“Let us hope you are right.” Charlotte said, trying to keep her face neutral but unable to keep the corners of her mouth from quirking into a half smile.
A cool breeze rustled the leaves in the trees around them and whipped the Duke’s hair around his shoulders.Pine and Juniper.She took a deep breath, her eyes tracing the harsh line of the Duke’s face, silhouetted in the sunlight.
“Are you both ready?” Dominic asked them.
“I am,” Charlotte answered.
“I shall follow a little behind you. Give you two some time together.” Lady Bellmore gave Charlotte a meaningful look.
For once, she found that she was grateful for her stepmother’s interference. She had not relished the thought of trying to slow her horse to keep pace with her mother. And she found the thought of riding with Dominic rather appealing.It is only because you are going to ride to a place you have always wanted to see, nothing at all to do with the Duke.
She wished she believed her own words.
She kicked her horse into a slow walk, letting her warm up as they made their way into town. Dominic and his steed fell into step beside her.
It was a truly glorious day.The kind of day that belongs in a novel.The air was clean and crisp, and the faint sound of birdsong filled her ears.
“You seem rather pleased,” Dominic remarked, bringing Charlotte back to the present. “Care to share your thoughts?”
“I was just thinking it was a rather lovely day, that is all.” Charlotte shrugged.
“It is indeed. This has always been one of my favourite rides.” Dominic gestured with one hand around them.
“Really? But I thought Verimore was quite some distance from here.” She tried to conjure up the image of a map in her mind, plotting the distance from Caverton to Verimore. “I suppose it would depend on the roads.”
“It is not too far, about a half day’s hard riding. More if the roads are bad,” Dominic explained. “I spent rather a lot of time with my grandmother.”
“Because your mother was so poorly?”
“In part. My grandmother and my father were close, at least from what I can remember. Even after she remarried her last husband, my father spent much time between here and Verimore.” A look Charlotte could not quite read crossed the Duke’s face. Not quite worry or sadness but an odd mix of the two.
Before she could puzzle it out fully, the Duke gave a tight smile and said, “And yes, when my mother was poorly, my grandmother’s estate became something of a haven for us. Though, I suppose I should really call it Frederick’s estate; it has not been hers for many, many decades.”
“It is odd to think of Caverton as his estate. Not when your grandmother has such a presence still,” Charlotte admitted. “Did you and your cousin spend much time together?”
“Yes, Frederick, Thomas, and I were practically raised together. They are like brothers to me,” he replied. “We actually used to race along this stretch of road every Sunday.”
“Why on Sundays?” Charlotte asked, confused
“It was something of a game. See how late we could leave and still arrive in time for church.” The Duke laughed, and Charlotte was struck by the pleasantness of the sound.
“And who won?” Charlotte urged her horse into a trot, unsure if the restless energy she felt was her own or her mount’s.
“Who do you think?” Dominic grinned at her, his own horse easily keeping pace.
Charlotte paused as though giving the matter serious consideration.
“Duke Caverton, of course.” Charlotte gave Dominic an impish grin, only saying it to wind him up.
To her surprise, Dominic laughed. “I love my cousin, but he is a poor rider. The winner was usually either Thomas or myself.”
“Of course, it was.” Charlotte rolled her eyes.
“You say that as though you do not believe me.” The Duke clutched his chest in mock offense. “Your lack of faith wounds me, good lady.”
“It is rather hard to believe when you are riding as sedately as an old woman beside me,” she retorted, gesturing to him.
“Is that a challenge?” He raised an eyebrow at her, an impish gleam in his eye.
