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Ian had very little experience with the ins and outs of Destiny City and the surrounding areas, but what he did have was access to a vehicle and GPS on his cell phone. So he found his way to Harroway Stables fairly easily, drawing to a stop not at the office, but further down. His intention was to take a look at the stables and animals before he talked to anyone about renting one of the beasts...that way, if they were all nags that ought to be sent to the knacker, he wouldn't be wasting his time listening to flowery, undeserved, bullshit praise. I'll just cut out the middleman, now won't I?

Decent quality speakers played classical music overhead- Bach, but he couldn't place the piece and didn't really care to - and the stables themselves were smartly cared for. Things were promising already as the curly-haired blond walked the lines of box stalls, critically eyeing the shining beasts within. Clean, well kept...good stock so far.

Down the line, one stall didn't seem to be wholly closed - that often meant a person occupied the space as well as a horse - so he made for it; the beast was handsome, the girl working with it even more comely than the horse. Ian cleared his throat quietly, preferring to not spook girl or horse, and waited just outside the stall, arms crossed over the fine fabric of his button-down shirt. "Excuse me," he ventured after the beast had gotten a look and was unlikely to startle and smash the petite woman.

The horse greeted him with a low, soft sound, ears pricked forward even before the petite girl turned and smiled. "Morning." Ian had an odd feeling that he'd seen this girl - or perhaps someone very like her - in a photograph at Mrs. Hargrove's...but he had no idea when or why.

"Sadly, we have not as I only recently arrived to Destiny City." He took her hand with both of his, rather than giving her a plain, business-like shake. "Ian St. George. And you are?"

"Thank you, Delphine. It is a charming place...I must confess, I am finding it more inviting by the moment." Ian released her hand in a manner that suggested reluctance, then smiled over at her horse. Clearly she was proud of the beast, and it was magnificent - but not as much of a thoroughbred as the girl herself.

"A beautiful animal, Hanoverian, yes? Warmblooded royalty, quite suitable for a genteel young lady such as yourself." Here he decided it was probably an opportune time to make his reasons for approaching her clear, she had hinted twice and also left a fantastic opening: they boarded horses, which often meant they could also let them, supposing there were any stable beasts - or private owners willing. "Actually, I am something of an equestrian myself and heard this was the best stable around. I wanted to talk to some of the owners if possible before seeking audience with the management."

"While I do not have a beast here myself, perhaps there are some that I could...borrow, for an afternoon or two." His English, lightly accented, said Paris, but his smile said sunshine.

Ian nodded as Delphine spoke, smile never leaving his lips. "Never owned one myself, but I have had exposure to the breed, quite lovely." Her gentle intimation that he'd found an owner made the blond's smile grow so that the corners of his eyes crinkled up behind the boxy frames of his spectacles. "I was hoping you would say this."

"Generally it would be pleasure - trail riding, perhaps some jumping - it does get the blood going, doesn't it?" Was he saying this simply to appeal to the pretty girl, or did Ian actually mean it? Only time would tell, really. "Back home, I had a chestnut Selle Français hunter, lovely mare." Technically he still had her, as well as a Norman Cob that had been his first hunter and was now fat and lazy, but as the beasts remained stabled in France on his parent's estate...it was as though he did not have a horse of his own.

He moved closer to Darkest, reaching out with a confident hand to let the horse catch his scent before rubbing at the soft muzzle with genuine affection. "I would be most grateful for your assistance, it is hard to know what would be appropriate or untoward here."

The horse was not the only responsive one, Ian thought. Delphine was lovely, well-bred, and gracious...but she was also a woman. And young enough that flattery and sincere seeming attentions were like a skeleton key to her cooperation and affections.

With the just appropriate amount of excitement and gratitude fed into his words and manner, Ian accepted her offer. "It so happens that my afternoon is quite open today." Truly, the thought of riding the handsome stallion was an appetizing one after being grounded for so long, and if he could manage to charm Delphine further ...well, so much the better. "And I would love to ride with you, if you are certain it is not too much of an imposition, that is."

That he were hardly dressed for a trail ride was of no true consequence, Darkest Hour seemed biddable enough, unlikely to cause an experienced equestrian issue. Besides, how could he - a gentleman - refuse a lovely young woman the pleasure of his company? "There is nothing quite like a a good ride with excellent company."

Had he been a normal sort, Delphine's obvious delight might have been infectious, putting him into a delighted mood over the simple joys the promise of an afternoon riding with a beautiful woman could afford. But Ian was not normal - genteel or not - and though his very body language were suffused with pleasure and what could be read as attraction, most of his pleasure came from having gotten precisely what he wanted. More than, actually, as he'd only hoped to speak with someone about the viability of his patronage at the stables.

"Then I shall, of course, accept your generous offer." His smile, at least, was mostly genuine - though Delphine might have been less pleased with it if she could see the machinations that made it so. Yes, this afternoon promises to be quite enjoyable. "Not at all, I'll have this fine fellow kitted out in no time." Ian gave Darkest another fond pat; he didn't anticipate any issues saddling Delphine's mild-mannered stallion while she tended her mare. It really was a mindless chore, though he worked slowly enough that he and Darkest would be ready to leave the stable just as she and the mare were - it was friendlier if they exited together, after all.

And once they were outside he could give her a hand mounting up, not because she'd need it, but because Ian knew doing so would please her refined sensibilities and it would give him a chance to put his hands on her in a manner that was wholly appropriate but would likely give her heart a bit of a skip. "Now then," Ian stepped to the stallion and swung up into the saddle with a practiced ease, finding his seat and reining the beast in closer to Delphine and the mare expertly.

She hadn't been idly bragging about her skills nor the quality of her horse: Darkest took commands like a dream - the slightest pressure of leg or rein brought smooth results. He was impressed with the responsiveness of the stallion and his estimation of the young woman and her abilities rose.

"As you are familiar with this area and I am not, I shall follow your lead."