Night Lessons

By Donna and Abby

Nick Pasco rode into the fort and dismounted.  He might not have been much of a rider before Edan, but he sure had perfected it since coming.  It only made sense, since there was no other way around.  Nick was very physical and in good shape, so it had not been difficult.  Then again, a man who looked just like him (unfortunately) and who was in the same physical shape (one would assume) did not get on a horse at all! As Nick swung off his mount, he noticed Wing Commander Ian Tully walking, sour faced, across the compound.  That man did not seem interested in riding at all!

As Nick thought about this, he led his animal into the stables.  He immediately stopped thinking of Tully and sighed. He liked riding his horse, but he hated taking off the saddle, rubbing him down, feeding and watering him, and then going to write his long report.

What he wouldn't give to have a good groom there at the stables, one that would take care of the officer's mounts! It would free up a lot of their time, that was for sure!

With this still on his mind, instead of his report, he went to the offices.  He was tired and cranky, and O'Neil noticed it. Of course, when he asked what was wrong, Nick told him, in no uncertain terms!

The Colonel shrugged. Very few of the enlisted ranks knew one end of the horse from the other, so he couldn't assign one of them. "Why don't you see if any of the new guys at the livery would be willing to hire on to help out until we get some men trained?" he asked.

"I'll do that, sir," said Nick.  "First thing tomorrow."  And he indicated his report.

Bright and early the next day, he headed into town. He found Gideon and the three young women that worked at the livery grooming the horses in the paddocks that were all lazing about in the morning sunlight.

Nick touched the brim of his hat.  "Morning ladies," he said.  He nodded to Gideon, too.  "I've been sent to ask you a question," he said as he dismounted.

"Ask away," Kishori chuckled. "But we are kinda short handed today. Most of the men are out on a cattle drive at Booker's place."

"Rats," said Nick.  "That was the question.  I have to hire someone to work, permanently, in the fort's stables!"

"What kind of work?" a pretty dark haired girl with a slightly French sounding accent asked.

"When the officers come in," Nick said, looking her over appraisingly, "someone has to take their mounts and see to them properly. Right now, we have to do it ourselves, and we have paper work and all that to do afterward."  He hoped that did not sound like he was being a primadonna. Somehow, complaining was easier to O'Neil.

"Aye," Jeannette nodded. "Not unlike the way that we would tend to the knights’ horses at Camelot," she said evenly. "I might be knowing of someone that could do the job for ye."  Of course, she had heard that women weren't allowed at the fort, so she wasn't going to say it was her that was interested in the job!

"Tell him we'll pay well," said Nick, knowing that Booker also did.  "And it is a permanent position.  We'd be grateful."  With that, he nodded again to everyone, mounted up, and went on his way.

Kishori grinned at Jeannette. "My sister told me that you passed yourself off as a lad for many years. Are you thinking of doing that again?"

Jeannette laughed. "Aye," she said, her voice now deeper sounding. "Want to cut my hair for me? It's gotten too long to keep hidden under a hat."

The fae laughed.  They had more than enough help, and Jeanette was still looking for herself, so to speak, since coming to Edan.  Perhaps this was just what she needed!

Jeannette went into the empty men's bunkhouse, and raided the baskets of clothing that were there, waiting to be taken to Hop Sing's laundry. She needed something that looked scruffier than what she usually wore.  Jeannette was a tall, slender young woman, so it wasn't hard to find some clothes that fit her. And after Kishori gave her a hair cut, she changed into them.

Later that afternoon, she went on over to the fort.  Nick noticed her right away, and even with the much shorter hair, he recognized her.  But he was not going to give her away. He never thought the no woman rule was any good, and he really wanted someone to help out in the stables!  So when she said she was Jeanette's brother, he pretended to buy it lock, stock, and saddlebag.

He then showed *Jacque* the small room attached to the main stable block that he had determined would be a good place for a live-in groom. It even had a private bathroom, so it was perfect!

"O'Neil suggested I show you to the barracks," he said, "but I thought we might need you in the middle of the night.  People come and go . . . this will be more convenient."

"Aye," Jacque said. "Thank you! Can I be looking at the horses now?" And with that, the new stable*lad* went right to work.

Nick was happy.  He was content enough with Edana that he did not have to worry about his own urges toward the hidden girl, and his horse problems were solved!  Anyway, he didn't think anyone else would see through her guise - it was too good.  He just did not believe in coincidence.

Several weeks passed. All the officers were delighted to have their horse's needs taken care of. It was so nice to be able to just hand the animal over to the waiting groom and then go tend to more pressing business. Jeannette/Jacque was happy working at the Fort's stables. It was a lot like the one she had left behind at Camelot. She had Thursday afternoon off to go to town and visit her friends, and all day Sunday as well. Things were working well! Until late one Thursday evening, after she had returned from town to do the evening feeding. She then headed to the small bathhouse that she had the use of to clean up.

That was when Tully, red in the ears because Nick had said something off-handedly about his not being able to ride, came to the stables to see if he could coax the new stable boy into giving him some private lessons!

As he walked through the stables, he could see all the horse had been well taken care of as usual. Heading to the back, he knocked on the door of Jacque's small room, but found the door ajar and no one there. Across the aisle, he heard the sound of water running. Thinking, of course, that Jacques was a male, he went to the door and opened it confidently.  But what he saw inside was NOT male!  Fortunately, Jeanette did not hear him open the door, and he closed it immediately!

Swallowing hard, Tully backed away. What should he do? Should he report her to the Colonel?

She was awfully pretty.  From what he could see, anyway, and that was only her back! But of course he had seen her front, and now that he thought about it, she *was* pretty.  Why didn't anyone see it before?

Well, he thought, if they can't tell for themselves, he wasn't going to tell them.  Normally officious, Tully *really* wanted to learn how to ride, and if he outed her, he'd lose his chance.  Maybe there was a chance for more than horseback riding lessons, too, he thought with a blush.

So, he went out of the stables for a bit, and then returned as he thought the girl had had enough time to clean up. He found her in her room, reading, dressed in an oversized tunic over a pair of pants. "Can I help you, sir?" she said, rising to her feet and lowering her lovely eyes.

"Yes," he said, looking around furtively.  "I, well, I am from a time when we did not use these animals regularly, and er . . ."

She tilted her head and studying him. "And you would like to learn to ride?" she asked. Jeannette had heard the other officers fussing about him and his seeming ineptitude around the main source of transportation that was available on Edan!

"But no one is to know you are helping me," said Tully.  "That is, if you do help me. I shall pay you well . . .” And keep your secret, he thought, but for now he would not mention that unless she gave him a problem.

Jeannette nodded. "I can help you. Is this time of night good for you? No one is around usually unless something is going on."

Tully was elated!  They had to be secretive, and that was exciting.  But he was also worried.  "Can horses see in this light?" he asked.

She nodded. "We can use the small training ring behind the stables. No one ever uses it at night anyways!"

Tully nodded, and then he waited as Jeanette tacked up one of the horses.  He was feeling very nervous, and not just because he did not know how to ride!  He was not what you might call a lady's man.

But as the evening progressed, he found it easier just to go on pretending she was just one of the lads, even though he knew better. And since she wasn't putting on any feminine airs, he didn't have to worry about how to act around her like he did the other women. By the end of his first lesson, he had learned not only to mount and dismount correctly, but also how to make the horse walk and stop!

That was a major leap forward for him, but of course he was not going to show off anything until he had much more than that to show!  Still, it made him happy, and there was no one to show his happiness to but her, and of course he could not do that!

He did the next best thing. Reaching out, Tully shook her hand and thanked her, telling her he would return the next evening. With an extra lift to his stride, he headed back to his own quarters for the night. Things were looking up!