He was a big, handsome man, and it was, of course, ridiculous to dislike him because he was older than she and was getting fat.  He was an amusing talker and a good sportsman, but now and then one got a hint of hardness and cunning.  Somehow, so to speak, he did not ring true.

“I held on because I thought I might fall over the crag if I let go,” she said with a laugh.  “Then as I did hold on, it was merely prudent to try to steer the sledge.”

“Oh, yes,” Thorn agreed.  “But the important thing is you saw this and didn’t lose your nerve.  Anyhow, if you had lost it, I couldn’t have blamed you; I blame myself for my confounded thoughtlessness that let you run the risk.  In fact, I’m dreadfully sorry and don’t mind owning that I got a fright.”

Grace noted that he was rather shaken, and felt vaguely disturbed.  She had seen him following the foxhounds among the crags, for they hunt on foot in the rugged dales, and knew his steadiness and pluck.  He had not been afraid for himself, and she did not want him to be afraid for her.

“After all,” she said, “the hill seemed to run down evenly when we stood at the top.  If the little slant towards the crag deceived you, it deceived me.”

“I know more about tobogganing and oughtn’t to have been deceived.  It hurts to feel I didn’t take proper care of you.”

“It really doesn’t matter,” Grace replied with a smile, and Thorn gave her a steady look.

“Oh, but it does matter!  You ought to see that!”

“I don’t see it,” Grace insisted quietly, although her heart beat.  “You were not accountable, and we got down quite safe.  Let’s talk about something else.”

Thorn’s eyes rested on her for another moment, and then he made a sign of acquiescence and they went back up the hill.  At the top he marked a new line for the next day’s sport, and then as the sun was getting low the party started home by the old stone-boat road.  Near the bottom they overtook the Askews, and one or two others walking at their horses’ heads as they cautiously descended a steep pitch.  Grace noted that although they were not bringing much peat there was a risk of the sledges running down upon the teams.

“You have not got on very fast,” she said to Peter.

“If we’re no verra careful, we’ll gan faster than we like.”

“I suppose that’s why you’re only taking half a load?”

“Just that,” Peter agreed.  “It wadn’t suit for load to run ower the team.  Better safe than sorry, though it’s a terrible loss o’ time.”

“Then, why don’t you look for an easier way down?”

“There’s only the oad green road.  Fellside’s ower steep for horses.”

“Well, if I can think of a better way I’ll tell you,” Grace replied, smiling, and hurried on after the others.

They left her at the Tarnside gate and she stopped abruptly as she went up the drive.  It had obviously taken Askew a long time to bring down half a load because of the risk to his horses; but she had found a better plan.  It was not needful to use horses, after they had pulled the sledges up.  The latter could be heavily loaded and left to run down alone.  She must tell Kit Askew when she saw him next, but she did not reflect that it was curious she meant to tell Kit and not Peter.