] As postulated below, Edward must have had a servant on horseback with him; riding, perhaps, some little distance behind him. But servant with horse there must have been, because at the beginning of Ch. 18, Edward walks into the village to see his horse s . Plural.

I'm inclined to agree with Art that this must have been a lapse by JA (and her proofreaders, of course!). When the girls first spot the rider, they are admiring the scenery *in the distance*. The book says that it takes them *a few minutes* (not seconds!) to realize (by his appearance) that this is a gentleman. Even if his servant had been a certain distance behind him, he would have appeared in their line of vision within a few minutes, and at that distance, they would have noticed the servant moving along, but be as unable identify his social position for a short time, as they did with the "gentleman".