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Chapter 5
The next morning, Sam ventured out on an early morning ride. This time, she wasn’t plagued by nightmares but rather by worry for her friend. She was hoping to run into Lord Ashbury as she had the first morning they’d met, and she intended to give him a piece of her mind.
Her guess proved to be correct, and after a few minutes of cantering, she noticed a rider coming her way at a full gallop. He slowed down as he approached her and stopped when their horses were almost nose to nose.
“Miss Samantha.” He touched his crop to the tip of his hat.
“My Lord.” Samantha inclined her head. “Do you always ride at such a breakneck pace?”
“Usually,” he answered with a crooked smile.
A dimple appeared on his cheek, and he looked boyishly handsome at the moment. Sam couldn’t help but smile back.
“Care for a race?” he asked with a smile. “Until the next bend.”
Sam bit her lower lip in thought. This wasn’t why she’d come out this morning. Still, a short race wouldn’t hurt anyone, would it? “With pleasure,” she answered.
He inclined his head and turned the horse to face the same direction as Sam’s. The next moment, they were both galloping side by side. Sam’s horse was about one pace ahead of Ashbury’s mount. She craned her neck to look at him and saw that he was watching her intently. Sam turned forward and spurred her horse on. As they neared the bend, Ashbury passed her and won by about an inch.
“Ahh!” Sam exclaimed. “It was ungentlemanly of you not to let me win!”
“Was it?” He grinned at her. “I didn’t think you’d care for a dishonest victory.”
“If I was a spoiled lady prone to hysterics, you might have won yourself a fit.” Sam grinned right back.
“I didn’t think you were that kind of lady. In any case, now I owe you a rematch.” They started their horses in a slow walk along the Serpentine. “So I was correct in my assessment,” he said conversationally after a brief pause.
“About?” Sam looked at him curiously. When she’d met him before, she hadn’t really paid attention to his face. Now, she had a chance to study him at her leisure. He wasn’t handsome. His face was angular, his nose crooked, and he had an angry scar on his right cheek. But he had beautiful hazel eyes, fringed by thick brown lashes.
“That you are a graceful rider,” he said and grinned at her.
It took Sam a moment to understand the reference. She gasped when she did and turned on him wide-eyed. “You did recognize me then!”
“I did. Just didn’t want to say anything in front of the duchess.”
Sam sputtered but found she had nothing to say.
“In my defense, I had a blasted headache, and I wasn’t quite myself. Your appearance actually took my mind off the pain. So I owe you not only my apology but also my gratitude.”
“How about we forget it ever happened instead?” Sam felt heat rise up her neck.
“I shall give it my best effort.” He smiled wolfishly and looked ahead. “Do you ride here often?”
“Quite,” Sam said and nodded. “It helps me clear my head. I prefer to ride in the country, of course, since I love to gallop. And the only time of day I can do that in London is around dawn. Usually, there is no one else here.”
“Except for me.” He smiled at her again.
Sam had to bite back her own smile. She found it a difficult task.
“Except for you, yes,” she agreed.
“I am not much for town life either. In fact, I don’t plan on coming to London that often. I’m here this year only to find a wife. After that, I shall retire back to the country.”
“Ah, the wife,” Sam drawled.
“The Duchess of Somerset told you about my proposal,” he stated rather than asked.
“She did.” Sam nodded, staring straight ahead. “And I have to say, it was not the most romantic proposal I have ever heard.”
