The Widower

Marie turned to John. 'What about you John? There's a series of easy trails that we can drive a buggy along that cross from this property and onto the Moors, and then back again. We can run along one of them.'

John was still looking at the pony, trotting around at the end of the lead. 'What....? Oh... Yes, yrs please.' He couldn't look away. There was a faint sheen of sweat on Joanne's skin, catching the light and highlighting the shape of her muscles.

'Go ahead Vicki, get her prepped for a quick jaunt. Can you have her harnessed in an hour?

'Certainly! Come on, you, let's get you in harness.'

Joanne slowed, then stopped, Vicki swapping the long lead for a short one, leading her off past Marie and John. Joanne visibly looking at John as she went past.

'You might want to put blinders on her!' suggested Marie as the pair walked passed her.

'She might be quite a handful this afternoon, I'm afraid. She's rather excited to see you.'

John was surprised. 'Me? How does she even know who I am?

'Joanne? Oh, She works for the local Estate Agent. She's quite the source for gossip.'

-*-

They had toured a little after Joanne had been led away, Marie showing off the tack room, where harnesses were hung along the wall, names on signs along the top showing which pony had which harness. The hook for Joanne was empty already, as were a few others. There was a hook at one end, with a well kept harness set hanging from it. The name sign simply said 'Lesley'

John took it down, holding the leather up close, feeling how supple it was.

'I don't know why I kept it up there. She was never going to use it again.' Marie's voice was quiet, almost a whisper. 'That was her sulky harness, for pulling a racing cart.'

John's eyes were closed a moment, as he brought the harness up to his lips. 'Can you leave it up a bit longer?'

Marie had smiled then. 'Of course...'

-*-

Marie looked at John with an amused smile on her face. It was like a kid in a sweet shop.

'Now, what do you think of that?:

John turned to look at her. 'I don't know what to say.....I really don't...'

Joanne was in front of them, in harness, and already between the shafts of a light cart. John was amazed. The white leather harness was very similar to the one he had seen Lesley and Marie wear in the picture, but in the flesh he could really see what it did. The wide belt around the waist, the belt between the legs, neatly splitting Joanne's backside. There was a wide collar around her neck, which pushed her chin up. What was different was a second wider strap, shaped to cup Joanne's breasts, but leave the nipples bare, joined both to collar and waist by straps. Her arms were in a white glove, and if anything, it was tighter than the one she wore earlier.

Her head was wrapped in a series of straps, holding a bit in her mouth, and wide blinders either side of her face, which would keep her focused on the road ahead. Reins were attached to the bit, leading back to the cart behind her, the shafts of which were joined by strong chains attached to the waist belt. A further chain ran from the cart to the back of the waist belt, giving means for Joanne to pull the cart forward. On top of all this, Joanne had been carefully oiled until she was gleaming, from the top of the ankle boots to the top of her head.

John could see that Joanne was anxious to get away. She was literally trembling between the shafts, and Marie had to turn to the pony 'Easy, Joanne, easy.'

She turned to John. 'Shall we give her her head?'

John looked at the cart, which was a skeletal thing of carbon fiber and titanium spars and rods, low slung, with what looked like a pair of oversized mountain bike tyres to allow it to roll.'Can she pull both of us in that?'

Marie smiled. 'I bet you're anxious to find out...'