Lips That Lied || hs

Eleven

Newcastle, United Kingdom
October 1851

Jane dressed with meticulous care that morning, checking and double-checking that all the buttons were fastened properly on her navy riding habit. The sleeves were long and the vest was fitted, accentuating the curves of her womanly figure. She observed herself in the mirror, admiring how striking such a dark color appeared on her. Jane was normally bound to lighter hues to maintain a feminine air about her, but when it came to her riding clothes, Jane was always pleased to wear colors like black and navy.

Smiling contentedly, Jane pulled her long blonde braid to drape over her shoulder before taking her black gloves from the bed and leaving her bedchambers. The corridors were empty when she left her room, but this didn't surprise her given that the sun hadn't yet risen above the horizon. Jane could hear the clamor of pots and pans as she passed by the kitchen, but she didn't hesitate in walking past it and out through the side door.

When she stepped outside, Jane was enveloped by a brisk gust of wind, the feeling of which sent a biting chill through her spine. Wrapping her arms around herself, Jane stepped down from the terrace and began to walk along the pathway that led to the stables. At first, the darkness made seeing in front of her somewhat difficult, but as the minutes passed by, the black sky above her began to fade into lighter shade of purple. The stars made their leave and with them went the moon's shining light. Jane welcomed the sight of the sun beginning to rise in front of her, faint rays of light falling on her face as well as the dew-covered grass that lined either side of the pathway before her.

Jane reached the barn before the sun had made its debut above the horizon, and she silently praised herself for finding the will to get out of bed at such an ungodly hour of the morning. Her cousin William had not yet arrived to meet her, so Jane took her time in brushing down the mare her grandfather had given her.

Jane's mare Bella was young and lean, with long and powerful legs that could run for kilometers without showing signs of fatigue. Where the horse undoubtedly proved herself to be of great endurance and strength, she did not in the least want for beauty. Her smooth coat was a light gray color with dark speckles across her long back and neck. She had a dark mane and tail as well, but that darkness was offset by light brown eyes.

Jane stroked the bridge of the mare's nose as she slipped the bridle over her head, fastening it behind the soft mane at the base of her neck. Bella whinnied in response, her bright eyes wide with eagerness for the promise of a morning run.

"Easy, Belles," Jane whispered quietly, patting the animal's neck before walking towards the saddle that was hanging on the wall. She grunted as she lifted it from the rack, and again when she placed it atop Bella's strong back. Thankful that this particular mare was so steady and calm, Jane began to the tighten the straps of the saddle with a bit of aggression. She knew that if they weren't tight enough, then the saddle would most likely roll sideways and she would end up being thrown rather violently to the ground. And having experienced it once before, it was not an occurrence she wished to relive.

Just as Jane was finished with the last buckle, she heard the sound of horse hooves approaching the barn, followed by the crunch of gravel under expensive leather boots. The gentleman walked through the open barn door and spotted her near one of the last stalls. He strode towards her, a charming smile plastered across his handsome face.

"I had hoped to precede you here, so you didn't have to saddle her yourself," William said cheerfully as Jane turned around to look at him.

He smiled when he saw her face, her youthful beauty seeming to glow with radiance in that early morning light. She looked well to him, though he did notice that her visage held something to it that he hadn't seen before. When she had left for the summer, he had known her to embody serenity and the idea of a life without worry, but now, he could see that something plagued her innocent mind, and it troubled him.