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“Good day, Your Grace!” the groom called out, seeing them approaching. “Come to see the options?”
“Yes,” Fergus said simply. He removed Edwina’s hand from his arm and ducked through the fence into the paddock to join the groom. “Who do we have here?”
“This is Gloriana,” the groom explained. “So far, she is my favorite of the lot. Very gentle but confident. She has good breeding, too.”
Fergus ran his hands down the horse, similar to the groom. He pulled up the hooves to inspect them then came around to the mouth and looked at the teeth which the horse tolerated well.
“What do you think?” Fergus called out to Edwina, who watched from the fence.
“I think Gloriana has beautiful coloring,” she laughed. “She also seems sturdy.”
“Come around,” Fergus called, beckoning Edwina to come into the paddock. “Get closer to her.” Edwina hesitated momentarily, looking wary about ducking through the fence like he had.
“Let me get the gate,” the groom offered. Edwina met him, and he let her into the paddock. She stepped through the dirt gingerly to join Fergus’ side.
“Are you nervous?” he asked in a soft voice.
“A little,” she confessed.
Fergus took her hand and put her palm on Gloriana’s nose, petting her gently. “See? She is very mild. Keep your palm flat, and do not let her confuse your fingers with carrots.”
When Edwina laughed at his joke, warmth flooded through his body. She smiled up at him iridescently, and he felt more keenly aware that his hand still pressed against hers. Even through her glove, she radiated warmth, and her joy infected him as she met his gaze.
“Is something the matter, Your Grace?” she asked.
“No, nothing,” he rushed and slowly pulled his hand away from hers. “Do you want to consider the other horses? We could have this one saddled and see how she rides.”
“Oh, I am not sure about that,” Edwina protested. “I have not worn my riding habit.”
“Just a short ride; you do not need to change,” he told her. Fergus looked to the groom. “Has she been ridden by someone here yet?”
“Yes, Your Grace. Charlie took her out this morning. Quite a pleasant gait,” the groom assured them.
“It is as good as a time as any,” Fergus told Edwina, smiling down on her. He turned back to the groom. “Have my horse saddled as well. I shall go with her.”
As the groom left, calling the stable boy to go with him, Edwina wrung her hands together nervously.
“I promise I have ridden before,” she told him softly, “but it has been a few years.”
“I will make sure nothing bad happens to you,” he told her, reaching out to put his hand on her shoulder comfortingly. She smiled at him again then watched as the groom saddled Gloriana. The horse did not look bothered at all, which reassured Fergus greatly. Once the horse was ready, the stable boy brought Fergus’ stallion out alongside Gloriana. Fergus helped Edwina to step into the saddle before he mounted his own horse.
“Just an easy ride through the woods,” Fergus told her. “Follow me.”
As Fergus led the way, he noticed that Edwina barely had to cue Gloriana to follow him. The mild-tempered horse seemed to instinctually want to follow. Edwina clutched the reins with white knuckles but did not pull back too tightly for which Fergus admired her. Around them, the woods closed in on the small path, showering the way with a golden dapple as the sun filtered through the trees.
“Just try to relax,” Fergus recommended as he watched her. She looked down at her hands as though she had not realized what she was doing.
“Perhaps you could distract me, Your Grace,” she said. “Some stimulating conversation might help me forget my nervousness.”
“What would you have me talk about?”
She gave him a droll look. “It would not be as diverting if I picked the subject. Though, if you need an idea, you could tell me what ideas you might have to introduce me as your new duchess.”
Taken aback, he drew closer alongside her. “What do you mean, introduce you?”
“Is it not customary to announce when you marry as a duke?” she asked. “I just picked up correspondence and invitations from my father’s house. So many people do not yet know I have married.”
“What does it matter?”
