Sunlight exploded into the room as the maids pulled the curtains open. Thoroughly disoriented, I sat up, fisting the sleep from my eyes.

"Good morning ladies, breakfast is served," the maid said, bobbing a curtsey before disappearing through the service door. Emily let out a little moan before rolling over and pulling her pillow over her head. Rosanna yawned, sitting up and stretching. I debated lying back down, my eyes heavy from lack of sleep, when the smell of breakfast wafted in from the sitting room.

I nearly leaped from the bed, stuffing my feet into slippers before padding out to the sitting room. Ella's door was still closed so I happily sat and helped myself to breakfast. A few minutes later Rosanna emerged, still yawning.

"Will we always be up this early?" I asked her, as I helped myself to more buttered toast. She was looking down at a paper that had been wedged in with the breakfast items.

"Usually not, but there are plenty of activities today - including the first hunt," she said, avoiding my eyes as she handed the paper over to me. It appeared to be a social calendar for the day, announcing the hunt departing the city at 10am followed by a late picnic lunch and a debutantes-only dinner with the royal family.

"It will be so wonderful to spend time outdoors!" I said, my face splitting into a grin as I looked outside. It was cloudy, but thankfully there was no rain.

"Indeed, especially since you missed tea yesterday," Rosanna said, watching my reaction. I fought from rolling my eyes, my excuses already made to Ella before dinner last night.

"If it's any of your business, I was taking my tea with the princess," I said, shoveling a forkful of eggs into my mouth while returning her stare. Rosanna's eyebrows shot skyward, but she said nothing, instead dropping her eyes to her own plate. The silence hung between us as Emily groaned and grumbled from our bedchamber.

"Have you hunted before?" Rosanna finally asked, the silence straining her politeness. I half wished she'd have allowed me to eat in peace so I could be done before Emily made her appearance, but she was too well-bred to allow the silence to stretch on too long.

"Oh yes, my brothers enjoy it very much," I replied between mouthfuls. She nodded absently, taking a piece of toast as Ella's door opened. Rosanna sprang to her feet, a grin on her face to wipe away the look of concern that had been there moments before.

"Breakfast?" she asked, holding a chair out for Ella. My cousin yawned, looking similarly exhausted.

"I have no idea how I'll stay on my horse, I tossed and turned all night after watching the prince's fencing practice yesterday," she sighed, reaching for the tea Rosanna poured her.

"I fear I may have to sit this event out, Ella," Rosanna said when the three of us were happily munching on breakfast. Ella set her toast down.

"Is everything quite all right?" she asked, frowning. Rosanna forced a smile.

"Yes of course. But I...after my brother's accident, you see..." she began, but was silenced when Ella reached over and patted her hand.

"It's quite all right, I'm sure Libby and Emily will be more than enough company for me," she said.

"What company?" Emily yawned, finally emerging to sit across from me.

"On the hunt, silly! We'll get to see the prince again as well!" Ella mooned, hardly able to keep the wistful excitement from her face. Emily's face broke into a smug little grin.

"Yes, you missed quite the afternoon Libby," Emily said, sitting down and daintily folding her napkin into her lap. This time I rolled my eyes in earnest, determined not to rise to her taunting.

"You should all eat up," Rosanna said, sensing the conflict brewing, "I'll attend to Ella but you two must be dressed and ready in little more than an hour,"

Emily abandoned her breakfast with a little shriek, running back into the room as she complained about a lack of time. I fought from rolling my eyes as Rosanna set hers on me.

"You'll wear your travelling dress, yes?" she said. I nodded, realizing that I would no doubt be the dowdiest girl on the hunt. Not that fashion mattered, so long as Boy Bill managed to wrangle me a horse.

"Excellent," Rosanna said, dabbing her lips with her napkin, "Ella, when you're ready I'll help you arrange your hair to compliment the riding habit we'd selected,"

The two of them rose, leaving me to finish off the breakfast tray as I thanked the stars for giving me something to do other than gossip and choose clothes today.

*****

Ella led the way as we emerged into the stables courtyard. It was alive with gaily attired ladies and stomping horses. The men were all dressed for the hunt, some with snuffling hounds at their feet. I knew my drab travelling dress was terribly dull compared to them, but just being outside and around horses was enough to cheer my spirits. My last hunt had been ages ago, between my first and second finishing schools and before my eldest brother had wed his vile wife and moved away to her country estate.

"It really is a shame Rosanna had to miss this," Ella said, pulling on her riding gloves as one of the stablehands led her dappled mare over. Emily tossed her head, nonchalantly surveying the other girls' riding attire. Once again, Ashley Mayfair was turned out splendidly, a jaunty little hat perched on her coif. I didn't miss the way she hitched her skirts up as she climbed the mounting block, taking her time when she knew she had the attention of a number of the highborn men. Emily snorted, taking the reins of her own dun mare.

"Forgive me, miss, but the horse we'd prepared for you seems to have slipped a shoe," the stablehand said, bowing as he spoke. It took Ella and Emily's stares to make me realize he was talking to me.

"Surely there must be another horse available," I said, the prospect of a boring afternoon of needlework and gossip terrifying me into being brash.

"Unfortunately there are naught but temperamental geldings left," he said.

"That will do," I said, making a show of pulling on my gloves. When he didn't leave to fetch me a horse, I sighed and fixed my best Miss Halpern glower on my face.

"It's just...they are dreadfully wild horses, miss. I doubt you would be able to control one while riding side-saddle," he said.

"Bring the horse to me," I instructed, "I will be the one to make such an evaluation,"

"Surely you're not considering riding astride?" Ella demanded, horrified.

"Of course not," I shot back, bluffing, for that is exactly what I had been planning. I'd slipped on the leather leggings Xavier had given me last Christmas beneath my traveling dress, the sectioning between the petticoats more than enough to give me room to sit astride.

"You'll break your neck," Ella exclaimed, when the stablehand returned, leading an unruly looking horse. It stamped and flared its nostrils when he stopped in front of me.

"Yes, I see what you mean," I said, chewing my lip in thought as I cast my eyes about the courtyard. Ella and Emily had lined up at the mounting block, Ella shooting uncertain glances my way while Emily no doubt told her to ignore me.

"Come, let's see if we can make a trade," I said, my eyes finally landing on a plan. The stablehand followed after me, tugging the bridle as the horse did it's best to inconvenience everyone it encountered.

"Good day, gentlemen!" I sang as we approached a group of mounted male courtiers. Their conversation stopped mid-sentence as they turned to face me. Oliver's face split into a grin while the man next to him - his brother, I assumed based on their dental similarities - shot me an annoyed look. Beside him, Dorian Fletcher cocked an eyebrow, his eyes landing on my horse. Lord Amberly was to his left, faking a cough to cover his amusement at my horse's antics.

"Good day to you, Elizabeth," Oliver said. His brother Martin shot him a scathing look, opening his mouth to say something before I cut him off.

"It appears that I am in need of a champion," I said, reaching over to attempt to affectionately pat my horse. In return, it made to nip me despite the stablehand yanking the reins at the last second to spare my hand a chomp.

"You can't possibly expect to ride such a beast?" Martin spat, his upper lip curling. I gave him the most syrupy sweet smile I could muster.

"I had hoped to, but alas I fear I am far too timid for the likes of him," I replied, sidling over to give Martin's horse's nose a rub, "I couldn't help but notice that your noble steeds are all so well behaved,"

"That would be from years of proper training and excellent breeding," Dorian Fletcher drawled, casting his eyes away to emphasize his boredom with me, "Hardly something one can expect from a palace horse-for-hire,"

I fought from shooting him a scathing look, forcing the sweetness back onto my face.

"Spoken like a true expert in husbandry," I said, dipping him my most sarcastic curtsey, "Could I impose upon one as knowledgable as yourself to aid me in calming my own horse?"

"I am here for a hunt, not for a riding lesson," Dorian said, gently spurring his mount forward and forcing me to step out of his way. It was all I could do to keep from swatting his horse's rear and hoping it would break into a gallop and throw its rider.

"Forgive him," James said, swinging his leg up and over to dismount his horse, "He doesn't seem to realize when his manners have degenerated,"

"Of course," I smiled, hopeful as James led his horse towards me.

"Have them fit her with a side-saddle, she's a wonderfully gentle thing," he said, handing his reins over to me, "I'll see what I can do with this big brute,"

The stablehand exchanged reins with James, the big gelding attempting to back away before James lay a comforting hand on his flank.

"I am eternally grateful," I said, sweeping him a deep curtsey as the stablehand led James' horse away to be fit with a side-saddle, "You have saved me from an afternoon of needlepoint,"

"A dastardly fate if ever there was one," Oliver put in from atop his own horse. James had managed to calm the horse enough to attempt to mount it. It pranced forwards and backwards, unaccustomed to such a commanding rider, but he managed to reign the horse in.

"It is always much more exciting a hunt with a barely broken horse," James said, forcing a smile as he struggled for control of the horse. Not wishing to press my luck or give him any time to change his mind, I sank into another curtsey, thanking him profusely again, before hurrying off after the stablehand.