Carstares agreed with him, and volunteered the information that it would be another fine day to-morrow, if the sunset were to be trusted. To this the ostler replied that he, for one, never trusted to no red sunsets, and added darkly that there warn't nothing so deceitful to his manner o' thinking. He'd known it be such a red sunset as never was, and yet be a-pouring with rain all next day. . . .
Should he take the mare?
Carstares shook his head.
"No, I thank you. I remain here but a few moments. I doubt she's thirsty though-eh, Jenny?"
"Water, sir?"
"For her, yes. For myself I fancy a tankard of your home-brewed ale. Stand, Jenny!" He turned away and walked up the steps to the inn door.
"Be you a-going to leave her there, sir-a-standing all by herself?" inquired the man, surprised.
"Why, yes! She's docile enough."
"Well! Seems to me a risky thing to leave a hoss-and a skittish hoss at that-a-standing loose in the road. Ye won't be tying her to a post, master?"
Carstares leaned his arms on the balustrade and looked down at them.
"I will not. She'd be very hurt at such treatment, wouldn't you, lass?"
Jenny tossed her head playfully, as if in agreement, and the ostler scratched his head, looking from her to my lord: "A'most seems as if she understands what you be a-saying to her, sir!"
"Of course she understands! Don't I tell you 'tis a clever little lady? If I call her now she'll come up these steps to me, and not all the ostlers in Christendom could stop her."
"Don't'ee go for to do it, sir!" urged the old man, backing. "She must be uncommon fond o' ye?"
"She'd be a deal fonder of you if you'd fetch her a drink," hinted Jack broadly.
"Ay, sir! I be a-going this werry instant!" And with many an anxious glance over his shoulder at the perfectly quiet mare, he disappeared through an open doorway into the yard.
When Carstares, tankard of ale in hand, emerged from the inn and sat himself down on one of the benches that stood against the wall, the mare was drinking thirstily from a bucket which the ancient one held for her.
"'Tis a wunnerful fine mare, sir," he remarked at length, after a careful inspection of her points.
Carstares nodded pleasantly, and surveyed Jenny through half-shut eyes.
"I think so every time I look at her," he said.
"I should think she could get a bit of a pace on her, sir? Mebbe ye've tried her racing?"
"No, she wasn't brought up to that. But she's fast enough."