“Perhaps.” Charlotte shrugged, feeling her own grin return.
“And whatever would your stepmother think? She might think we are trying to escape her watchful gaze.” The Duke put on an overacted voice of consternation.
Charlotte scoffed. “Do you truly care what she thinks?”
“I care what society may say of you if they think I have taken liberties,” Dominic said, meeting her gaze.
Charlotte was taken aback by the earnestness of his answer. She shook herself and glanced up and down the road. “Well, then perhaps we should just have a short race. The road is rather long and straight here.”
“It is,” Dominic agreed, looking along the stretch of road they were riding on before gesturing to something a few hundred yards away. “Shall we race to the oak? Just there. It is a good finish line — shortly after the road curves sharply and can be treacherous if you have not ridden it before.”
“Very well, to the oak it is.” Charlotte nodded to herself and then winked at Dominic. “Catch me if you can.”
And without waiting for a reply, she kicked her horse into a canter and took off towards the oak tree in the distance. Behind her, she heard two yells. One a distinctly male yell and the other a shriek.Stepmother will be furious.
Charlotte was almost tempted to ride out of her stepmother’s view, just to wind her up but decided not to. After all, any scandal would reflect badly on her sisters, and she would not sacrifice them just to cause the woman some discomfort.
She heard the sound of hoof beats behind her and turned to see the Duke catching up to her. He took a moment to doff his hat to her and wink.
She laughed. “All right old girl, come on.”
She urged her horse into a gallop. She had always loved the feel of a gallop; it felt as though she were flying as the wind tugged wildly at her hair and clothes.
She let out a whoop of delight and heard Dominic doing the same behind her.
“I am catching up to you!” Dominic called as he drew level with her.
“Not for long,” Charlotte quipped as she urged her horse to move faster.
The two of them were neck and neck as they approached the oak tree. Not wanting to risk injury to her horse, she began to slow down though not so much that she lost the race out right.
“Shall we call it a draw?” Dominic asked as they passed the tree and dropped into a trot and then a walk, eventually stopping while they waited for her stepmother to catch up.
“I suppose we should. Perhaps we should race again, a longer one where we can truly test our skill,” Charlotte suggested, her heart hammering in her chest. Ah, the excitement of a good race.
“I would like that.” Dominic smiled at her.
He is only saying that because it will add to our pretence.Charlotte told herself this; after all, there was nothing between them.
They heard a clattering of hooves behind them and turned to see Lady Bellmore stopping her horse. Her face red with exertion and panic. She swept a strand of hair from her face and looked at them both.
“We did not mean to panic you, Lady Bellmore. It was my fault, I thought it would be a fun thing to have a little race,” Dominic said before Charlotte could say anything.
Lady Bellmore, who had opened her mouth to reprimand Charlotte, closed it again. After a moment, and still breathing heavily, she said, “Perhaps, Your Grace might give me some warning next time. I… I am rather out of practice riding and would rather not ride like that again if I can help it. I had not realised you would wait for me here.”
“My apologies, Lady Bellmore, it will not happen again.” The Duke inclined his head to her and winked at Charlotte when Lady Bellmore was not looking.
Charlotte had to stifle a laugh quickly, especially when her stepmother glared suspiciously at her. “Shall we continue the journey? I am sure you will need a moment to catch your breath, so do not worry, we will not ride too far ahead.”
“See that you do not.” Lady Bellmore gave Charlotte a flat look.
She smiled at her stepmother before turning away and settling into a sedate walk beside the Duke. After a while, he turned to her and asked, “Have you thought of what you will do with it?”
“With what?” Charlotte asked.
“With your share of the winnings, of course.”
“Oh. Yes.”
