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“I’m sure it will be fine. We’re both experienced riders,” Alice said.
“I shouldn’t worry miss. I’m a good judge of horse flesh and I don’t know what this fellow is talking about. I’ve never laid eyes on two more settled beasts,” the servant said, reassuringly.
Alice took the reins of the horse the man had been petting. As she prepared to mount, stepping up to the mounting block beside the horse, she saw a sliver of white beneath the saddle girth. Reaching under, she found a piece of paper which she slipped into her sleeve before anyone could see it. Clearly it was a note and had been left by the man who had made a show of examining the horse.
As Ruth mounted and drew all eyes to her by the effort it took, Alice slipped the note from her sleeve and quickly glanced at it, concealed in the palm of her hand. It was from Harold.
CHAPTER16
“Ifind myself unable to wait just a few more hours to see you at the upcoming ball. Besides, it will undoubtedly be thronged with people and your family will not allow you out of their sight. I note, by virtue of a trusted man set to watch your house, that you intend to take a ride. If you would like, I will also be riding in Hyde Park at the same time. I will be watching you from afar, waiting for you to give your chaperone the slip. If you would care for some adventure that is. Harold.”
The words left Alice breathless and smiling. She closed her hands about the reins, note concealed in her left hand, as Ruth reached the summit of her horse and looked over at her.
“Such once-simple acts as mounting a horse will also become difficult to you when you are with child.” Ruth puffed.
“I cannot wait,” Alice replied.
Ruth pulled a face and Alice laughed. She suddenly felt as light as a feather, almost giddy at the thought that Harold was out there somewhere, at that very moment, watching her. Watching and waiting for his opportunity to approach her.
It is an adventure. How much more exciting than being introduced to a quiet, serious young man in his parent’s sitting room. How much more gloriously alive!
She cast a quick glance around but could not pick Harold out of the crowd. Ruth was already urging her horse forward at a sedate walk and Alice followed, still scanning the crowds.
“Do you look for something in particular?” Ruth asked.
Alice wanted to kick herself for making it so obvious.
“Nothing in particular. Just want to take it all in. I won’t have the opportunity to see the sights of London much once I’m married. This might be the last time I am here for who knows how long,” Alice replied.
“True enough. Gordon and I never seem to find the time to come to town as often as we would like. Perhaps, Rafe will be here often though. I believe he does in fact spend more time in London than in Bath. So, you may get more time than you think.”
“Yes, how splendid,” Alice replied automatically, still looking for Harold but trying to keep it discreet.
Even if I could find him, how am I going to get away from Ruth long enough to approach him?
The answer came to her as another horse passed by, being ridden in the opposite direction. Her own mount flicked its ears and tossed its head as the animal came close. Alice reached forward to pat its neck and calm it. The other animal looked like a stallion, and if her mount was in season, that could cause sparks to fly between male and female if not kept apart. And that was her answer.
Harold’s servant had, in fact, provided the solution in his chat with the servant left to await Alice and Ruth’s arrival. He had commented on how the animals from a particular livery yard had a tendency toward wild behavior while appearing deceptively calm.
So, I will just have to make this horse seem wild and out of control. Have to choose the right moment though.
They were crossing a clear path of grass, with a copse of trees ahead. There were no pedestrians in front of her who might be injured or try and intervene. Alice realized that this was her opportunity. With a cry of alarm, she dug her heels into the side of the horse and it leaped to a gallop. She let the sudden acceleration throw her back in the saddle, almost overbalancing and falling off entirely. She heard Ruth call out in alarm but Alice was already a good distance from her. She steered the horse into the trees while trying to make it seem as though the horse chose its own path.
Branches whipped at her and birds took wing from the canopy at the commotion of the equine intruder into the quiet copse. Each tree was fully dressed in its full panoply of summer green and soon, Alice lost all sight of the park. The woods through which she rode could have been a trackless wilderness in the depths of Scotland, so effectively did the dense foliage block all sight and sound.
She let the horse slow to a walk, then came to a stop. It would take Ruth time to catch up and then look for her in the copse and Alice hoped that Harold had been watching. Her head whipped around at the sound of a branch breaking. She broke into a beaming smile as she saw Harold ride into view. He wore a dark overcoat, riding boots, and a top hat. A smile adorned his lean, angular features and he took off the hat as he drew level.
“My congratulations on a fine performance. Have you considered taking the stage?” he said as he swept a bow from the saddle.
Alice laughed. “And you are too devious for any innocent young woman to trust, Your Grace. Leaving a note under my saddle? Watching the house? Is this normal courting behavior?”
Harold’s smile deepened into a grin. “I wouldn’t know. While the friends of my boyhood were courting young women, I was fighting for King and Country. And even before that, gravitated to the kind of women one did not court.”
He reached out and held onto her reins, keeping their horses close together.
“What kind of women would that be?” Alice asked, leaning away as he tried to kiss her.
“The kind that cared for the Ton as little as I did. High or low born.”
