Page 94 of Atone, Adonis

“That’s good,” he said. “Thank you.” And then when Hunter whinnied again he added, “You’re a good girl too,” which made them both laugh.

He led her past the tackroom and up the main aisle, his hand still tightly grasping hers as they walked. Eventually, he reached out to stop her.

“You may look.”

She opened her eyes. Standing in the nearest stall was a mare the color of warm honey, her coat gleaming gold in the filtered sunlight. Her mane was a shade darker, soft and thick and falling gently along her neck.

The mare turned her head at Julianna’s movement, ears pricked forward, dark eyes calm and curious.

“Tattersalls finally had what I wanted,” he said. “A beautiful mare for my beautiful wife.” He pressed a chopped carrot into her hand. “Go ahead and get to know her. Keep your fingers flat so she doesn’t bite them.”

“She’s truly for me?”

“She is. How else will I convince you to go riding with me?”

“Thank you, Fred. Really. What’s her name?”

“You’ll have to tell me after you’ve taken her out. Although I believe Moonbeam remains an option.”

Julianna let the horse nibble the carrot pieces from her palm before she reached up and stroked the mare’s neck. The horse leaned into her touch and Fred smiled in satisfaction.

“She likes you,” he said.

“Well, I suppose that’s a good thing because I do believe I’ve fallen quite hard for her.”

Fred felt a swoop of relief in his stomach. He’d been nervous about giving Jules a mare—he knew full well it was a present as much for himself as it was for his wife.

“If you’re up to it, we can take her out for a ride.”

“Now?”

“Unless you’ve something better to do. I do have something else for you, Jules, best seen by horseback.”

She grinned up at him. “Are you spoiling me?”

He pulled her into his chest. “I certainly am. As much as you’ll let me.”

She rose onto her toes to press a kiss to his mouth. “I see no reason to stop you, given how well you’re doing. I do love her.”

“I’m glad. I rather hoped you might.”

“And I love you.”

He closed his eyes for a moment at that, letting the joy those words produced flow through him. “Go change into a riding habit. There’s more I want to show you.”

She pressed her lips to his again, quickly and nodded. “Alright, I’ll be just a moment.”

True to her word, Jules was back in just a short while, the riding habit that Madame Tremaux had made for her swinging jauntily as she moved. He couldn’t help but grin even though he was suddenly, unaccountably, nervous.

She already said yes, he reminded himself and discreetly wiped his sweaty palms down the mare’s neck. But still he felt his heart beating hard in his chest as he helped Jules mount. He handed the reins to a groomsman while he went round to get Hunter.

“Are you ready?”

At Jules’s nod he led them out of the stables and down the familiar path that led away from the Manor. The air was warm, the sky an uninterrupted blue, and the hedgerows were thick now with summer growth. Bees droned lazily among the blossoms, and somewhere in the distance a bird trilled its song.

“Do you think our thrush is out there somewhere?” she asked.

“Oh, certainly. I can hear him now, singing his heart out.”