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"It is not surprising," Edwina said. "Their larger and more flexible nostrils do give them the advantage of breathing better while running, not to mention their incredible hoof walls." She smiled up at the stallion.
"My word! I might have finally found my rival," the groom said with great excitement. "I beg your pardon, My Lady, but how are you so versed in these magnificent creatures?"
"My father loved them," she replied fondly. "Everything I know about horses I learned from him."
Interesting, Albert thought inwardly. He had not known this little detail about her until now—
"God bless your father for educating you about such magnificent creatures, My Lady," Rufus said. "An honor having such a conversation with you." She smiled demurely as she gave the middle-aged groom her gratitude. The stallion nudged her shoulder and she patted his head.
"Come." Albert took her arm and stirred her out of that stall and into the next one.
"My goodness, Rowan!" she exclaimed on sighting the Andalusian mare that had arrived from Spain.
"Do you like her?" he asked, unable to hide his pride now.
"I never saw such beauty in one beast," she breathed in awe, reaching for the mare’s mane and running her fingers through.
"How poetic.” He chuckled.
"Why, thank you, Your Grace.” She bobbed a little curtsy before returning her attention to the mare. "She is very beautiful.” She took out some sugar cubes from her pocket and fed the horse. “She is very young, too.”
"Yes, she arrived from Spain two days ago," Albert said. "Would you like to ride her?"
"Truly? I could?" Her eyes went wide with barely contained excitement.
“Of course. You may even name her if you wish.” He leaned close to her. They were the only ones in the stall at that moment.
“Oh, I could not. She is not mine.”
With his lips very close to her ear, he said, “She could be. What is mine can be yours, Edwina.”
She turned to look at him and intense heat passed between them. They held each other’s gaze for an interminable moment before she shook her head and turned away, making him wish he knew what she was thinking. Stepping away, he called Rufus and asked him to saddle the mare for her. Once Edwina had mounted and was comfortable, he got onto the gray stallion and they left the stables side by side.
"I would race you to Glass Blanket, but this dratted side saddle would not allow me to," she declared.
"Pity," Albert said, smiling smugly. “Perhaps today is not the day you claim victory over me.”
"Why do you sound so pleased that I cannot race you?" she challenged.
"You could not beat me no matter how hard you tried, Darling." He spurred the stallion into a canter and she did the same. They rode for almost a mile, the fresh country air invigorating him inside and out, before slowing their horses to a walk.
“Tell me, Edwina. When was the last time you properly rode a horse?”
A sheepish smile crossed her features. “I will admit it had been quite a while.”
“How long, exactly?” he pressed her.
“Some… years—”
He threw his head back and laughed. “And you hope to claim a race victory over a man that rides nearly every day of his life?”
"There you go again," she clucked her tongue. "All proud and pompous."
"This is not pride, Darling. I so happen to be a former racer, you see. I raced an excellent thoroughbred in Ascot and Epsom for two years.”
"My goodness! And you are only telling me this now?"
He grinned, liking the way her eyes shone with wonderment. “The occasion never called for the disclosure of my sporting history," he responded, making a show of sitting up straighter on his saddle. "And I did not know you loved horses until recently, remember?"
