This light-hearted version of the duke baffled her. Not because she hadn’t known this side of him existed, but because she had never seen him make jokes in front of other people. Granted, he was talking directly to her and everyone else was deeply involved in their own conversations, but it was different and she had no idea what had caused it. He seemed to be waiting for a response from her, so she said, ‘Charlotte is very taken with him.’
‘Of course she is. No doubt I shall be besieged by requests for an entire menagerie to be installed here.’
‘Oh no, she would not want animals to be held in captivity.’ And by that Grace meant that she would not like it. Not that she could do anything to stop it, except tell her niece that it was not a good idea. Charlotte was not old enough to understand what it was like to be kept somewhere you did not want to be. God willing, she would never know how awful it was to be trapped somewhere without hope. That was what marriage had been like for Grace, and she would wish it on no person or creature. Wanting to stay as far away from those thoughts as possible, she said, ‘She is enjoying feeding Benedict worms though.’ And there it was; she had brought up worms in a ducal residence.
The lines around his eyes deepened, although there was no hint of a smile on his lips. ‘Excellent.’
‘You would be welcome to help her out.’
‘You are too kind.’
And finally, he did smile; something light and bubbly took flight inside her at the sight. The meal continued around them, the babble of voices making conversations indistinct, but it didn’t really matter. They may as well have been alone.
‘Aside from rescuing birds, how else are you passing your time?’ he asked.
‘Charlotte wanted to visit the horses, so we spent some time this morning in the stables. She kept asking if she could ride one, but there wasn’t one that was a suitable size.’
‘I shall have to see about getting her a pony.’
Grace’s heart dropped. ‘Oh no, that is a terrible idea.’
‘It is?’ he asked, as he cut into his partridge.
‘Yes.’
‘Why is that?’
‘Horses are scary animals.’
He put his fork on the side of his plate, turning to study her face. ‘Do you not ride?’
‘No, and I have no desire to learn, in case you are about to offer to teach me. Aside from anything else, I am terrible at taking instruction. We should fall out again, and that would be a shame considering how far we have come in our relationship.’ Face burning at her implication that they were more than acquaintances, Grace busied herself in moving a slice of partridge from one side of her plate to another, and then back again.
‘Did something happen to put you off? Other than what happened to Clare and Sebastian.’
‘The accident was not the animals’ fault,’ she said. They had never fully discussed the details of her sister’s and his brother’s deaths and the thought that she still had to tell him about that killed any fluttery feelings she’d been experiencing, which was a good thing she supposed. His marked preference for her company would end when he knew the whole truth. It was something she should not put off much longer. But she had been enjoying the Dashworths’ company so much that every time she had come close to her final confession, she had shied away from it, not wanting this stage of her life to end too soon.
‘I have never been keen to get close to a horse and I do not remember a reason for that. I just find them very… tall, and they never smell all that nice. Not to mention their hot breath.’ She shuddered at the thought of a horse close enough to breathe on her. Her parents had neither encouraged nor discouraged her from riding as a child, so she could not blame them for her aversion. It wasn’t that some nasty incident in her childhood had put her off, and she loved animals, could even admire horses from afar. Clare had learned after her marriage to Sebastian and had enthused about the experience, suggesting that Grace learn so that they could ride together. Normally willing to do whatever her sister wanted, the prospect had not enticed Grace one bit.
‘You are scared of learning, then?’
Despite the fact that Tobias’ eyes were twinkling and she guessed he was deliberately goading her, she still felt her spine straighten. ‘Of course I am not scared.’
‘Then you will not object to me teaching you.’
‘I do not like the way they breathe,’ she reminded him.
‘If you are on the back of the horse, then you will not have to contend with what is coming out of its nose.’
She opened her mouth to refuse, and then shut it again. Tobias and his brothers had been very busy, riding out from the estate every morning and then returning at various times of the day. That suggested they had been travelling to different destinations, and she wanted to know why. She suspected it was to do with her parents and she wanted to know how that was progressing.And, said a voice deep within her,you want to spend time with Tobias.
‘On reflection, I should like to give it a try.’
If her easy capitulation surprised him, he did not show it. His gaze flicked briefly to her lips, the look so fleeting she may have imagined it. A shiver of something delicious whipped down her spine regardless.
‘We are both early risers. Shall we say first thing tomorrow morning?’
The strange, bubbly feeling was building, rising in her chest; excitement or nerves, she couldn’t tell. ‘I should like that.’
