Chapter 8 Learning to Ride.
The Earl of Dorincourt had the chance to wear his grim smile many more times as the days passed.
The more time he spent with Cedric, the more often he smiled.
Sometimes his smile didn't even seem that grim.
On the morning Cedric learned to ride his pony.
The Earl was so pleased he almost forgot about his gout.
Wilkins, the groom had brought out the fine brown pony and the earl had found a seat near his window so he could watch.
This was Cedric's very first riding lesson.
The Earl wondered if the boy would be scared and, like most children, start to cry.
But Cedric did no such thing.
He had never been on a pony before, and he was very excited.
The groom had him sit in the saddle by himself.
Then he slowly led the pony in front of the window so the Earl could see.
After a few moments, Cedric spoke up to his grandfather.
Can't I go by myself? he asked.
And can't I go faster?
I want to trot and canter.
Do you think you could? asked the Earl.
I would like to try, said Cedric.
Then let him trot, the Earl told Wilkins.
The next few minutes were exciting.
Cedric learned that trotting on the pony wasn't as easy as it looked.
The faster the pony trotted, the harder it was.
It jolts a good deal, doesn't it? he said.
The earl watched him bounce past.
Cedric's cheeks grew bright red.
He looked like he was out of breath, but he held on and he kept going.
Then Cedric and Wilkins rode off into the trees.
When they came back, the boy's cheeks were even redder, and his hat was missing.
What happened to your hat? called the earl.
Wilkins entered for him.
It fell off, your lordship.
He wouldn't let me stop to pick it up.
Ready to get off, the earl asked the boy.
It jolts you more than you think it will admitted Sidric, and it tires you a little too, but I don't want to get off.
I want to learn how to trot and canter faster.
As soon as I catch my breath, I want to go back for the hat.
Boy was brave and determined, and the Earl was impressed.
He watched as Cedric and Wilkins trotted back into the trees.
This time when they returned, they were riding much faster, and Wilkins had the lost hat.
Cedric's hair was flying in the wind.
There, he said as he came to a stop under his grandfather's window.
He was out of breath.
I cantered.
I stayed on.
Cedric, Wilkins, and the pony were good friends after that.
Almost every day they rode out together around the town.
The children in the cottages would run out to wave to little Lord Fauntleroy.
Cedric always shouted good morning and waved back.
Once Cedric insisted on stopping at the village school.
He noticed a boy who had hurt his leg and he wanted the boy to ride home on his pony instead of having to walk.
When they reached the boy's cottage, his mother came out to greet Cedric.
Cedric whipped off his cap and waved.
I brought your son home, ma'am, he said.
His leg was hurting him.
I don't think that stick is enough for him to lean on.
I'm going to ask my grandfather to buy a pair of crutches for him.
When the earl heard about this, he wasn't angry.
He was amused.
A few days later, he even took Cedric to the boy's house in his carriage.
Cedric leaped out to deliver the crutches as promised.
When the boy's mother answered the door, he said, ''My grandfather's compliments.
If you please, these are for your boy.
We hope he will get better.''
Back inside the carriage, he told the earl what he had said.
I said they were your compliments, he explained.
You didn't tell me to say that, but I thought you forgot.
That was the right thing to say, wasn't it?
The earl laughed, but he didn't say that it wasn't.
Cedric also saw Dearest every day.
Mostly he was happy, but there was one thing that puzzled him.
He thought about it a lot, even though he didn't talk about it to the earl or to Dearest.
He thought it was strange that Dearest and his grandfather never seemed to meet.
When the carriage stopped at Court Lodge, the Earl never got out to greet her.
On the rare Sundays when the Earl went to church, Cedric always ended up speaking with his mother alone.
And yet fruit and flowers were sent to the lodge from the castle every day.
And soon after the first Sunday, when Dearest had walked to church, the Earl gave her a present.
It was a large carriage with two horses.
Cedric found it at her door one day when he was going to visit her.
"'That is a present from you to your mother,' the Earl snapped.
"'She cannot go walking around the country.
She needs a carriage.
It is a present from you.'
Fauntleroy was delighted.
He ran to tell her.
Dearest, the carriage is yours.
Can you believe it?
He says it's a present from me.
Cedric was so happy his mother didn't know what to say.
She didn't want to accept money or presents from the earl, but she knew that her son would not understand why.
Cedric often told dearest stories about how good and noble and generous his grandfather was.
His stories were so innocent that sometimes they made her laugh a little.
She would pull him to her side and kiss him, feeling happy that he could see only the good in the old man.
Cedric also wrote to his friend, Mr. Hobbs.
He showed the earl the letter before sending it to make sure there were no spelling mistakes.
The letter told Mr Hobbs what a great earl his grandfather was.
He wasn't a tyrant Cedric, assured his old friend.
The letter went on to describe the many things that the Earl had done for his people and for Cedric.
Cedric wrote that he wished his mother could live with him at the castle, but that he was very happy when he didn't miss her too much.
When the Earl finished reading this letter, he studied Cedric carefully.
You do miss your mother that much, he asked.
I miss her all the time, the boy said.
You don't miss her, do you?
I don't know her, the earl snapped.
I think that's odd, Cedric said.
Don't you?
It makes me wonder.
I know she said not to ask questions, but it does make me wonder.
When I miss her very much.
I look out my bedroom window at night and I can see the light in her window.
It's very far away, through the trees, but it's there.
She puts it on as soon as it's dark.
I know what it says.
What does it say? the Earl asked.
It says, good night.
I'm thinking of you.
So you see, I am always thinking of her, and she is always thinking of me.
I have no doubt, the Earl said.
