Here Charles
dropped his late name, and assumed that of Will Jackson. He threw off
his peasant's garb, put on the livery of a servant, and set off on
horseback with his seeming mistress, Miss Jane Lane, sister of the
colonel, who had suddenly become infected with the desire of visiting a
cousin at Abbotsleigh, near Bristol. The prince had now become a lady's
groom, but he proved an awkward one, and had to be taught the duties of
his office.
"Will," said the colonel, as they were about to start, "you must give my
sister your hand to help her to mount."
The new groom gave her the wrong hand. Old Mrs. Lane, mother to the
colonel, who saw the starting, but knew not the secret, turned to her
son, saying satirically,--
"What a goodly horseman my daughter has got to ride before her!"
To ride before her it was, for, in the fashion of the day, groom and
mistress occupied one horse, the groom in front, the mistress behind.
Not two hours had they ridden, before the horse cast a shoe. A road-side
village was at hand, and they stopped to have the bare hoof shod. The
seeming groom held the horse's foot, while the smith hammered at the
nails. As they did so an amusing conversation took place.
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