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The rider was awe-inspiring.William slowed his horse and stared, rather impressed with the lad’s seating and the skills displayed in his command of the stallion. There were no houses for miles, only wide-open land, which all belonged to the Duke of Hartford, a rather impressive gentleman, and an acquaintance of William’s. He surmised the rider might have come from the duke’s stable and was now far from the main house.
The rider drew in the reins, and when the horse slowed to a trot, the lad triumphantly tossed his hands into the air. It was enough to pull a smile to William’s mouth. He’d been in a black mood for the last few days, ever since Pippa ventured to his townhouse, and he turned her away. His gut told him he had done the right thing, but something far more elusive and perhaps a bit whimsical told him he’d made a mistake.
William had traveled down to his late grandfather’s cottage, hoping an extended visit would lighten his spirits and give him answers to the question plaguing him.
Had he made a mistake with Lady Pippa?
The lad tore the hat off his head, and tresses of raven-black hair tumbled around his shoulders and down his back. An unmistakable thrill of recognition went through William’s chest. Immediately William knew it was Pippa. Simply because every sense within his body seemed as if they had surged to life.
What the hell was this?
She leaned over her horse again and urged the animal into a magnificent gallop. A large drop of rain landed on William’s cheek, and he lifted his face to the sky. Hell. Rain was imminent, and the damn woman was miles away from the duke’s estate. Or wherever she came from. It could only be the duke’s estate. There were no other homes around for miles, and the direction she rode into was only more woodlands and lush forestry.
Trusting Lady Pippa knew what she was about, he continued riding toward his section of the woodlands, the property that belonged to his family. A fork of lightning startled his horse, and then a harsh clap of thunder urged him to bolt.
“Whoa, Phoenix,” he murmured, effortlessly commanding his stallion.
The sky opened; the rain light but insistent. Worry suddenly gnawed at his bones, and William wheeled his horse around and chased after the direction Pippa traveled. Her speed had left enough hoofprints in the earth for him to follow. Thankfully the rain was light enough to not yet wash away her tracks. The deluge came a little harder, and he urged his horse to go faster, not liking the sense of dread clamoring through his entire body.
“I am being a damn fool,” he cursed under his breath. “She is fine, and I am overreacting to nothing—”
Fear stole his breath when he saw a body lying along the path, thankfully on a thick shrubbery. He had barely reined in Phoenix when he dismounted and ran over to the still form on the ground.
“Pippa,” he shouted, careful to not jar her. “Pippa, can you hear me?”
She made a low noise in her throat but did not awake. Quickly he shed his jacket and created a covering above her, so the rain did not drench her face. William felt along her body, not detecting any broken bones. Her ankle was twisted oddly, and she moaned when he tried to remove the riding boot.
He gently eased her into a sitting position and shook her awake. Her lashes fluttered open, and lavender eyes caught his.
“William?” she asked with a soft gasp. “Are you an apparition?”
“I am very real,” he said gruffly. “Where are you feeling pain, Pippa?”
She appeared confused for precious seconds before she shook her head. “I think…I think I was tossed from my horse. Thunder startled him, and I could not regain control.”
“I know, sweetheart,” he said, rubbing her hands between his. “Tell me, where do you hurt.”
“My ankle.”
“Only there?”
She nodded, her eyes wide and apprehensive. “I will lift you up and take you to my horse. We will ride him together.”
William stood, eased her into his arms and lifted her with easy strength. He walked her over to his horse, hoisted her in the saddle and then mounted behind her. He nudged the horse into a run, and she whimpered at the jostling.
“I know it hurts,” he murmured soothingly by her ear. “But I must get you out of the cold and the rain. I do not want you to catch a fever from exposure.”
“The duke’s estate is behind us.”
“I am not taking you there.”
She said nothing to that, only leaned her back against his, cradling herself against his chest. An odd emotion rose in his throat, and he tried his best to get them to the cottage without jostling her too much. The journey felt unending when it could only have been a few minutes. He entered a wide open clearing, a picturesque cottage perched almost magically in the center. She gasped, and he knew it was from the gardens surrounding the cottage and the beautiful pond to the left. He eased her down, dismounted and swung her into his arms. She did not protest but clasped his shoulders tightly, resting her head trustingly against his chest. Something about her trust humbled William and filled him with an unknown feeling.
He entered the cottage with her carefully, pleased to see a fire had been lit in the hearth and that the provisions requested had been delivered. His local man always came through whenever William sent down one of his unexpected requests.
Pippa glanced around the cottage. “Are we in someone’s home?”
“Yes.” He eased her to the floor. “Come, we need to get you out of these wet clothes and into something warm. Then I will need to look at your foot.”
