by Elaine Hart
“Mother, Father,” Lady Diana greeted her parents and turned to Lady Lucy. “My dearest sister, and my lord.”
“Good morning, my lady,” Lord Stanley said with a smile.
“What are you doing here?” Lady Diana asked her sister.
“We thought we would wish you a lovely birthday personally,” Lady Lucy said with a smile.
“It is wonderful to see you, Sister,” Lady Diana said with a smile, “and you, my lord.”
“Indeed,” Lord Stanley smiled.
“Father…” Lady Diana said and glanced at her father expectantly.
“Patience is a virtue, Diana,” the Duke pointed out.
“Father, you ought to be well aware Diana possesses neither patience nor self-control,” Lady Lucy said.
Lady Diana narrowed her eyes at her sister and pursed her lips briefly. “That is not true. I managed to sleep the entire night,” she retorted.
They chuckled briefly and the Duke cleared his throat. “Well, Diana, I do have news regarding today.”
Lady Diana’s shoulders slumped slightly and glanced at her father. “Father, you promised.”
“And I am most certainly not breaking my promise,” the Duke said in defence.
“That is why Lord Stanley and I are here, Diana,” Lady Lucy said.
Lady Diana glanced at her sister with a furrowed brow and cocked her head. “I do not understand.”
“I had my coachmen and stable hands choose the four best mares in the county and bring them here for you to choose one.”
Lady Diana’s brows shot up and she stared at Lord Stanley in disbelief. “You are not joking, are you?”
“Not at all,” Lord Stanley said with a smile, and Lady Diana could certainly see why Lady Lucy fell in love with him in the first place. Not only was he handsome, but he was intelligent, well-spoken and kind. “It is my, our gift to you.”
Lady Diana pursed her lips to suppress tears of joy from rolling down her cheeks. She embraced her sister, as well as Lord Stanley, not at all fazed by how improper it would be considered. She was truly grateful to them for their generous gift and she wished them to know it.
“There are no words that could truly express to you how grateful I am,” Lady Diana said.
“You are most welcome, Sister,” Lady Lucy smiled. “May you have a wonderful anniversary of your birth.”
Lady Diana smiled and nodded gratefully.
“Let us eat. I have a feeling that we are going to require every bit of strength for today,” the Duke said with a chuckle.
After breakfast, Lady Diana was escorted to the stables and introduced to the four mares. In Lady Diana’s opinion, they were all magnificent, but she found an immediate liking towards the smallest one of the four, a white mare with a silky tail and mane, and a black patch on her muzzle in the shape of a diamond. Lady Diana placed her hand against the horse’s muzzle and gazed at the horse in wonder. She was in utter awe of this magnificent beast and her parents, Lady Lucy, and Lord Stanley could clearly see it.
“Have you made your choice, my lady?” Lord Stanley asked.
Lady Diana glanced at Lord Stanley over her shoulder and nodded. “She is rather perfect,” she answered, her eyes sparkling. “Has she been named yet?”
“Not yet. She has only been broken in recently, and I thought that you would prefer to name her,” Lord Stanley answered.
“Indeed I would. It is such an honour,” Lady Diana said with a smile. She turned her attention back to the mare in front of her and pursed her lips briefly. “I shall name her Starlight.”
“A name as beautiful as she is,” Lord Stanley answered and walked to where they stood. He reached his hand out towards Starlight and stroked her muzzle. “Pleased to meet you, Starlight.”
Lady Diana smiled happily and embraced Lord Stanley once again. “Thank you.”
“You are most welcome, my lady,” he answered gallantly.
After Starlight was led to the stables, they went back inside the house, despite Lady Diana’s reluctance to leave her mare. Lord Stanley assured her that she would be perfectly fine, and she only needed a while to familiarise herself with her new surroundings. Starlight also needed to be fitted with new horseshoes, a saddle, and a bridle.
Lord Stanley also had a new stable hand come to the estate, with permission from the Duke and Duchess, of course.
After Lord Stanley and Lady Lucy left the estate, the Duke and Duchess did everything in their power to keep Lady Diana’s mind away from the mare and despite truly wanting to go to the stables, Lady Diana resisted. She knew that Starlight would still be there in the morning, well rested and fed, ready to take Lady Diana on her first ride.
Behind the estate gardens there was a lovely meadow where she and her sisters often played, but Lady Diana also remembered the time when Lady Lucy had thrown a rock at a beehive and they were chased across the meadow by a swarm of angry bees. A small smile appeared on her lips as she thought back to how terrified she had been, but as soon as she and Lady Lucy had jumped into the small lake, her fear melted away and the two sisters giggled in relief, until the Duke commanded them to climb out of the water and dry themselves inside.
Lady Diana had never intended to get her sister into trouble that day, but Lady Lucy seemed to have handled it well. Albeit she was sent to their maternal grandmother in Paignton, but there she also met Lord Stanley, the love of her life.
Lady Diana sat in the parlour as her parents spoke of the upcoming ball that would be held by the Dowager Duchess of York, but she did not pay much attention to what they said. She thought of the trails she and Starlight would ride on.
“Diana?”
Lady Diana glanced up and saw both her parents watching her expectantly.
“I sincerely apologise, Mother and Father,” she said with remorse in her tone and on her face. “It may seem that I did not listen to a single word you said to me.”
“Your mother was telling you about the ball of the Dowager Duchess of York,” the Duke said with a suppressed smile.
“The Dowager Duchess of York? Should I know her, Mother?” Lady Diana asked.
“Indeed you should. She is one of the most gracious women I have had the honour to meet,” the Duchess answered.
“Congratulations,” Lady Diana said with a frown.
“Thank you,” the Duchess chuckled, but her expression soon grew serious again. “She will introduce her son, the Duke of Newton, to society.”
“It will be his first official season as the Duke,” the Duke added.
Lady Diana glanced at her mother and father with a perplexed expression and scowled. “Is he even old enough to take his father’s title?” Lady Diana asked.
“Indeed. He is five-and-twenty,” the Duchess answered.
“Why is he introduced at such an age?” Lady Diana asked with a frown.
“The late Duke, his father, passed away a few months ago, and he had taken over his father’s title and estate,” the Duchess answered. “His Grace had also just returned from Europe after his father’s passing.”
“Europe,” Lady Diana said, impressed that the Duke of Newton was a well-travelled man. “That sounds like quite the adventure. Perhaps I should travel through Europe,” she mumbled absentmindedly as she stared out the window.
Lady Diana had resided in Exeter her entire life, and a voice deep inside her had been begging her to broaden her horizons.
“Perhaps, but you are much too fragile to travel the world by yourself,” the Duchess pointed out.
“Thank you for the reminder, Mother,” Lady Diana muttered.
“Perhaps I should have a word with the Dowager Duchess and introduce you and His Grace,” the Duchess said with a smile.
Lady Diana cocked her head and raised a wary eyebrow. “Perhaps. It would be lovely to hear tales of his travels. Perhaps he, too, has a horse.”
“I am certain he does,” the Duke answered with a nod.
“Then I will meet with him,” Lady Diana a
greed, and stood from the sofa. “May I be excused for the evening? I am rather exhausted. It was an eventful day.”
“Certainly,” the Duke answered and stood as well.
“I wish to thank you once again for ensuring that I had a wonderful day, and thank you for allowing me to have my own mare.”
“You are most welcome, my dearest,” the Duke said.
“Sleep well,” Lady Diana said with a smile.
“You as well, dear,” the Duchess said and they watched as Lady Diana left the parlour.
“I doubt that the Duke of Newton is the right man for Diana,” the Duke pointed out a few moments after his daughter left.
“Why on earth would you say that?” the Duchess asked.
“If he is anything like his father, I do not wish my daughter to be anywhere near him,” the Duke said simply.
“Their family is one of the most respected families in England,” the Duchess contended and crossed her arms.
“As is ours,” the Duke said with a scowl.
The Duchess sighed, already feeling that this discussion would instantly escalate into a disagreement. “His Grace is a lovely young man. Well-travelled, well-spoken—”
“Charming and charismatic. Yes, yes, I heard it all before, but will he provide Diana with everything her heart desires?”
The Duchess placed her hand on her husband’s shoulder. “My darling, you of all people should know that it does not always work in such ways. Perhaps she may not love him the way I love you, but she will be well cared for, and she will bear a wondrous title in one of the most prominent families in the country.”
“Perhaps, but she will not like this one bit,” the Duke pointed out. “We both have known Diana her entire life, and even though she is not as wayward as Lucy, she is rather stubborn and follows her own mind.”
“I do wonder where she got that from,” the Duchess pouted and cocked her head. “I also never for a moment insinuated that Diana would approve of this. She has been rather opinionated lately, especially since all her sisters are now married and living their own lives. Perhaps she is lonely,” the Duchess said.
“Perhaps we should give her another sibling,” the Duke said flatly.
“Or perhaps we should focus our energy on finding her a suitable husband first,” the Duchess chuckled.
“As you wish,” the Duke answered.
“I love you very much, my dearest,” the Duchess said and gazed deeply into the Duke’s eyes.
“And I love you, darling.”
“Coming back to Diana and the Duke, perhaps we should introduce them and see where it leads. Guide them towards one another in a gentle and inconspicuous manner.”
“That is a wonderful idea,” the Duke answered and smiled at the Duchess.
The Duchess smiled tenderly and kissed the Duke softly on the lips. “You do realize that Diana has not turned in for the night?”
“Indeed,” the Duke answered and glanced at the grandfather clock in the corner of the room, “but it is not midnight yet. The day is still hers to do with as she wishes.”
The Duchess sighed and shook her head. “You give her too much freedom. We would not wish to have a repeat of what happened last year with Lucy.”
The Duke thought back to the incident with the bees where Lady Lucy and Lady Diana had been chased by angry bees and had to jump into the lake to escape. He shook his head and glanced at the Duchess. “Diana is not Lucy.”
“Thank the heavens,” the Duchess chuckled, and the Duke joined in on her amused laughter.
As the Duke and the Duchess predicted, Lady Diana was most certainly not on her way to her chambers. Instead, she had snuck into the kitchen and out the back door completely undetected. Her sisters, especially Lady Rebecca, had been spotted on more than one occasion. She quietly crept along the shadows of the building, ensuring that she kept herself out of sight, regardless of whether her parents were aware of where she would be.
She approached the stables and the excitement consumed every inch of her as she opened the large stable door. She stepped inside and walked along the wide walkway, glancing at the magnificent horses in the stables. She smiled as soon as she saw Starlight and approached the mare.
She heard a scuffle behind her and whirled around. Her heart nearly stopped when she spotted a young man step out of the shadows and into the dim light that cast through one of the large windows.
“Who are you?” the young man asked her.
She briefly pressed her hand against her chest to ease the frantic beating of her heart and lowered her hand. “I am Lady Diana, daughter of the Duke. Who are you?”
“I am the stable hand.”
“Come closer. I cannot see you,” she said, rather demanding.
The young man placed something on a rail behind him and slowly stepped into the light. Lady Diana held her breath as the very handsome young stable hand stepped towards her and she let out a slight gasp as soon her head started to spin. He had broad shoulders, deep brown eyes and tousled brown hair. He glanced at her innocently and cocked his head. He was dressed as the stable hands were normally dressed, in brown trousers and a beige shirt that seemed a bit too big for him, despite the breadth of his shoulders and the curves of his biceps which were clearly visible, even in the dimly lit stable. She glanced at him from head to toe, and back again.
“I have never seen you here,” she said breathlessly. If she had, she would have certainly remembered it.
A smile formed on his lips and Lady Diana marvelled at the magnificence of him, but composed herself as soon as she realised she was shamelessly staring at him.
“I am new. Lord Stanley had me sent to the estate to assist with...” he paused and thought for a moment. “Starlight, is it?”
“Indeed. She is my mare,” Lady Diana said proudly.
“Is that so?”
“It is.”
“You named your mare Starlight?” he asked, seeming equally surprised and intrigued.
“Is there something wrong with that name?” she asked and crossed her arms.
He simply shrugged and folded his arms, mirroring her.
Lady Diana narrowed her eyes, as she was not certain whether he was doing so on purpose, but instead of pouting, she asked, “What is your name?”
“Hudson Fletcher.”
“Pleased to make your acquaintance,” she said with a slight smile.
“Same, my lady,” he said with a nod.
“What are you doing here at this hour?” she asked.
“I could ask you that very same question,” he answered with a shrug.
Lady Diana opened her mouth to answer, but realised that she did not need to explain herself to this man. He was still a stable hand, regardless of the fact that he was the most handsome man she had ever seen in her entire life. “I believe I asked you first.”
He suppressed a smile and said, “I was ensuring the horses had enough water and hay to keep them through the night. That is after all why I am here, to ensure their well-being.”
“Indeed, why else would you be here?” she answered with a sigh.
“Why, indeed,” he said and smiled at her.
She glanced at him, knowing that she could not gaze upon him any longer without appearing rather obsessed.
“I had better be going,” she said and walked past Hudson.
“My lady,” he said and she glanced at him over her shoulder, bathed in the moonlight.
“Yes?” she asked.
“You need not lose sleep over Starlight. She is in very good hands,” he said to her and to her surprise, he winked at her.
She nodded and hastily made her way out of the stables, her heart pounding in her chest. She hurried back through the kitchen door and made her way back to her chambers. As she closed the door of her chambers behind her and fell down on her bed, she could not fathom why on earth she was as breathless as she was. She rolled onto her back and stared at the cascading drapes which hung from the elongated posts of her bed. A
smile ran briefly across her lips as she found herself to have more than one reason she wished to take Starlight for a ride.
Chapter Two
June 1815
Powderham Hall
Exeter
Devonshire
England
Lady Diana was nervous as she mounted atop Starlight, grasping the reigns more tightly than was necessary. Hudson, the stable hand, had gallantly offered to take her and Starlight out for their first ride, as he was familiar with Starlight and could give Lady Diana the necessary guidance on how to ride, as well as to control Starlight if she were to become spooked.
Of course, the Duke and Duchess were none the wiser, and were not aware that Lady Diana had met Hudson prior to this morning.
“May I ask you a question?” he asked as they slowly made their way along the trail. Hudson rode a black stallion with a silky black mane and tail, and it was apparent that he had been riding for a very long time.
“If it is why I named my horse Starlight, I would rather not answer,” she snubbed him.
He chuckled in amusement, not at all affected by her mood. “That was not what I wished to ask you.”
“Then what?”
“What were you doing in the stables last evening?”
“I simply wished to see Starlight. I certainly had not expected anyone else to be there,” she answered.
Hudson shrugged and gazed out at the meadow. “And you did not make your parents aware that we had met last evening.”
“That was not a question.”
“Merely an observation.”
“I did not wish for them to know I was at the stables after dark,” she answered.
“And why is that? You are a grown woman,” he answered nonchalantly, yet still intrigued by Lady Diana.
“My parents are protective of me. It is often mistaken for love and concern,” she said and rolled her eyes.
“You do not approve of their protective nature,” he pointed out.
“Not at all,” she muttered and lowered her gaze. “I understand they worry about me, and whether I am safe and healthy, but most times it is entirely unnecessary.”
Hudson smiled and nodded. “I cannot say I understand but I can only imagine. It must be difficult for you to maintain your independence when your parents shelter you the way they do.”
