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"How impersonal." Edwina tucked the letter away with a little huff before climbing into bed.
"What is that?" Kitty called out from her side of the room.
"Goodnight, Kitty," Edwina said sweetly, trying to avoid a conversation about him. She allowed herself an impish little smile as she tucked the covers around her, knowing that her tone was bound to get her nosy friend suspicious. She was also looking forward to the morning.
Chapter Nineteen
Edwina was grinning the entire morning. Albert’s absence felt liberating for some reason. The guests had made arrangements to ride out to the nearby village for some sightseeing and a bit of shopping. It was a trip she was looking forward to better acquaint herself with William Strutfield.
Edwina and Kitty were supposed to ride with Steven since Albert was not around but at breakfast, they were told by William Strutfield that an emergency had crept upon Steven and he, too, would be unable to join them.
The source of her heightened spirits was William appointing himself their guide. They were to ride with him in his barouche. “I do not like this,” Kitty complained as they put on their pelisse and gloves.
“Whyever not?” Edwina asked, buttoning her pelisse. She had no complaints about this new arrangement but Kitty seemed somewhat disappointed.
“I… never mind.” She picked up her bonnet. “You never did tell me who sent that note to you and why you look happy this morning.” She had just successfully changed the subject and Edwina grew more curious, wondering if it had anything to do with Steven.
“I feel free this morning, Kitty. I feel like something good is going to happen today.”
“Truly? Like what?”
“My future.” Instead of finding William alone when they made their way to his barouche, they were shocked to find Albert seated comfortably in it and waiting for them. Edwina’s spirits plummeted as though they had been cast down from the heavens.
"The weather is too lovely to not take advantage of, is it not?" He grinned widely.
"It is indeed," William agreed. "I thought you were away, Your Grace?"
"My plans changed," he replied as he alighted and extended his hand to help Edwina up while William helped Kitty. Something about his cheerful manner unsettled her. He had been brooding for days and today he was suddenly happy? It did not seem natural. He was like a completely different person from the man that had confronted her last night and written that note after.
And as if he had somehow read her thoughts, he leaned close to her and whispered, "Why so suspicious?"
"Did I say something?" she whispered back.
"You did not have to." As the traveling party began a procession down the driveway, Edwina noticed Albert’s gaze on the pair of Andalusian horses pulling their carriage.
"Quite the prized lot you have here, Strutfield," he said at length.
"Impressive, eh?" William asked proudly.
Albert looked contemplative for a beat before he reluctantly said, "Considering how rare the war and export restrictions from Spain have made them, I suppose they make the cut."
It was very like him to not compliment him directly. Such display of arrogance was beyond her. She glanced at Kitty and found her still looking disappointed. Edwina was disappointed too. The morning was not at all what she had imagined.
"Would it kill you to simply admit how impressed you are without hedging around?" she whispered. They were seated opposite each other but she knew he would be able to hear her.
"We were discussing horses with Lady Edwina the other day,” William announced before Albert could reply to her. “I found that she is quite knowledgeable about them. It is impressive."
Thanks to her father's interest in horses, and his dabbling in their breeding before his death, Edwina knew quite a bit about them. "She is, indeed," Albert agreed confidently, smiling at her.
Edwina looked at him with bemusement now, for she had told him nothing of her interest in the animals. Yet here he was, pretending for all the world that he knew. "How shameless," she murmured to herself.
"I heard that," Albert said aloud, chuckling.
"I beg your pardon?" William asked and Albert dismissed it as nothing. Kitty, having noticed this surreptitious interaction was unable to restrain the little chuckle that escaped her. Her mood brightened.
"I was glad to finally find someone against the crossbreeding of Andalusians in particular when she shared her opinions,” William continued sharing what they had conversed about at the Country Assembly. “Most gentlemen would find it unusual that a woman would know so much.” He cuckold to himself. “But I am not most gentlemen. You are quite a fortunate man, Your Grace.”
During her rather pleasant dance with William at the Assembly, they had bonded over their love for horses, exchanged opinions, and even agreed to consult each other on the subject when needed.
