Font Size:  

“I’m so sorry that I’m late,” he said breathlessly. “I had something which required my immediate attention.”

“And all is well?” Selina asked, finding herself very curious to know what had kept him.

“All is now well, My Lady,” he assured her.

“Reuben!” Jasper said brightly as he and Leah joined the group. “Good of you to join us!”

The riders suddenly shuffled. Leah rode up beside Lord Munro. “We’ve missed you, Lord Munro,” she said. Lord Sandbourne rode on Leah’s other side.

“Well, I wouldn’t have missed the luncheon by the lake for the world!” Lord Munro assured them all.

Selina found herself riding behind them, next to Jasper. She looked over at him and smiled. He cut an impressive figure, dressed in his dark green coat while riding Pilot. He smiled at her, but his eyes looked exhausted, bereft.

“What’s the matter?” she whispered to him, relieved that they could finally talk, away from prying ears.

He replied to her in a low voice. “You didn’t show up yesterday. You didn’t send word. So, all I could think was that something awful had happened, or that you didn’t love me anymore.”

“Icouldn’tsend word,” she replied, her eyes on the rest of the group in front of them. They were far enough back that if she spoke quietly, then only the grooms and Faith might overhear them. Luckily, Maria had stuck by her lady’s side and was safely out of hearing. “My uncle’s servants are to report to him whenever I sneak out of the house. I’m in very big trouble for doing so the other day. Not to mention, I don’t know how I can tell him my real reason for doing so.” She flicked her eyes in his direction.

He blinked, glancing forward. He was silent.

“Do you like the horse?” he asked.

“Aphrodite? She’s a peach,” she replied, beaming delightfully.

“I bought her for you.”

“Oh.” She didn’t know what to say to that. Her eyes lowered to the mare’s seal-sleek neck. She didn’t think that anyone had ever given her a gift that she loved as much as she did this horse.

“Why do you sound so surprised?”

“I—” She looked down at her hands, her eyelashes brushing her cheeks. “This makes it all rather real, doesn’t it?”

“Indeed,” he said.

“I’m sorry that you were upset,” she said. “My hands were tied.”

“I apologize for getting you in trouble.”

They rode in silence for a few moments. Selina felt relieved—everything was right between them again. They’d come to an even deeper understanding than they’d had before.

“I’d love to see how she handles a good canter,” Selina commented brightly.

He beamed at her, then turned toward the others. “The Lady would like to see how Aphrodite handles a canter. We’ll meet you all over by the lake.”

They spoke among themselves, then Lord Sandbourne turned to yell back, “Lady Leah would like to continue going slowly. Never fear—Lord Munro and I will accompany her safely to our destination!”

Jasper glanced over at Selina, who smiled wickedly. They both moved off of the path, angling their horses into the vast green meadow. Selina urged Aphrodite into a smooth, rolling canter.

Behind them, one of the grooms and Faith followed closely, the sounds of their mounts’ hooves a reminder that they could never truly be alone, as things currently stood.

They both rode through the fields, headed for the small silver slip of the lake, which sat at the center of the Gillingham Estate. She felt like she was flying—Aphrodite had a smooth gait. Beside her, Jasper and Pilot kept pace easily.

“He could go much faster, couldn’t he?” she asked with a laugh.

“He could,” he replied.

* * *

Source: www.allfreenovel.com
Articles you may like