woman had deemed the year's competition sorely lacking, "I recently ran into an instructor who used to work for you. Gwen Nelson?"

"Nelson..." the woman seemed to be searching her memory.

"It might not have been Nelson when you knew her. She worked for you at Peachtree Stables?"

Something flashed in the woman's eyes, something Sylvia had never seen before in all the years they had been acquainted. Fondness? Remorse? As quickly as it appeared, it was replaced by the more customary steely gaze. "Gwen Curran? Ah yes, I remember her. Such potential. What a waste. Of course she is now 115 kilos and a litter of children, yes?"

Mrs. Danning smiled. "She looks like she could ride competitively tomorrow. As for children, I only know of one—her daughter won one of my cups several years ago."

"Bah, Gwen Curran could teach a chimpanzee to succeed at the events you give your awards at. She was good, very good, Sylvia. A true natural, although too soft with both her horses and her students. But I had made good progress with that, with her—she could have been one of the greats! But instead, she chose to become a brood mare for that plow horse of a man. He wasn't even a rider, Sylvia!"

"It sounds as if you took a special interest in her, perhaps even considered her a protégé?" Mrs. Danning knew the duties expected of one of Else Ritter's special students from when she had employed her; the master used many methods to break her charge's spirit and will just as one might break a young horse. Some of the methods were much more personal in nature...

"Jah, jah," Miss Ritter said impatiently with a wave of her hand. "To have not fostered such talent would have been criminal. Gwen Curran required a firm hand to guide her, one that would teach her to channel her physical and mental energies towards the perfection of her craft. This one," she continued, dismissively nodding back at the girl behind her, "does not have half the talent, but I believe I have at least been able to teach her that there are other ways to subdue physical urges and mental weakness, ways that do not include things attached to a hairy body with a beer belly and drunken fists." The young woman stared at the floor, meekly accepting the frank evaluation of her ability. "Instead Gwen chose to give up her true calling and spread her legs for the first boy to flirt with her. Such a waste," she muttered.

Sylvia smiled at the memory, then at her companion. "She thought you were very gifted."

"I learned a lot from her."

"Do you ever regret leaving her...employment?"

The question struck Gwen as somehow having a deeper meaning, something very personal, and yet strangely it was something she didn't mind answering for this near-stranger. "No," she said firmly and truthfully, "I don't. I left that life to get married. I knew the future she had in mind for me did not have room for a husband. But he and my children are the best things ever to happen to me. I have no regrets."

The discussion strayed to other things, to events Mrs. Danning had been to recently, the horses she had seen and the people she had met. Soon they were back on the wooded path that led to the stables. The older woman reined her horse in just before they were about to emerge from the trees. "Well Gwen, I can't tell you how much I've enjoyed this. You are every bit the rider Else said you were and more. I'd like to talk to you about something."

Gwen halted her mount as well and looked back expectantly.

Sylvia Danning smiled. "I have a proposition for you."