“Challenge?” She gave his arm a playful swat. “Hopefully nottoomuch of a challenge.”
“Don’t worry. I’ll have you ready to join the Four-in-Hand Club in no time.”
She chuckled as the groom handed him the reins and stick.
“Walk on,” he called to Trusty, and they were off.
He hadn’t intended to offer Cassandra lessons, but it felt wrong that his wife lacked the skills to take charge of a vehicle Vivianne had used.
As evidenced by his recent recollection of Viv as his “former” love, she had been shifting from the column “forever present in his heart” to “a wound from some time past” but she still frequently intruded on his thoughts.
Too frequently.
He glanced in Cassandra’s direction.
He’d a pretty, helpful,hopefulwife. He shouldn’t be thinking of Vivianne at all.
And, when she did inadvertently cross his mind, he rather thought he should start referring to her as Lady Pennington even though, atthe age he was remembering her, she’d been a long way fromPennington.
“See?” He forced his mind back to the present. “Quite safe.”
“Does Trusty respond primarily to verbal commands?”
“He will stop and go on verbal command alone, but you’ll need to use the ribbons to steer.”
She looked doubtfully at the straps in his hand. “How can you steer if you’re holding both in one hand?”
“You can hold one in each hand if that makes you more comfortable. But as you grow more accomplished, you’ll find them easier to hold in your left hand while indicating the direction you want to go by pulling up on the proper strap with your right. I’ll demonstrate.”
At the drive’s end, he used his forefinger to pull up, ever so gently, on the strap.
“You only have to lift lightly.”
Again, she studied him closely, probably committing his movements to memory. Still, he was all too conscious of her gaze.
“I’m surprised Trusty could feel so gentle a tug.”
He wasn’t. He suspected even Cassandra’s lightest touch could make him turn.
“He’s well-trained,” he explained, reminding himself he must be equally well-disciplined.
*
Cassie noted Harbury’ssubtle movements, but, truthfully, she was less interested in his technique than his hands. Eliza had been right, Cassie reluctantly admitted—a man’s hands could be fascinating…even when gloved.
He held the reins with such a relaxed grip, he appeared carelessly indifferent, and yet, with the subtlest tug, Trusty responded. Without any apparent effort, he proved his mastery over both horse andvehicle.
Which made her think of other ways he could put those hands to good use.
Indecent ways.
To bring her wayward mind to heel, she turned her gaze to the countryside. First, they traveled past several fallow fields and then by planted rows containing multiple laborers. As they passed, the men removed their hats and stood.
Once, that is, they’d realized the duke himself was driving.
Apparently, a duke in a pony cart was quite the curiosity.
Some reactions went beyond amusement or even startled surprise. Some of the men looked downright shocked. Shocked as if every notion they held of the Duke of Harbury had come into question.
