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“Excellent. Humphrey is my finest steed. I do enjoy taking him out for a ride when I am hoping to truly enjoy my day out. He has an excellent disposition,” he said.
“That is wonderful. It is always interesting to see how a horse behaves under different moments and at different times,” she said.
“Indeed, it is. And were you riding your favourite of horses or have you many?” Crispin asked.
“Yes, Phillip is my favourite. He, likewise, is wonderful for a peaceful ride in the afternoon. Windmer is my favourite for racing across the fields,” she said.
“Windmer?” he asked with a laugh.
“I know, it is a silly name. I was very young when I came up with it. In truth, she is nearing the end of her days, but she is still faster than some of the others I have ridden. She gives me quite a thrill when I am able to go out,” Lady Mary said.
“Well, that is wonderful. I do hope that we meet again one day while we are out,” Crispin said, noting the rhythm of the music and trying to focus for a moment to ensure that he was in step with the others.
But once he knew that everything was as it ought to be, Crispin continued discussing the horses with Lady Mary. He knew that it wasn’t the most riveting conversation, but it gave him an opportunity to learn more about her and her personality.
For instance, he now knew that she, like him, enjoyed peaceful rides as well as adventurous ones. Of course, he was curious as to whether or not she would like to go out riding with him one day. It would be a wonderful thing to be married to a woman who wanted such a life.
“Have you always enjoyed riding or is it something you learned as you grew older?” he asked.
“I always loved horses, but I was as frightened by them as I was fascinated. It was not until I was nearly ten that I worked up the courage to ride on my own. Even then, I was highly supervised. I think I would have been unwilling were my father not present,” she said.
“Oh? And what was it like? Were you afraid or relieved?” he asked.
“I loved everything about it. I never wanted to get down. Whenever I had the opportunity to ride, I would take it. Other days, I would demand it, even in the rain. My father encouraged it and said that if I loved to ride, I should be allowed every opportunity,” she explained.
“And when given the choice between riding and reading, which would you prefer?” he asked.
She smiled sweetly as she considered the option.
“I suppose I should like to read when I want to hear of an adventure and I should prefer to ride when I want an adventure of my own,” she answered.
It was a lovely response and Crispin related to it better than he cared to admit. She made him think of the world in a way that he was almost hesitant to confess. Somehow, she knew his heart as well as he did. And yet, she spoke of it as her own.
“Lady Mary, I have never met a woman quite like you before. It really is strange to find a woman who is so like myself,” he said.
“And if I am so like you, what do you think of it? Is it frightening or illuminating? Are you seeing parts of yourself that make you happy or am I only proving to show you the parts which you should rather not see?” she asked, somewhat teasingly.
“You are the version of me which has all the positives heightened and not one of the negatives. You ought to be proud of your nature and your character, for I have scarcely seen such in a woman before,” he said.
Lady Mary grinned brightly.
“I beg your pardon. I do not mean to speak so freely. I find that you are the only one who enables me to be this open and I am quite frightened by it,” he admitted.
“You need not be frightened. I am glad that you feel comfortable enough to speak freely. I think that you are rather wise, and I like hearing you speak. Honestly, it often reminds me of some of the authors we have spoken of—you speak as they write. It is quite enjoyable to listen to,” she said, paying him the highest of compliments.
“Lady Mary, you are much too kind. I think you give me more credit than I am due, but it does mean a lot,” he said.
The music was coming to an end, and the dance in kind. Crispin didn’t want to let go of her. He feared the moment he would have to remove his hand from her hip and when he would have to let go of the clasp of their hands together. He wished that he could simply stay in that moment for an eternity and never have to release it.
But as the instruments held their final note, Crispin took a step back, releasing her and accepting that he had no other choice.
He bowed and she curtseyed, and they both came up looking one another square in the eye as if there was no one else in all the room.
And to him, there wasn’t. Lady Mary was the only one he could see, and she was the only one he wished to see. He felt as if she was every bit as devoted to him as he was to her and that in itself was a most encouraging delight.
As Crispin led her away from the dance floor and back to where their friends and family stood, he once more thought about the future and knew in his heart that she was the only thing he saw when he looked ahead. He knew that he wanted her to be his wife, even if he found it shocking to feel that way.
They had spent so little time together and he was typically slow to trust and slow to share much of himself. But Crispin knew—he knew that Lady Mary was the only woman in the world for him and he felt confident that there was nothing now that could stand in their way.
He had seen courtships end badly. There were times when men made dire mistakes or when the woman was indifferent, and she would reject his proposal. He had seen family feuds cause a rift and end an engagement and he had seen the society pages report some scandal that might tear a young couple apart.
But he would never have to face these things. Not with Lady Mary by his side. Crispin knew that this had been too easy, but he thought love must simply be that way. Indeed, Harry had been right. Crispin needed to make plans for the future because he wanted to marry this woman as soon as possible.
He determined then and there that he would arrange to meet with her father and discuss his plans. Once her father knew that he was pursuing marriage, everything would come together smoothly and simply.
Her stepsister would not be hurt by his interest in Lady Mary, and he believed, wholeheartedly, that Lady Mary would accept his proposal and they could potentially be married within the next few months.
So long as Beatrice approved as he believed she did, it would be simple enough.
Indeed, there was nothing to stand between them now. Love didn’t have to be hard, did it? Sometimes it really could be simple and effortless, could it not?
