by HELEN HARDT
He smiled. “How would you like to ride Midnight?”
“Your stallion? Have you completely lost your mind?”
“You can ride with me. My parents had a saddle for two made because my mother, like you, wasn’t a natural rider, but she enjoyed animals so she rode with my father. We can use that.”
“Is it sidesaddle or astride?”
“Astride for me, of course, side for you, I’m afraid. But my mother found it comfortable because she didn’t have to worry about controlling the horse. My father took care of that.”
“Do you think it’s appropriate for us to ride that way? Given the…circumstances?”
“What circumstances would those be? We’re chaperoned. There’s no harm.”
“It’s already clear that Lord Evan thinks you’re courting me, Daniel.”
“It is, is it?” He smiled at her. She was so adorable when she was pretending to care what others thought. He knew the truth.
“Well, of course it is.”
“Is he courting your sister?”
“Of course not. This is just a simple friendly outing. She would have told me if he… He probably hasn’t spoken to our father…”
Daniel lifted the large leather saddle. “What is the difference between what they’re doing this afternoon and what we’re doing?”
“Well, they’re riding separate horses.”
“Because Rose loves to ride. You may certainly ride your own horse, Lily, but you seem uncomfortable with the idea.”
“I’m not uncomfortable exactly. It’s just that I don’t really want to ride astride with others. I’ve always done it alone, and my dress will ride up my legs, and—”
“In that case, maybe you should have your own horse. I wouldn’t mind looking at your legs all afternoon.”
“Daniel…”
“Come now, this isn’t the decision of the century. I love to ride, and I want to share it with you. It seems the easiest way for me to do that is for you to ride Midnight with me.”
“All right, if you think it’s suitable.”
“I think it’s perfectly fine. And I’ll get the added pleasure of being close to you.” He stole a quick kiss. “I’ve missed you.”
“You just saw me this morning.”
“I know.” He kissed her once more. “You wait here for Xavier and Rose. They’ll be coming around from the guest stables. I’ll saddle Midnight.”
* * *
Lily settled against Daniel’s chest as Midnight trotted away from the stables. Rose and Evan rode side by side, behind them. Daniel held the reins with one hand, keeping his other arm around Lily’s waist. Snuggling back against him felt warm and wonderful. He was right. She was much more comfortable this way. So comfortable, in fact, that she wanted to lean against Daniel’s hard muscled chest forever. God help her.
“We’re coming up to a jump, Lily,” he said into her neck. “Should I warn your sister?”
“Goodness, no. She can jump in her sleep. Watch her. You’ll be amazed.”
Midnight took the two foot jump with ease and Lily was hardly jarred. Daniel turned to the side to watch Rose, and then Evan, handle the jump expertly.
“You are certainly graceful on horseback, my lady,” Daniel said to Rose.
“Thank you, Your Grace. I suppose it’s my compensation for not being blessed with Lily’s artistic talent.”
“Don’t listen to her,” Lily said. “She may not be able to draw a straight line, but she plays the pianoforte like an angel. Music is just another type of art, Rose. I myself never had the patience for it.”
“I would love to hear you play sometime,” Evan said.
“I’ve been playing in the main parlor most mornings. I’d like to ask Her Grace if I could play the grand in the conservatory. It’s magnificent.”
“Play it anytime you wish,” Daniel said. “In fact, why don’t you play for the three of us sometime?”
“I couldn’t possibly. I don’t have anything prepared.”
“Aren’t you working on that Beethoven?” Lily asked.
“The key word is ‘working,’ Lily. It’s not ready for an audience.”
“Don’t believe a thing she tells you,” Lily said. “She has a beautiful repertoire.”
“Fine then,” Daniel said. “Shall we say tonight after dinner? About eleven in the conservatory?”
“I-I’m not sure…” Rose stammered.
“She’d be delighted,” Lily said, laughing. “Now let’s see some more of this beautiful estate. And do pick up the pace, Daniel. I’m not made of china, you know. I want to ride!”
“All right, Lily,” he said. “You asked for it.”
He urged Midnight into a gallop, and Lily laughed with the pure exhilaration of the ride. Daniel slowed Midnight when they came to an ornate cast iron gate off the trail.
“Where does that lead?” Lily asked Daniel.
“It’s a garden. Would you like to see it?”
“Yes, of course. Is anything in bloom this time of year?”
“You’d be surprised.” He turned to the others. “Lily wants to take a look at the garden. Would you two care to join us?”
“Of course,” Rose said, turning to Evan. “If it’s all right with you, my lord.”
“Fine with me,” he said. “Is there a hitching post?”
“Yes, right here.” Daniel motioned. They dismounted and saw to their horses. Daniel opened the gate. They stepped inside and Lily and Rose both gasped. The garden was like a maze, with leafy shrubbery arranged in intricate formations. A few white benches sat nearby, and several little pathways led into the heart of the greenery.
“It’s so much bigger than I imagined,” Lily said. “It’s enchanting, like a labyrinth. Whoever dreamed up such a place?”
“My grandmother,” Daniel said. “She envisioned an oasis to attract fairies and gnomes and the like. She was a bit odd in the head, but a great duchess.”
“I definitely need to bring my paints here,” Lily said.
“Would you care to walk a little, my lady?” Evan offered his arm to Rose.
“That would be lovely.”
Lily started to follow them, but Daniel held her back. “Let them go alone.”
“I can’t,” Lily said. “I’m her chaperone. Rose is innocent.”
“So were you a few days ago.”
“I was never the innocent that Rose is. I read.”
Daniel chuckled softly. “Let them have some time. They seem to like each other.”
“If you think best,” Lily said. Once Rose and Evan were out of sight, she tilted her head upward and sought Daniel’s mouth with her own.
“Easy, Lily, or I may have to rip off your clothes and have you right here.”
“Control yourself.” Lily laughed, kissing him again.
He turned his face from her. “I want you so much right now. If you keep kissing me, I may not be able to stop. You know what I’m capable of.”
“Yes, and I like what you’re capable of.” She pressed her lips to his neck, inhaling the salty scent of his skin.
He grasped her shoulders, pushing her away from him. His eyes were smoky and sunken.
“Daniel?”
“Come sit with me, Lily. I want to talk to you.” He led her to one of the small benches.
“What is it?”
“I want you to know that I…care for you, and I’m so sorry about what happened this morning.”
“Is that what this is about?” Lily touched his cheek. “You don’t have to apologize. I’m not angry.”
“I was so rough with you.”
“Daniel, I wanted you.” Lily was bewildered. “Did I scream? Did I try to get away from you? I went to you willingly, like I always have.”
“You are the last person in this world I want to hurt.”
His face was twisted in so much anguish that Lily wanted to clasp his head to her bosom and comfort him as though he were a child.
“I swear to you that it won�
��t ever happen again. Why did you let me do it?”
She met his gaze. “Because you…seemed to need me. You were so emotional. I wanted to help.”
Daniel looked away. “I just… When you said I would replace you… Damn it, Lily, I don’t know what’s going on with me.”
Lily stroked his hair. “You shouldn’t keep your emotions bottled inside you. It’s not healthy. You’ve been through so much in the past year. Have you ever let yourself mourn for your father and your brother?”
“I won’t speak of that,” he said abruptly.
“All right. I understand.” She reached for his cheek and pulled him back around to face her. “But if you ever change your mind, you can talk to me. About anything. I mean that.”
He wrapped his arms around her and drew her head to his chest, kissing the top of her hair.
Lily snuggled into his warmth. “Everything will be fine, Daniel,” she said. “I promise, everything is fine.”
Chapter 9
Lady Amelia Gregory adjusted her skirts as the well-endowed stable boy pulled up his trousers. She didn’t know his name, and she didn’t care. “Stay here,” she said. “Don’t follow me out.”
“My lady, I’d like to—”
“For God’s sake, don’t talk. I certainly didn’t come here for conversation.”
“But—”
“I got what I came for. You were acceptable. Now stay here, and don’t leave for at least fifteen minutes.”
“I’ll go out the back way.” The boy turned and walked away.
“Suit yourself.” Amelia hurried to the door of the stables and peeked out. Three horses were approaching. “Oh, bloody hell.”
Two of them headed left toward the guest stables, and one came toward her to the main stable. Midnight, carrying His Grace and that little twit, Lily Jameson. Amelia seethed. Not interested, my arse. The little fool can’t wait to become a duchess.
Amelia quickly turned around and headed for the back door of the stable, but it was too far away. She ducked into a stall behind a brown-and-white mare and watched through a small crack in the wood.
“Come in, Lily,” Daniel said. “Stay and talk to me while I take care of Midnight.”
“Don’t you have grooms to take care of him?”
“Yes, but I like to do it myself.”
“I understand. He’s a beautiful horse, Daniel.”
Daniel? She called him Daniel? The little harlot.
“Thank you so much for today,” Lily continued. “I don’t think I’ve ever enjoyed riding more.”
“Neither have I.”
“May I help you with him?”
“Certainly.” He handed her a brush. “Take this and smooth out his mane, while I take care of his feet.”
“I absolutely love animals.” Lily ran the brush through Midnight’s mane. “Dogs are my favorite, but horses are a close second. They’re such beautiful and noble creatures. I wish I were a better rider.”
“You just need to get more comfortable.” Then he laughed. “You want to know what I think?”
“What?”
“I think you spend the majority of your time painting and writing, and you’ve never given yourself the chance to learn to ride properly.”
“Rose has tried to teach me, but I’m hopeless.”
“Nonsense. You responded well today.”
“That’s only because you were controlling Midnight. If I had been riding alone, you would have seen that—” She paused. “You’re not buying any of this are you?”
“Not a word,” he chuckled, shaking his head. “You have excellent instinct, as I saw today, plus it’s obvious that you enjoy horses. I could teach you, and you’d be riding like Rose in no time.”
“Would you really teach me?”
He finished with Midnight’s hind feet and strode toward her, taking the brush from her hand. “Love, I would do anything for you. Don’t you know that by now?” He grabbed a different brush and gave it to her. “Now we’ll do his coat. You do this side, and I’ll do the other. Here, I’ll show you.”
Amelia fumed, hidden. He had called her love. That ridiculous little twit, who “couldn’t care less” about being a duchess. Lily had no doubt set the course in motion long before she arrived at Laurel Ridge. I’ll ruin her, Amelia thought. But that wasn’t possible. All they had done was go riding together, with chaperones. Damn. She could make something up, though, something deliciously scandalous. Of course, if she did that, the little fool’s father, the earl, would no doubt force Daniel to marry her, and Amelia would have no chance at Daniel’s title. Besides, why resort to lying when she could do something much more fun? The little bitch had a very handsome and very available brother. Amelia had already threatened to seduce Lily’s brother, so why not go through with it?
Amelia smiled to herself, but her contentment was short lived, as the brown-and-white mare dropped a large clump of manure on her shoe.
* * *
Lily and Rose barely awoke in time to dress for dinner. They were among the last to enter the dining room and be seated. Lord Evan rose and offered each of them an arm, guiding Lily to her seat.
Daniel took her arm. “Thank you for delivering her, Xavier,” he said. “I’m sorry, Lily. I didn’t see you come in.”
“That’s perfectly all right.” She glanced around the room. No!
Lady Amelia Gregory had somehow snagged the seat next to Thomas, which was supposed to be occupied by Emma. Lily turned to the outside table. Poor Emma was nestled between Wentworth and his uncle.
“Lily,” Daniel said, “I want to thank you for—”
“What on earth is going on?” she interrupted in an urgent whisper.
“Nothing. What are you talking about?”
“Somehow that dreadful harpy Amelia Gregory is sitting next to my brother. And poor Emma is caught between Wentworth and his lecherous salivating uncle. Why did you change the seating?”
“I didn’t. I told Aunt Lucy to keep it the same as last night.”
“You have to do something, Daniel. I won’t let that bitch get her claws into my brother.”
“Lily,” he said calmly. “There isn’t anything I can do right now. Knowing Am…er…Lady Gregory, she will make a horrendous scene if I try to change her seat in front of all the guests. It will completely disrupt the meal. But I’ll take care of it tomorrow. It won’t happen again, I promise you.”
“You said you’d do anything for me! Look at Emma! She can’t even move her arms because Ludley is so…rotund. He’ll probably drool all over her crumpets, and then try to squeeze her thigh under the table. And Amelia will…oh, I can’t bear having her for a sister-in-law!”
“Lily,” Daniel whispered, “you need to lower your voice. It’s just dinner. Your brother has more sense than to make Lady Gregory your sister-in-law.”
“You didn’t have enough sense to stay away from her. What makes you think Thomas will? He’s a man after all, who does the majority of his thinking with his—”
“What do you mean I didn’t have enough sense to stay away from her?”
She didn’t want to tell him about her conversation with Amelia, so she resorted to rumor. “Good Lord, Daniel, everyone knows.” She looked quickly over her shoulder. “Emma is already dodging Ludley. My God, he’ll use every tactic to try to grab her breast. He’s been doing it to me for years.”
“Lily, Lady Gregory never meant anything— He’s been doing what?”
“What? Oh, Ludley. Yes, I’ve been diverting his roaming hands forever. I wasn’t so successful the first time. I was not but fourteen, and—”
“Fourteen?” Daniel’s voice lowered, his teeth clenched. “That sick bastard. I’ll pummel him. By God, I’m going to boot him off this estate.”
“Oh, for goodness’ sake, don’t bother.” Ludley and his meandering hands were the least of Lily’s concerns at the moment. “Just take care of this seating problem. Please.”
“Lily, I can’t. My mother would never
forgive me. She would be incredibly embarrassed to have her dinner interrupted with such a trivial—”
“It is not trivial!”
“Not to you, love, but to her. I’m so sorry. I’ll make this up to you.”
“Daniel, this is the absolutely worst thing in the world!” Lily whispered urgently.
Daniel caressed her thigh under the table. “Please calm down. I’m sorry this has you so upset. But don’t you think you’re being a bit melodramatic? Your brother and Emma are fond of each other. That won’t change because of an unfortunate seating choice. Why don’t you talk to Emma after dinner. If she says Ludley acted inappropriately in any way, you have my word he will be sent packing.”
“Melodramatic? How could you…” Daniel’s caress under the table did feel good. Lily started to relax. “Yes, I will talk to Emma, and I don’t expect we’ll be seeing Ludley on the morrow. As for Amelia Gregory, if she so much as touches my brother—”
“Jameson can take care of himself, Lily. He wouldn’t appreciate your interference anyway. I’m right, aren’t I?”
“I suppose so, but I don’t care. I’ll burn in hell before that little doxy gets hold of him.” She took a few deep breaths, the tension in her leg subsiding a bit. A little bit.
“Are you all right now?” Daniel asked.
“Yes, I’ll be fine. Where’s my wine?”
“Allow me.” He filled her glass and handed it to her. “My, all that surliness, Lily. You’re so worked up. Your skin is rosy all over. It makes me want to…”
Lily tried to stay angry, but she couldn’t help smiling. “Later,” she said. “And you’re going to pay for this incident.” She took a sip of wine.
He beamed. “I can’t wait.”
* * *
Thomas was disappointed not to be seated next to Emma. He had grown quite fond of the lithe blonde and was beginning to believe Lily was right about finding a woman of intelligence. As the daughter of a banker, Emma was well versed in the world of finance and had listened to his tales of estate matters with interest, even offering her opinion from time to time.
The current seating was even more bizarre due to the fact that everyone else at the table, in fact at all the tables, seemed to be in the exact same position as the previous evening, except for Emma and his current dinner companion, Lady Amelia Gregory. Thomas knew little about Lady Gregory, except that she was the former Amelia Scott, a commoner, and the second wife of Frederic, Earl Gregory, twenty-five years her senior, who had passed away within the first year of their marriage. There were ruminations about the earl’s untimely death, but nothing had been proven.
