The next few days fell into a routine of waking, stretching, then shooting. After that, he’d face Arnoldson striving his utmost to land a blow before taking breakfast, sometimes finding it almost impossible to sit down without crying out with the pain of the blows he’d received.
He met Penny at noon of that first day, and they rode out into the surrounding countryside. Penny twirled her parasol and Reuben handled the little buggy with consummate skill. The small, sprightly pony proved strong and game. They both enjoyed the ride more than the picnic, which was a frugal affair.
On the riverbank, Penny threw out a blanket, and they sat and stared at the water without speaking. Cole finding, with some surprise, that he did not feel awkward at all, longed for the moment to last forever. Silen
