James arrived at twenty to eight the next morning, riding Cassie with Jason on a leading rein. As Abby was still eating breakfast, Mary asked James if he would like some breakfast as well. He eagerly accepted, walked the horses to the back of the pub, and looped the reins around the back of one of the bench's. He joined Abby at her table, immediately pinching a piece of buttered toast.
"Don't you eat breakfast?" she inquired.
James nodded, with his mouth full, he eventually managed to say. "Yes, but that was some time ago."
Abby looked at him in amazement. "Some time ago? What time do you get up for God's sake?"
"Usually half-past five, things to do you know."
Abby shook her head. "And there was I thinking you just lazed the day away." At that moment Mary arrived with a plate full of crisp Bacon rashers, fried eggs, and tomatoes.
"Good grief, that was quick, Mary." James exclaimed.
"Well I was doing this for Jack when you arrived. It seemed easier to let you have this, and I'll do some more for him."
James looked a little sheepish. "Will you tell Jack that I appreciate his sacrifice?"
"I wouldn't worry," said Mary, "he doesn't know you've got his breakfast. I'll cook some more for him in a moment."
She left them to their meal, only to re-appear with the flat packages and flask that contained the packed lunch. "Will these fit in the saddle bags?" She inquired of James. His mouth being full again, he nodded. Abby was amazed with the speed with which James tucked away his breakfast. Food had never been of primary importance in her life, at least until she came to Combe Lyney, but even here, with the delicious meals that Mary brought to the table, she had taken care to ration her intake, ever mindful of her figure. James however seemed to have no such inhibitions, yet showed no signs of over-indulgence physically. He must, she thought be one of those lucky people who never put on weight.
James drained the last of a mug of tea, and turning to Abby with a smile on his face enquired, "ready?"
Cassie and Jason were standing with their heads together, as Abby and James came out. James fitted the packed lunches into a saddle bag on Cassie, who turned her head to see what was being done, and then placed the two flasks into the saddle bag on Jason, who side stepped skittishly as if to avoid this indignity. Abby had brought a small bag with her, containing those essentials that no woman would be without. James looped a leather strap through the handle and secured it behind Abby's saddle; he gave her the hard riding hat that thoughtfully he had brought with him.
"Right, come on then, I'll help you up, bend your leg, or if you wish step up onto the bench." Abby approached Jason cautiously, and opted to climb on the seat of the bench. James stood the other side of Jason to stop him moving away, and Abby threw her leg over the saddle, and mounted with little difficulty. Taking the reins up, she remembered that Jason needed a good hand, and pulled him up firmly when he started to walk. James had mounted Cassie in the meantime, and turning his head looked to Abby, who similarly goaded Jason into walking. James lead the way not out onto the road, but to a five bar gate situated in the rear fence of the yard, leaning down he unlatched it, gesturing to Abby to go through, he followed, allowing the gate to swing to behind Cassie, and re-latched the gate.
"I thought it would be easier this way, rather than going down the road."
Abby looked about curiously. "Won't the farmer mind?"
James shook his head. "No, I don't mind," he grinned at her, "don't forget, as you pointed out the other day, I own all of this land."
She grinned back. "How silly of me, Droit de Seignure and all that."
He laughed. "That's right, so do you feel safe being out with me today?"
"Of course," she replied, "besides I have got Jason to protect me. You did say he sees men as a threat."
James nodded ruefully. "Yes he does, oh well I had better behave myself today." Funny thing thought Abby, she could never visualise James not behaving himself.
She surveyed the landscape wondering where they were going. "O.K., where are you taking me?"
He pointed towards the corner of the meadow. "We'll get onto the track bed there, just beyond the cutting, I thought we would go up the valley first, you get some really good views of the line from up there."
"Is that near to Lills Platform?" She asked.
He looked across at her. "Good Lord, how did you know that?" Abby explained that Mr. Brasher had sent her all these notes and that it was a name mentioned quite frequently. They had arrived at the corner that James had indicated, and passed through the gate, and up onto the track. Turning to the left they walked the horses easily along the track bed, which at this point was starting to rise on an embankment.
Abby could see the girders of the railway bridge ahead. "Are we going to cross by the bridge?" she asked.
"No, I don't think it would be safe enough for the horses, you can walk across on foot, but there are one or two gaps that you have to look out for. We'll ford the river there; it's only about eighteen inches deep."
As they approached the bridge, James led them off the track and down the embankment at a slight angle. The dressed rock abutments loomed up on the right, as they descended the bank of the river, both Cassie and Jason stepping into the water without hesitation. The horses splashed through the river, which in summer drought was not flowing particularly quickly, both horses stretching their necks down to snatch mouthfuls of water. They would have stopped if allowed, but James urged Cassie onwards and Jason followed. They ascended the embankment once more and regained the track, walking on. Abby could see the definite rise as the track aimed itself across the meadows towards the valley side, here the climb became more pronounced and she wandered at the effort the old steam locomotives would have made to ascend this incline. The pathway had been narrow for a while and James had to lead the way, but it widened once they were off the embankment, and he dropped back to ride alongside. The track hugged the valley side, and as they climbed the views became ever more striking.
He pointed to a cluster of farm buildings. "That's Gallow farm."
Abby followed his pointing finger. "Should I know about that?" she asked.
