Page 112 of Regency Whispers: Scandalous Matches

‘You wish for us to ride?’

‘I find I do my best thinking on horseback.’ He paused as she regarded the horses with trepidation, realising he did not even know if his wife could ride. ‘You have ridden before?’

She nodded slowly. ‘Twice. Both unmitigated disasters.’ For a long moment she would not meet his eye, and then she sighed. ‘But I suppose I could try again.’

‘What went wrong before?’

‘Do you remember my friend Lydia?’

‘The young lady you sneaked into the Midsummer’s Eve ball with?’

‘Yes. When we were younger she persuaded me to ride her father’s horse with her. We thought it would be easy, but as soon as we were seated the horse got spooked and reared up, and Lydia tumbled to the ground. The horse took off along the high street, and I could do nothing but close my eyes, cling onto its neck and hope I did not die.’

‘How old were you?’

‘Eight or nine. The horse ran for three miles before it calmed.’

‘You managed to stay on its back?’

‘Somehow I did.’

‘That is impressive.’

‘I thought I would die if I fell. We got into so much trouble I wasn’t allowed to see Lydia for a month, and my father took a cane to my hands, whipping them so badly they bled.’ She turned over her hands and looked down at them. Simon had the urge to reach out and run his fingers over the skin of her palms but stopped himself just in time.

‘What about the second time?’

‘That was a little less dramatic, and less illicit. My sister had a suitor in the days before—’ She glanced up at him quickly.

Alice had told him of her sister’s near disgrace, the weeks of turmoil as the whole family thought there was no way to save Margaret’s reputation. Then a surprise proposal had materialised, followed by a quick marriage.

‘Before her marriage,’ he finished diplomatically.

‘Yes. They would go walking over the fields, and I used to have to accompany them to chaperon. One day he brought his horse and suggested I ride. I was nervous, but Margaret was keen as it would give her a little more privacy with this man she thought she might want to marry. I agreed reluctantly, and after I got over my nerves it was quite a pleasant experience, riding through the fields in the sunshine.’

‘Did something happen?’

‘There was a man out with his dog. The dog got excited and spooked the horse. The horse ran, and at first I managed to hang on, but the path took us under a low hanging branch, and I did not duck in time.’

‘That must have hurt.’

‘I was lucky I was not seriously injured.’

‘I did not know,’ Simon murmured quietly, frowning. There was so much he did not know about his wife. All these little stories from her childhood, her likes and dislikes. It wasn’t surprising as he had spent no time with her, but despite his plan to keep a good amount of distance between them, he felt a flicker of sadness. His brother, Robert, had shared everything with Maria, and over the course of their marriage they had learned all those little stories, all the childhood anecdotes that build to mould a person into their adult form. ‘We can walk if you prefer.’

Alice inhaled deeply and then shook her head. ‘No, I wish to be able to ride. A sedate half an hour around Hyde Park will be a good way to get me over my fear.’

‘Only if you are sure.’

She nodded and approached the smaller of the two horses, a docile mare that regarded her with hooded eyes. She took her time, stroking the horse’s nose and then neck, talking softly to the animal. Alice might not have ridden for a long time, but she knew how to approach an animal to ensure the encounter was a calm one.

After a few minutes she looked around. ‘I am not sure I am strong enough to pull myself onto her back.’

‘I will help you.’ He looped Socrates’s reins over a fence-post and came up behind Alice, guiding her hands to the correct spot on her horse’s back to help her to pull herself up. ‘Put a foot in my hand, and I will lift you. Once you are high enough, you need to twist around and find a comfortable position in the saddle.’

As he moved closer he caught a hint of her scent and had to resist the urge to lean in farther. It was tantalising, a subtle mix of lavender and rosewater, and he had the sudden desire to press his lips against the soft skin of her neck. There was a spot just behind and below her ear that looked perfect for his lips, and he had to stop himself quickly as he realised he had almost leaned in to kiss it.

His body brushed against hers as she lifted her foot into his hand, and he quickly boosted her into the air. With his help she twisted lithely and was quickly seated in the saddle. He took a minute to help her position her feet and showed her how best to hold the reins, all while trying to ignore the urge to pull her out of the saddle and back into his arms.