Around the River's Bend

by Aaron McCarver

  “Miss?”

  “Take that saddle off. Put a man’s saddle on her.”

  “But, miss—!”

  “Quickly! Do what I tell you.”

  Billy had learned long ago the futility of arguing with Sabrina Fairfax. He swallowed hard, then shrugged. “You’ll ’ave to tell Sir Charles it weren’t my idea.”

  “I’ll take care of that. Quickly now, before he gets back.”

  It only took Billy a few moments until the horse was wearing the man’s saddle. Billy had just finished tightening the cinches when Sir Charles came puffing down the pathway. “Well, are we all ready?”

  “Oh yes, I’m ready.”

  Sir Charles was about to say more when his eyes fell on the saddle. Instantly he grew angry, and his face turned red. “Blast your eyes, Billy, what were you thinking of? Where’s Miss Fairfax’s sidesaddle?”

  “It weren’t my fault!” Billy said indignantly. “She made me do it!”

  Turning to Sabrina, Charles said, “What in the world—” His words were cut off, for Sabrina had been unbuttoning her long coat. She shrugged it off and then turned to give Charles a brilliant smile. The smile had no effect, but her costume did. Charles blinked and shook his head and then stood absolutely still, as if smitten.

  “Don’t you like my outfit, Charlie?”

  “It’s—it’s—” Stratton could not think of a reply, for Sabrina’s riding costume had robbed him of all words. Sabrina was wearing a pair of fawn-colored men’s britches, tight-fitting and clinging to the curves of her legs, and a maroon coat that came down to her fingertips and was buttoned at her waist with one button. The curves of her figure filled the white silk shirt that she wore, and a man’s black bow tie was fitted around her neck.

  Sabrina could not keep from smiling as Charles stared at her in absolute shock. She saw that he was looking at her legs, and she laughed aloud. “Didn’t you know I had legs, Charles, under those long skirts?”

  “Sabrina, I’m surprised at you!”

  “Women do have legs, you know, even though we try to disguise them. Come along. I’m ready for a ride.

  “Give me a leg up, Billy.” She put her foot in Billy’s ready hands and sprang up and threw her leg over. She fitted her feet into the stirrups and laughed again. “Now, this is the way to ride a horse!”

  Charles Stratton sputtered, “But-but-you can’t—”

  “Of course I can, Charles. Now get on your horse.”

  Charles Stratton knew it was useless to argue with this woman. “I’m glad nobody’s here to see you in that outlandish outfit!” He labored to get on his horse and then kicked it into motion.

  Sabrina spoke to Betty, then turned back and winked at Billy. “Thank you, Billy. You think I look nice, don’t you?”

  Billy glanced furtively at his master, then winked back. “Yes, ma’am! Top rate!”

  “You see, Charles, Billy thinks I look nice.”

  It took Charles Stratton a hundred yards before he could gain his voice. “People will talk if they see you like this, Sabrina.”

  “Have you ever thought, Charles, how hard it is to ride sidesaddle? Did you ever try it?”

  “Of course not!”

  “Try it sometime. Now this is the way to ride a horse! I’m never going to ride that awful sidesaddle again.”

  “But think of what people will say.”

  “No, you think of it. I’ve decided to become a new kind of woman, Charles, and this is the first shot in my war.”

  She touched Betty with her heels, and the mare shot forward. Charles kicked his stallion into motion, but he could not catch the fleet mare. He was not a good rider, and it was fifteen minutes later before Sabrina pulled up and waited for him. “You’re going to break your neck riding like that—and you must not wear that outfit in public!”

  Sabrina’s face was full of color. The exercise had brightened her cheeks, and the thrill of riding astride had given her a new freedom. “Charlie, don’t you ever want to break the rules?”

  “Break the rules! Why, of course not! Rules aren’t made to be broken.”

  “Why are they made?”

  “Why, because they are necessary.”

  “I think most rules are foolish,” Sabrina said. She tried to explain the part of her that rebelled against the foolish rules she saw all about her, but she could not put her thoughts into words that Sir Charles Stratton would understand. He was a young man, only two years older than she, but his character had been molded by his position in life and by a rigid set of English rules. He had a typical Englishman’s mentality, and finally Sabrina saw the uselessness of it. “Where are you going tomorrow?”

  “To see a boxing match.”

  “Where is it, Charlie?”

  “They’re holding this one down on the wharf on a barge.”

  Sabrina turned and said, “Take me with you, Charlie.”

  “Are you insane, Sabrina? Women don’t go to boxing matches.”

  “Why not?”

  “Because they’re—well, they’re not suitable for women.”

  “What’s unsuitable about them?”

  “Well, the language, for one thing.”

  “I doubt if I’d hear anything I haven’t heard before.”

  “I certainly hope that’s not true! You can’t imagine how rough the talk is. Besides that, they’re brutal, bloody things.”

  “Then why do you go?”

  “Why, it’s sport, don’t you see?”

  That seemed to settle everything for Sir Charles Stratton. If it was sport, it was acceptable, and he could attend things as cruel as bearbaiting, cockfighting, dogfighting, or men battering each other into insensibility with a clear conscience. He liked his answer so well he said again, “It’s sport. That makes it fine.”

  “Why don’t you try it yourself?”

  “Me? Why, that’s for another kind of man. The boxers are not really human, Sabrina. They’re brutal beasts. Nothing but muscles. No mind at all.”

  “I wouldn’t think it would be very much fun.”

  Charles spent some time explaining to Sabrina the attractions of the bareknuckled art of self-defense, but he was adamant when he said, “No, you absolutely must not go to a boxing match.”

  Sabrina stared at him. The words you absolutely must not had always been a challenge for her, and although she said no more about it, her thoughts were on the event. She smiled to herself as she began to create a plan in which she could manifest the fact that she was a new kind of woman.

  ****

  Sir Roger Fairfax had the same blond hair as Sabrina and big blue eyes. He was a busy man, always in motion, quick to make decisions, and often quick to rue those hasty decisions. He looked across the table now at Sabrina and said, “What are you doing up so early?”

  “Oh, I just couldn’t sleep.”

  “You look very well this morning, Sabrina.” He noted that her green dress picked up the color of her eyes and felt a moment’s pride at this beautiful young woman that was his daughter. He had longed for a son but had never had one. Instead, he had made Sabrina the pride of his life. The loss of his wife five years earlier had been a blow, but he had filled his loneliness by staying busy with his many interests. He enjoyed hunting of all sorts and sports, and he had even served a term in the House of Commons. He did not like the bondage of politics, however, for they seemed to interfere with the things he found much more exciting.

  “How are things at the office?”

  Sir Roger had been eating the kidney pie that the maid had set before him, and now he put his fork down abruptly and took a long pull of ale from the silver goblet. “Not very well, I’m afraid.”

  Sir Fairfax had inherited a stockbrokerage from his father, who had made a rather large fortune in it. It was exactly the kind of activity that Fairfax loved because it involved taking risks. He had often said, “Let others take the short money and the low interest. I’d rather make a big killing. It’s more exciting that way.”


  Now, however, Sabrina’s father looked troubled. “I must confess I’ve made a few bad decisions, Sabrina.”

  “Are you in serious trouble?” Sabrina could not imagine a life that was different from the one she had. Money had never been a concern for her, because whatever she wanted or needed was always there. Her father looked worried now, and she asked, “How bad is it?”

  “Oh, you know how it is when dealing with stocks. You lose on five deals and then on one you get it all back plus a lot more.”

  Sabrina knew her father was an inveterate gambler. The stakes seemed not to be important. He enjoyed the risk. She had known him to come home rejoicing after having won five thousand pounds on a single race—and she had known him to lose an equal amount on another race. Now, for the first time in her life, a twinge of something close to apprehension, almost fear, touched her. For one brief moment she considered what a moneyless future would be like, and she didn’t enjoy the picture she envisioned. “Maybe you ought to cut back on risky ventures.”

  “You may be right about that, Sabrina. But I have one thing in the fire that is going to save us.”

  “What is it? Buying more stock?”

  “No. A different sort of thing altogether. There’s big money to be made in black ivory.”

  “Black ivory? I thought ivory was white.”

  Sir Roger laughed. “This is a different kind of ivory. It’s what they call the black Africans, the ones that become slaves.”

  “What an odd thing to call them.”

  “Well, it is, I suppose, but there’s big money in slavery. One good voyage under a good man, and a fortune is there. As a matter of fact, I’ve decided to get out of the stockbroking business and go into the black ivory business.”

  “But what about a ship?”

  “That’s what I was going to tell you, my dear. I’ve pretty well liquidated all of our holdings, including this house, up for mortgage, that is, and I bought a ship.”

  “But you don’t know anything about ships!”

  “I won’t be sailing it, so I don’t have to know. But I bought this ship and renamed it.” He reached over and took her hand in his. “Guess what the name is.”

  “Why, I have no idea.”

  “How does the Sabrina sound to you?”

  “Why, Father, how touching!” Sabrina’s cheeks glowed with pleasure. “The Sabrina. Do you suppose I could go on one of the cruises?”

  “You wouldn’t like it, my dear. It smells rather bad, I understand, and it can be dangerous. There’s always the danger of a slave uprising and a mutiny, you know.”

  Sabrina listened as her father described his new venture with great pleasure. It involved sending the ship to Africa and making contacts with the Arab slavers there, then transporting the slaves to places where they could be sold for a profit. “The Colonies are a good destination. We can sell them the slaves and buy molasses and bring it back to England. Good profit there, too. It’s going to be much more exciting than dealing in stocks.”

  “But it’s dangerous, isn’t it? I mean, ships can sink.”

  “Well, of course, anything’s dangerous. But I’ll tell you, Sabrina, just one successful voyage will pay off all of our debts and put this house in the clear. And I intend to see more than one successful voyage.”

  Sabrina was wary of this new idea. I’ve seen him like this before, she thought, always with some scheme that’s going to make us immensely rich. She considered trying to talk him out of it, but she knew that was useless. Her father had a stubborn streak, which Sabrina knew she had inherited, and he was past the point of changing his mind. She finally turned her attention to listening as he spoke with pleasure of what they would be able to do when the Sabrina had earned a large fortune for them.

  Finally Fairfax rose, and Sabrina said, “What are you doing today, Father?”

  “Didn’t Charles tell you? He and I are going to a boxing match.”

  “Yes, he did tell me. I asked him to take me.”

  “Well, I’m sure he refused!”

  “Yes, he did!”

  “Well, I should hope so! It’s not for ladies.” He circled the table and leaned over to kiss her. “Why don’t you do some embroidery?”

  “All right, Father, I will.”

  “There’s my good girl.” Fairfax kissed his daughter again, patted her hand, and left the room.

  Sabrina sat there and felt the rebellion growing in her. “You absolutely must not go.” That’s what Charles had said. What should I do? Stay and do some embroidery? The rebellion that lay not too deeply in her spirit began to smolder. “We’ll just see about that!”

  Chapter Two

  Big Ben

  A sudden pull at Sabrina’s arm made her gasp, and she looked up to see a coach-and-four driven by a haughty driver in livery fly by, rattling over the cobblestones. She turned to see a big bluff man dressed in a snuff-colored suit looking down at her. “I’d be careful if I was you.”

  “Thank you very much,” Sabrina said breathlessly. “I believe you saved me from a rather severe accident.”

  “These streets in London! The drivers pay little attention. They expect everyone to get out of their way. Will you be all right now?”

  “Yes, sir. Thank you very much, indeed.”

  Sabrina smiled and turned away from her rescuer. She began threading her way down the streets of Cheapside between vehicles and pedestrians. It was the first time she had ever been afoot in this section of London, and she was frightened for a moment. But her courage always rose to a challenge, and lifting her head, she made her way along the street. Carts and coaches made such a thundering it seemed that the whole world traveled on wheels. At every corner she encountered men and women and children—some in the sooty rags of the chimney sweeps, others arrayed in their gold and gaudy satin of the aristocracy, gazing languidly out of sedans borne by lackeys with thick legs. Porters sweated under their burdens, chapmen darted from shop to shop, and tradesmen scurried around like ants. Tradesmen and vendors shouted their wares, many of them shoving things in Sabrina’s face. She was aware also that there was a danger of slops being thrown out of the upper windows. She noticed with interest the drain in the middle of the street. She had read an article that described how the ditch, a foot wide and six inches deep, would carry all the slops and garbage away. The writer had been most proud of it, stating, “Most cities just let the slops and garbage pile up, but not London. We are certainly leaders in the world today.”

  Finally Sabrina saw what she was looking for—the wharf on the River Thames where the fight was to be held. She glanced around and saw a sign with a red lion, rather faded but recognizable, and assumed this was an inn. She went inside and found the low-ceilinged timbers stained with age and smoke. Three men were sitting at a table playing cards, and all three looked up at her. One leaned over and said something to another that she did not catch, and all three men laughed.

  “May I help you, miss?”

  Sabrina turned to the tall, thin man with white hair and sharp blue eyes. “Yes, I’d like a room if you have one available.”

  “Of course, miss. Come along. I’ll show it to you.”

  Sabrina followed him up the narrow stairs to the second floor, and when he opened the door and stepped inside, she nodded. “This will do very nicely.” Actually, it was not an ornate room, but for her purpose it would do fine.

  “Will you be staying long, miss?”

  “No, just the one day. How much is it?”

  After she had paid for the room, Sabrina walked downstairs and left the inn. She walked the streets until she found what appeared to be a general store. When she stepped inside, a large woman greeted her, saying, “Yes, miss, ’ow can I serve you?”

  “I need to buy some clothes for a servant. A man,” she added quickly.

  “We ’ave a fine selection, miss, if you’ll step this way.”

  Sabrina followed the woman, who began pulling out various items of clothing.

  “And who
t would you be needing exactly?”

  “Oh, just one full outfit please.”

  “Small clothes, too?”

  “Why, yes, if you please.”

  “And how big would this person be?”

  “Oh, about my height and somewhat heavier.”

  Sabrina left the store ten minutes later with the garments wrapped in coarse paper. It was after noon now, and she knew that the boxing match was to take place sometime after dark. She had asked her father particularly, and he had shrugged, saying, “Well, these things are never very punctual. The word is about six, but it could be later. I may be home rather late. Don’t worry about me.”

  Sabrina made her way back to the Red Lion and ignored the whispers and the bold glances that followed her. Going up the stairs, she entered the room, shut the door, and locked it. She unwrapped the clothing and laid everything out on the bed. For a moment she wondered if she had lost her mind, but she put this thought aside. She still remembered Charles’s words telling her that she must not go to the boxing match. Indeed!

  She took off her feminine clothing and began putting on the men’s clothes. It was something new, different, and daring—just the sort of thing that Sabrina Fairfax loved to do! The clothes were rough, suitable for a man of the poorer classes, and they felt out of place on her pampered skin. She pulled on the white stockings and then the knee britches, which fit her rather loosely, put on the white shirt and the waistcoat, added the tie, and then slipped into the roughly made black shoes, which were somewhat too large for her. Topping it off, she put on the coat, which came down to her knees, and buttoned it across the front. She had no mirror, but she could see that the clothing covered the curves of her body well enough.

  To complete the boyish look, she began to pin her hair up, and when she had fastened it as tightly as she could, she tied it up with a silk scarf so it would not come loose. She put on the large hat with the floppy brim, and was relieved to find that it fit nicely over all the hair piled on her head. The last step was to scrub at her face until all traces of powder and rouge were gone, and then she brushed her hand across the floor and picked up enough dust to scour her face with it.