“Both of us?” she enquired.
“You need to get used to the animal – its motion, strength, size and smell. It was how I first rode a horse with my father. I will probably regret it, but it’s all I can think of. You will sit on the horse sideways, and I’ll mount behind you.”
“That’s rather improper, isn’t it?”
Cloudy eyes creased in amusement. “I think we have already gone far beyond what is appropriate behaviour, but if it concerns you – Billy? Are you going to spread gossip about the lady if we both ride the same horse?”
“No, guv. Yer pay too well. Could ride around naked, and I wouldn’t bat an eyelid.” Billy then grimaced. “On second thoughts, if doing that takes yer fancy, I’ll just keep ’em closed.”
“Rest assured, Billy, clothes will be staying on…unless you have a preference for riding naked, Rosalind?”
All her unladylike words failed her and she could only manage a shake of the head. She was absolutely sure that in the middle of the night, she would wake up with the most wonderful retort – something witty and droll. However, the thought of Lucas naked on a horse seemed to have turned her brain to soup and she ended up saying the first thing that came to mind.
“It would take simply ages to take this habit off as it has a multitude of hooks and buttons down the back.”
Lucas straightened, his body tense. “Billy. Horse. Now.” And he turned away.
Rosalind made an attempt to curtail her hair whilst awaiting Billy. In her flight through the forest, she had lost her neat blue hat and most of the pins: it was now a tangled mess. If they rode fast, Lucas would end up with a face full of auburn tresses so she slipped a cord around it, stiffened her back and stepped towards…Goliath.
He was immense: a giant with thick bones and a glossy, dark-golden coat. She smiled to herself as she realised she may as well have described Lucas.
Perhaps if she pretended the horse was like him, it may help.
“Now,” Lucas was saying seriously, “you have to get to know the animal before mounting it.”
She sniggered to herself.
“The best way is to talk to him quietly and then give him a stroke.”
She let Lucas take her hand and gently bring it to the horse’s face. His palm stayed on the back of hers as he gently dragged their entwined fingers down from in between its eyes to its soft nose. The animal rested a ridiculously long-lashed chocolate-brown gaze on her and snickered softly.
“Oh,” she said, gasping, “he’s beautiful.” And for the first time in her life, she could see the appeal. His nose was like velvet, with eyes gentle, and although she couldn’t begin to explain it, he seemed to be utterly aware, as though he understood her entirely.
Lucas was rummaging around in a pocket with his other hand and brought forth an apple.
“Here, he’ll do anything for this – palm flat.”
She felt the horse’s hot breath on her hand and then the tickly mouth on her palm, taking the whole fruit; she laughed, itwaslike Lucas – large and intimidating but quaggy. The horse nudged her shoulder for more and she would have stepped back but for Lucas directly behind, denying her retreat.
“He wants more.” The breath was low in her ear, and Rosalind fell into the sheer pleasure of being so close to these two powerful creatures.
“Are you ready?”
“Yes,” she replied softly, having no idea what she was agreeing to.
Lucas withdrew his warm arms and turned her, his hands coming to her waist.
“Up you go.”
She tried to withhold the shriek, but it came out anyway as she was hoisted aloft. Goliath merely glanced around with a bored expression and turned back to chew at Billy’s hair.
“Luuucaasss.” She kept it a whisper, so the horse couldn’t hear. “It’s very high. Higher than Benedict’s horse. I don’t like it.”
The hand that had been stroking the horse came to her skirts and patted gently.
“I’m not a horse to be soothed by soft pats and an apple. Get me down,” she hissed.
Totally ignoring the command, he swung up behind.
