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I study her It’s a question that’s been plaguing me since I first saw her on the beach "Because she’d be a capall uisce in a race made for capaill uisce"

She looks past ether, herabout her, a fury that I associate with youth

"I don’t want to consider this unless I’ to be a better bet than Dove," she says It’s not until she’s been quiet for a longfor ree

I’m not certain what she expects me to say Shefaster than a capall uisce Period I don’t care what sort of training regi, circles in the surf, or whatever They have strength on your rass The capaill uisce run on blood, Kate Connolly You don’t stand a chance"

This seems to solidify her opinions, because she nods, once, sharply "Okay, then So, you’ll race me, then, won’t you?"

It’s a curious way that she phrases it The "won’t you?" s as normal

"Race? Me on the ain, finally stilling Corr as he stops to scent it I can smell rain on it, far away "I don’t understand the purpose"

She just stares at me

Back at the yard, I have two lots of horses to take out to the gallops yet I have George Holly and at least two other buyers poking around the barns, looking for the horse that will make their mainland yards famous, or at least famous for the year I have too ht comes early I don’t have tiainst a pony that couldn’t begin to look Corr in the eye

"It’s no more time than it would take for me to try her," Kate says "So if you say no, it’s just because the idea insults you"

Which is hoe end up racing

I retrieve the bayCorr in her place with a lu her stirrups fro crossed over the saddle as she does It’s so I don’t know that I’d ever do on one of the capaill uisce

Beneathand anxious She’s as hard to hold as the piebald, but less malevolent She would sooner drown you than eat you

"Are you ready?" Kate asksinstead I don’t think there’s even a ghost of a chance she wants this horse I’ over there?"

I nod

I reason with myself: This doesn’t have to be an entirely wasted exercise If I can get this bay ht and true for these five minutes, then I’ll reconsider what I told Malvern I hate releasing a horse after I’ve invested time in it, and she’s had plenty of ti and she will shape up for next year Corr took years to settle

"Are aiting for a sign?" Kate says, springing off across the field The bay mare’s after her like a shot, all predator, and I let her have her head until we’ve caught up Kate has a big handful of Dove’s rip until I realize it’s to keep the strands froth I don’t have to worry about that with the bay mare; she’s rubbedfor the sea

The two horses gallop through the cliff grass, both of them nimble over the uneven surface

The bay et a bit more speed out of her, to pull away from Dove and end this But theinstead of away fro more to the side than forward

And of course that island pony tracks straight and true ahead of us

It takes ain, but when she decides to run, she catches up easily Kate’s dun pony gallops along -- joyfully Her ears are pricked with the glee of the run, her tail cracking every so often as she bucks playfully with excitelances at e the bay es forward, listening The dun mare doesn’t stand a chance

I hear a crack over the sound of the wind in my ears and turn just in time to see that Kate has reached behind her and, with her open palotten her pony’s attention and Dove charges forward, giving it everything

It’s no good, though My capall uisce has more speed than any island pony has dreaths between us by the ti