“I hope I’m not interrupting anything important,” she said, tilting her head in an effort to look innocent.
“Just the estate ledgers. Which are, depending on your temperament, either riveting or coma-inducing.” He leaned back in his chair, arching an eyebrow. “To what do I owe the pleasure?”
She stepped inside with her arms crossed. “I’ve come to ask you how on earth you’ve survived all these years hidden away from society. Truly. What does onedoout here to avoid going mad?”
Robert chuckled low in his throat, setting his pen down. “Going mad sounds like a very personal experience. Perhaps Your Grace simply lacks imagination.”
She gave him a playful glare. “Don’t mock me.”
“I can’t help it.” His smile lingered. “In any case, when I’m not working, I ride. I hunt. Swim. Hike through the woods or the mountains. There’s always something to do if you look for it.”
Her eyes lit up. “I like that idea. The exploring.”
“Good.” He rose from his chair, towering over her in that way he always did without effort, and moved to the window. “The weather will hold for another day or two. What say you to a ride into town tomorrow?”
She blinked, pleasantly surprised. “Truly?”
“We could even stay the night at an inn,” he added, glancing back at her, gauging her reaction. “Give you a chance to see the place properly. You are the Duchess now after all.”
A ridiculous amount of excitement bloomed in her chest. “I’d love that.”
Something about the softness of her voice made him pause. Then he nodded. “Well, then it’s settled. I’ll have the horses prepared for tomorrow.”
Evelyn lingered in the doorway, already picturing the small town in the valley below, the promise of bustle and color and voices that didn’t echo off stone walls. But more than that, she was stunned by how effortlessly Robert had offered her a piece of his world and made her feel welcome in it.
“Thank you,” she said before slipping out.
She allowed the rest of the day to pass in daydreaming and anticipation, and when the following morning arrived all dressed in gold and mist, Evelyn was ready. She found herself standing at the entrance to the stables, her riding cloak drawn tightly around her. The air was brisk, nipping at her cheeks and making her breath visible.
She turned as she heard footsteps approach. It was, of course, Robert, looking devastatingly at ease in his riding clothes, dark hair tousled from the wind and boots already dusted with straw.
“I thought you’d make me wait,” he said, a slight smile playing at his lips.
“I considered it,” she said playfully, “but I didn’t want to be responsible for the brooding silence you’d descend into if I delayed the great Duke’s itinerary.”
He chuckled, low and genuine. “You’re in fine form this morning.”
“Perhaps I simply enjoy the idea of escape.”
“Temporary escape,” he corrected. “You’ll still be expected back for supper tomorrow evening.”
She followed him into the stables where a row of well-groomed horses awaited. The scent of hay and leather filled the air, warm and earthy. Robert gestured toward the row.
“Choose whichever you’d like. They’re all well-trained.”
Evelyn stepped forward as her eyes traveled from one animal to the next one. Most of them lifted their heads with interest, for they were strong, alert creatures accustomed to activity. But near the end of the row, she paused before a mare whose head was lowered and whose eyes were partially hidden beneath her forelock.
“This one,” she said softly, reaching a hand out. The mare shifted but didn’t shy away. “She looks… shy.”
Robert came up beside her and to her surprise, didn’t dismiss the choice.
“That’s Storm,” he said, glancing at the horse affectionately. “Quiet at first glance, but she’s a storm underneath: fierce, relentless, and faster than most. Good choice.”
Evelyn turned to look at him, raising a brow. “Is that your way of saying I have excellent instincts?”
“It’s my way of saying you’ve got a taste for trouble.”
She smirked. “And here I thought you preferred docility.”
