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At least his servants were able to have happy relationships. Right now, he wasn’t sure if he was happy. He and Victoria seemed to have come to an agreement with their marriage, but it was tenuous. Even after Victoria apologised and he was able to hold her yesterday, things weren’t as they should be. The slightest thing could set it off, and Rafe didn’t want to lose that.
That really would break his heart.
He had called her his love the day before. Victoria hadn’t reacted to it, but she must have heard him. Rafe hadn’t meant to say it, not when things were as they were right now. It had just slipped out.
It felt like the world was laughing at him for falling in love with someone who hated him in return. Rafe had come to that conclusion with a shock after finding Victoria beside him the previous morning, looking after him when she didn’t need to. It had been scary at the time, and the desire had crept up even higher, which had almost made Rafe lose control the day before in the library. If they hadn’t been interrupted…
Rafe could feel the arousal swelling in his groin at the thought of having Victoria naked and wrapped around him. Now was not the time to find his wife sexually arousing. Desiring her wasn’t going to make her desire him. Although, from the way she had kissed him and reacted when he started touching her, there was a chance she wanted him, too.
But Rafe didn’t want to push it to find out. After all, they had the rest of their lives to get into bed. There was no rush.
That’s easier said than done.
“My lord?”
Rafe jumped. Manning was standing in front of him, Rafe’s riding clothes over his arm. Remembering what he was meant to be doing, Rafe cleared his throat and stood up.
“Let’s get moving. Once I’ve gone riding, I might just go back to bed.”
“Very well, my lord. You haven’t got anything planned for today, as far as I know.”
“If anything happens with Millinchip, let myself or Mr Mayfield know. We’ll deal with it.”
“Mr Mayfield still isn’t back, my lord. He didn’t come back last night.”
Rafe grunted. He wasn’t worried. Once Charlie got stuck into a trail, he followed it the whole way. Chances were he knew who it was and was lying in wait for them. That was just what his friend was like. No wonder their fellow trackers called Charlie a terrier.
Dressing slowly and trying not to yawn so much, Rafe headed downstairs and out into the stables. Jessop was there, brushing down one of the mares. He looked up as Rafe came out.
“Lord Blackmore. I wasn’t expecting to see you this morning.”
“I was going out for a ride. Is Paco available?”
“He is. I’ve just given him a brush over. You just need to get the saddle on.”
“I can do that.” Rafe headed towards the stall where his brother’s horse was housed. “There’s no need to help me out.”
After all those years looking after his own horse with nobody to do it for him, it wasn’t that difficult to do it alone.
Paco was looking quite content, happily standing there placidly. He looked pleased to see Rafe, bumping his nose against Rafe’s hand when greeted. Then Rafe went over to the saddle rack. The saddle he normally used was not there. That wasn’t a problem; he could just use another one. His was probably being cleaned.
Taking the next saddle on the rack, Rafe went back into the stable and put the saddle on the horse. Paco grunted and shifted around, but he didn’t react much when Rafe did the saddle up under the horse’s belly. He didn’t seem too bothered when the reins were put on, and the bit was put in his mouth. Rafe was glad he had such a placid horse like Paco. Sebastien had done well with him.
The mere thought of his brother left Rafe feeling sad. He missed him. If only he was here now, Sebastien would know what to do. Then again, Victoria had been arranged to marry him. Rafe wouldn’t have been able to cope if Sebastien and Victoria were married, and he had to watch them from afar. That would have been too painful to witness.
Pushing that aside, Rafe led Paco out into the stable yard. Jessop was just leading the horse he had been grooming back into its stall.
“Do you want someone to come with you, my lord?” he asked. “Just in case something happens?”
“What do you think is going to happen, Jessop?”
“Well, after yesterday, do you think you should be going out alone?”
Rafe sighed.
“I’m not going to be made a prisoner in my own house. I need to do something.” He put his foot into the stirrup. “I’ll probably be about an hour. Don’t wait around for me.”
He got up into the saddle, but as soon as he settled down, Paco began to make loud noises and started to shift around. Rafe grabbed onto the reins, trying to steady himself. But that just made Paco even more upset. He kept turning around and wiggling, almost as if he was trying to throw Rafe off him. It was all Rafe could do not to fall off. What was going on?
