[For the next few days, George thinks of little else than that he is being watched, on all sides. Rabadash keeps George close beside him, and George does his best to keep his face impassive, to do his job as he has done for a year now. It's hard not to look at Lucy, but he's taught himself not to look at any women if he doesn't have to.
On the day of the hunt, he allows himself to watch Lucy as she rides, and she's good. He doesn't know if she's good enough to beat the prince, but he's willing to bet on it, at the very least.
It's even more difficult not to look at Lucy as they haggle over terms, to pretend that it's nothing to him whether he ends the day as Rabadash's property or Lucy's. The race is agony. He's never watched a sporting event with more intensity, and for George, that's saying something.
When she wins, for a moment, what George feels is more pride at her victory than relief. She was truly amazing.
Rabadash's fury is clearly apparent to George, but for once he feels schadenfreude over it more than anything. If Susan were not standing right beside him, George might worry about what Rabadash would do before handing him over, but Rabadash's hands are tied, so he gives George a smile that is barely veiled rage, comments to Susan on sister's fondness for wild things, and sends George off with a wave of his hand.
George keeps his bearing all the way to Lucy's tent, but once he's there, he lets out a great, rushing breath of relief and doubles over, hands on his knees, until his heart stops racing and he can take a proper breath again.]
no subject
On the day of the hunt, he allows himself to watch Lucy as she rides, and she's good. He doesn't know if she's good enough to beat the prince, but he's willing to bet on it, at the very least.
It's even more difficult not to look at Lucy as they haggle over terms, to pretend that it's nothing to him whether he ends the day as Rabadash's property or Lucy's. The race is agony. He's never watched a sporting event with more intensity, and for George, that's saying something.
When she wins, for a moment, what George feels is more pride at her victory than relief. She was truly amazing.
Rabadash's fury is clearly apparent to George, but for once he feels schadenfreude over it more than anything. If Susan were not standing right beside him, George might worry about what Rabadash would do before handing him over, but Rabadash's hands are tied, so he gives George a smile that is barely veiled rage, comments to Susan on sister's fondness for wild things, and sends George off with a wave of his hand.
George keeps his bearing all the way to Lucy's tent, but once he's there, he lets out a great, rushing breath of relief and doubles over, hands on his knees, until his heart stops racing and he can take a proper breath again.]