Sorry this chapter is shorter than usual, you'll understand when you get to the end as the next chapter will be a looong one :)

I hope you enjoy!

---

Chapter Seventeen

Jane led two beautiful palomino coloured mares, Freckles, and another chestnut coloured pony out of the stables ready for her trail ride with Emilia, Sabine and Kitty. In her rush she hadn’t changed into more riding appropriate clothing but she honestly didn’t mind riding in one of her feminine gowns if it meant escaping Southerby for awhile.

She stood waiting around the back of the stables so she could not be seen from the house if one was looking for her.

The horses fussed as Jane held their reins closely together so she tried to soothe them as best she could.

She looked up to the sky and let the sun warm her face. It was a lovely temperature, she wished she could lose a layer but to do so would mean she would be riding around in her underclothes and that would be a sight she would want to keep hidden from prying eyes.

About ten minutes later, Emilia and the two girls arrived at the stables. Emilia hadn’t changed her dress but Sabine was wearing her usual riding outfit and Kitty was wearing something similar, no doubt borrowed from Sabine.

Emilia offered Jane a sympathetic look as she led both girls over to the ponies.

“This is Freckles,” Sabine introduced her pony to her new friend. “He likes eating hay. One time he tried to eat Gwenny’s dress but I had to pull it out of his mouth.”

Kitty burst into a fit of giggles as she threw one of her brown braids over her shoulder. “Mama won’t let me and my sisters have horses yet because she says we’re too little. But we are allowed to ride when Miss Church is watching us,” Kitty told Sabine proudly.

Emilia rolled her eyes as she lifted Kitty into the saddle. Kitty shook her hips a few times to get comfortable and she took hold of the reins. Sabine, who was relatively experienced, climbed atop Freckles herself. “I’m going to hold the reins of this pony as we ride; I want you to hold onto the saddle. As I’m leading him you aren’t to kick his sides at all, do you understand me, Catherine?” Emilia asked seriously, taking the reins from Kitty’s hands.

Kitty nodded. “Yes, mama,” she nodded innocently. Jane knew that Kitty understood Emilia’s tone. She liked that none of the children argued when it came to safety precautions.

Jane turned her attention to Sabine. “Are you alright, do you need me to lead Freckles as we ride?” she checked.

Sabine shook her head. “No, I can do it on my own,” she told Jane.

“Alright,” Jane said warily. “But if you need any help or you need us to stop then you must tell us.”

Sabine nodded in agreement.

Both Jane and Emilia climbed atop their mares. Emilia took hold of Kitty’s pony’s reins and they set off in the direction of the stream. There was a particularly flat part of the stream which was ideal for crossing. Once over the stream it was practically open fields and gorgeous trails through the woodland which made trail riding an idyllic hobby.

“Are you still feeling embarrassed?” Emilia asked after a minute. “Your blush has certainly reduced.”

Jane shot her a warning look but she couldn’t hide the amusement on her face. “I am still absolutely humiliated,” she sighed. She was cautious of the two young girls riding beside them. “I don’t think I will ever be able to ... eat apples ever again.” She hoped that Emilia would be able to decipher her code.

Emilia smiled slyly and winked. “But what if the apples don’t want you to stop eating them?” she asked.

“I like apples,” Kitty chimed in. “Especially in grandmamma’s pies,” she said happily.

“I like apples too!” Sabine exclaimed, beaming at Kitty. Jane couldn’t help but feel delighted at how happy Sabine was with having friends. “Why don’t you like apples, Jane?” Sabine asked curiously.

Jane thought for a moment of how to answer truthfully whilst still using code. “I made a fool of myself while eating an apple, and now I don’t want to eat them anymore.”

“Kitty, shouldn’t Aunt Jane just eat another apple, regardless of what happens?” Emilia asked, using her four year old daughter to manipulate Jane.

‘Cunning,’ Jane thought.

Kitty nodded profusely. “You have to eat another apple, Aunt Jane, what would you do if you never ate grandmamma’s apple pie again?” she asked desperately.

“Yes, Janey, what would you do?” Emilia played along dramatically.

Jane rolled her eyes and looked ahead to see the stream coming closer to them. “Do we all agree that I should eat another apple?” she asked the three of them.

“Yes!” both Sabine and Kitty cheered.

“I think it is important that you do,” Emilia nodded, lacking her teasing eyes as she spoke. “All apples are integral to us. There is one apple out there for everyone. My apple is stubborn and protective, but it’s my apple and that’s why I love it. You’re apple is perfect for you, all you need to do is bite.”

Kitty furrowed her eyebrows. “What kind of apples are you eating, mama?”

Both Emilia and Jane burst into fits of laughter as they reached the stream. As they laughed, Jane’s horse suddenly spooked and began stamping her feet and shaking her head. She backtracked from the stream frantically as she began to buck her back legs.

Jane tried to hold on to the reins tightly but the mare was too strong.

“Jane!” Emilia cried hysterically as Jane was thrown from the horse’s back.         

As she was thrown, the side of her head collided with a large rock that bordered the stream. Pain radiated across Jane’s head as all she knew went blurry. She heard in a distorted tone Emilia crying her name again.

Her blurred face appeared in front of Jane as she pulled her away from the rock. Jane could feel warm liquid covering the right side of her head.

“Oh, dear lord,” Emilia gasped. To Jane, though, her speech sounded distorted and deep. “Sabine,” Emilia cried. “Quickly run, go and get your father and tell him that Jane is hurt. We need help!”

Jane couldn’t see, but she assumed that Sabine had run off in the direction of the house.

“Kitty, darling, quickly give me your coat,” she instructed. Jane could hear her niece’s whimpering. The coat was placed underneath Jane’s head as a makeshift pillow. “Help is on the way, Janey, just stay awake,” Emilia said soothingly.

Jane was going to stay awake; she just needed to close her eyes for a little moment. And for just a moment, she stopped feeling altogether.

She could hear the stream clearly after a minute, the pain in her head had subsided and she no longer felt any wetness on the side of her head. She opened her eyes and was confused that her vision was no longer blurry. Her hand immediately went to the right side of her head but she felt no evidence of an injury. She sat up and looked around curiously. She was exactly where she had been lying down except Emilia and the girls were nowhere to be found.

She got to her feet and smoothed her dress down. The sun was obscenely bright; she had to squint if she looked at the sky. Looking around her, her surroundings had a white tinge to them ... it looked perfect.

“Where did they go?” she asked to herself.

She jumped when a musical voice disturbed her from behind. She spun around to see a beautiful blonde woman standing before her. She was smiling widely creating small dimples in the side of her cheeks. Her hair was worn in loose golden curls that reached her waist and her bright blue eyes were calm and perceptive. “You must be Jane,” she said in her perfect voice. The woman knitted her fingers together in front of her as she placed them on her clean, white cotton dress. She had a very thin frame; it was evident in her distinct, high cheekbones and her narrow hips and waist.  

“How did you know that?” Jane asked. Her surroundings suggested something to her, and the face of the woman was all too familiar. There was a reason everything was so perfect.

“I have been observing you for awhile, Jane,” she replied simply. “Come,” she gestured for Jane to walk over to her. “Let us go for a walk. I’ll show you one of my favourite places.”

Jane nervously followed the woman. They both walked through the stream though neither of their hems became wet with the water. It confirmed Jane’s suspicions and her heart fell.

“Before we continue, it would be rude of me not to introduce myself – as you may already be aware, I was known as Eleanor,” she smiled happily.

---

Do you hate me even more?

What will happen to Jane? Durrn durrn durnnnnnn!!

Next chapter will be up ASAP :D

xo