The elderly butler opened the back of the horse trailer and began the laborious task of unclipping the numerous straps that held the ponygirl in place. She was an attractive thing, even at forty-one, and would have continued modeling lingerie and acting in B movies had she not been bought by a rich nobleman. She still looked slim and sexy in her nude all-in-one body briefer, and Jenkins could see the logic in master's request. Though he knew she was not happy in her present situation, she accepted it, realizing she had no choice in the matter. Still, he admired her quiet grace, all things considered.

The butler paused to dig the hearing aid out of his ear and shake it. It did little good. The battery was going, cutting out intermittently in the past few days. He would have to get a new one while he was in town. There would be plenty of time. He could get by by lip-reading till then if he had to.

He pushed it back in and resumed his task. She did not resist as he clipped a lead to her bit rings and led her out of the trailer. Perhaps she was reassured by the sight of other ponygirls working away on the main street of the small town. Still, he left her ankle hobbles on, and he closed the blinders over her eyes as a precaution. The statuesque blonde was well-trained, and had no problem being led along while sightless.

He entered the shop, awkwardly holding the door so the ponygirl could follow, her horseshoes thumping loudly on the straw strewn wood floor. The owner stepped out from in back as soon as he heard the tinkling of the little bell above the door.

"And what can I do for you this morning?"

The butler casually hitched her to a post, then told him. The proprietor of the shop blinked twice and frowned. The ponygirl gasped and began to pull away, shaking her head in disbelief.

"That IS a tall order," said the owner. "My assistant and I will have to work overtime."

"I'm just carrying out master's orders. Money is not a problem. My mas-- settle down, dammit!"

The butler jerked the lead, but the whimpering ponygirl would not calm down.

"I knew I should have plugged her ears before coming in here!" He dug a tranquilizer patch out of his pocket, tore open the package, and slapped the palm-sized pad on the struggling woman's arm. "There. She should calm down in a few minutes."

The ponygirl began to moan as her lips quivered and tears spilled out from under the blinders.

Jenkins continued, ignoring the bound and bridled woman's distress. "My master will pay you handsomely for your trouble."

The shop owner smiled uneasily. "Good. Now if you'll just bring her in back, we can begin shortly . . ."

The butler was told he could pick her up the next evening, which was fine. He would enjoy the two days off. Jenkins spent the day strolling through town, dining in the finest restaurants, booking a room for the night, and, of course, buying a new battery for his hearing aid. He awoke late the next day, having stayed up late reading a good mystery, had a fine breakfast, then took in more of the sights and a movie before heading back to the shop that evening.

"She should be ready shortly," said the owner.

"Excellent." The butler sat down and flipped through some of the magazines in the waiting room. Less than an hour later, the job was complete.

The two men put her in the trailer and strapped her in. The butler paid with his master's credit card, and then was on his way.

The butler was tired after the three-hour ride back, though he hid it expertly as he entered the mansion.

"Master? I've returned. She's just as you wanted her. I'm going to need some help getting her out, though."

The elderly Lord was coming down the grand staircase. His look of pleasure turned to puzzlement.

"What do you mean-- help?"

"Well, she IS a bit heavy, sir."

It began to dawn on the aristocrat that something wasn't quite right. "My God, man, what have you done to her?"

The nobleman rushed outside and flung open the back of the horse trailer. His look of concern turned to utter shock. The ponygirl stood frozen in mid-stride, her glassy stare catching a glint of moonlight.

"JENKINS!"

The butler cowered. "I only did what you told me to, sir!"

"I said I wanted her taken to the tack and saddle shop so she could be cuffed and mounted."

"C-cuffed and mounted? I thought you said take her to the taxidermist's shop to be stuffed and mounted!"

The craftsman had done his job well. The woman appeared almost alive -- her skin still retained its youthful luster, the look on her face was one of blissful obedience, and one could barely see the incision marks running along the torso and limbs.