Firenze

Firenze, whose name means 'Florence', was the horse of Stephen Black. A handsome mare, milk-white in appearance with not a black hair about her, she was perfectly free from any vice or blemish, an excellent goer and yet so quiet and gentle that a child might ride her. She was perhaps the finest horse of her make in England, and was the generous gift of the gentleman with the thistle-down hair.

Unfortunately, as Stephen was riding her through a village some twenty miles from Starecross Hall she was hurt by the wanton cruelty of a coachman, and so her master was obliged to have her destroyed[47].