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Chapter One
The break of dawn was always the best time of day. The kiss of the soft sunlight against the curtains, casting an ethereal glow through her bedchambers always made her smile. Belle couldn’t help but to take a moment and appreciate it, basking in the silence and peace that it brought with it.
That calm lasted mere moments before she wrapped her plaid shawl around her head and headed out the door. She could picture it already, as she stepped silently over the carpet running through the hallway.
Her lady’s maid, Hannah, would be shocked to find her gone, but that was if she didn’t make it back in time, of course.
As tempting as returning late sounded, Belle tried to ignore it.
She held the shawl tighter around her body, heading for the back stairs. If her luck held out, as if had been for a while now, she wouldn’t encounter anyone on her way to her destination. She let loose a soft breath, letting the calmness of the morning settle over her shoulders and release any built-up tension.
She needed this break, this reprieve. She needed to be alone with her thoughts, without Hannah constantly following behind her, without her father’s imposing presence, and without her mother’s loud silence. She simply needed to be alone, to enjoy her own company, and to forget about all the things that troubled her.
But that is easier said than done.
For a moment though, when she finally made it out of the manor, Belle did forget all about it. The soft light of the sun, coupled with the gentle, crisp breeze, seemed to wash away all her worries. She simply stood there for a few seconds, basking in serenity of the moment. This was the most precious part of her days, the one she clung to, simply to get through the rest of it.
When she opened her eyes, Belle resumed her trek to the stables. She tried not to think about it, tried her best to keep the thoughts from rearing their ugly heads, but she was constantly being reminded of it. The dowries, the marriage prospects, the fact that she had made her debut last London Season, had been quite popular, and still returned without a husband.
To many, she would have been considered a failure. To her father, she certainly was. After all, Richard Sinclair, the Duke of Auldwood, was the sort of gentleman who didn’t accept failure, especially not from a daughter whose only use to him was to marry well.
A smile broke out on her face when she spotted her horse standing in the center of the stable, a middle-aged man next to her. The man was around forty-years old, his grin wide, his body skinny and his hair a gray mess. He was terribly kind and he always doted on Belle, always made sure he could do whatever he could for her.
“Tom,” she greeted and watched as his smile threaten to overtake his face. “How did you know I would go riding?”
“I see you sometimes, M’Lady,” he said, stumbling a bit over his words. His eyes twinkled as he patted her horse on the rump. “So I thought I would come and saddle your horse for you this morning.”
“That’s very sweet of you, Tom.” She couldn’t help smiling at him. She drew nearer, running her hand over her horse’s nose. Her name was Shadow, a midnight black mare that was the fastest in the stables. Shadow bobbed her head slightly at Belle’s touch.
“I’m glad you like it, M’lady,” Tom said as he took a step back. She swung her leg over Shadow; her mood was instantly lifted now that she was settled on the horse’s back. With the path ahead of her, the vast countryside to explore, Belle felt all the residual weight on her shoulders fall away.
She shot Tom another grin as she raced out the stables. Normally, she would begin with a slow trot, easing Shadow gently into the exercise. But she couldn’t wait today. No, on this morning, Belle felt like chasing the sun.
The instant the wind picked up her hair, she felt as if she was flying. She’d tied the shawl around her neck to keep it from blowing away as she raced away from the stables, from the manor, from all the pressures of her title and her father’s domineering attitude. Atop Shadow, Belle felt as if she could truly be free. There was no longer anything holding her back from finally relaxing, from being herself.
She gritted her teeth, hunching over Shadow’s speeding body. Tears pricked her eyes from the brisk air, and it made her laugh in happiness. This wouldn’t last long, she knew. She’d have to return eventually.
And the Duke of Auldwood would be there to greet her if she was late, her mother cowering behind him.
No, there’s no use thinking about that right now.
She shook her head, as if that would get rid of the annoyingly burdensome thoughts and she forged Shadow ahead, pushing the horse to her limits. She knew Shadow, having been by her side ever since she was a babe, and she knew she was as much as fan of the lovely early morning run through the countryside as Belle was. They made a wonderful pair.
This would be her last ride for a while. Soon, she’d leave here to go to London for another Season and Belle was dreading every moment of it. Her father was sure to crack down on her, ensuring that she didn’t leave the city without accepting a proposal and Belle wasn’t sure how long she could oppose him.
He wasn’t easily deterred and she was sure he would be keeping a keen eye on her this time around. She was already nine-and-ten. To him, she should have been married the year she debuted.
The fact that she would not be able to ride like this for a few months saddened her and she came to a slow trot, her wispy brown hair falling down around her shoulders. Absentmindedly, she lifted a hand to run her fingers through it, knowing that while she was in London, she’d be subjected to the usual beautiful hairstyles, extravagant dresses, and the pressures of standing out among the other ladies of theton.
She would be fighting to be noticed around all the other lovely ladies, to not be overshadowed by those who would debut this year. Just the mere thought put an ache between her shoulder blades.
So, hunching over Shadow again, she urged the mare to starting galloping again. She was eager to comply.
Belle didn’t know how long she spent out on the open land but when she returned to the stable, Tom was still there, waiting. The morning was still blissfully young and so she hurriedly handed the reins over to him, giving him a grateful smile and turned to leave, missing the way he ran his hand over Shadow’s hair. She repositioned her shawl over her head and quickly made her way inside the manor.
It didn’t take her long to get back to her bedchambers, slipping in to find the room thankfully empty. Without hesitation, Belle removed the shawl and changed into her nightgown, getting into bed right after.
The sun had fully risen by the time she was done, and she closed her eyes against the brightness, willing herself to go back to sleep for a short while before Hannah came in. Because only in sleep did the weight on her shoulders feel non-existent.
