“I have always wanted to do this,” she murmured.
“Why would your father not let you?” Seth asked. He clicked his tongue and the horse began to trot. Charity’s body stiffened, the movement uncertain and unfamiliar beneath her. “Relax as you ride. Let your hips move with the horse. You’ll both be more comfortable then.”
She did as he instructed, allowing herself to sit more comfortably in the saddle. She smiled, feeling the wind whip her hair and face as they walked gently around the lawn.
“My father was always worried,” Charity whispered.
“For your safety?”
“In truth, I’m not so sure it was that.” She shook her head. “He could have done as you are doing now, or asked a stable hand to accompany me, to ensure I’d be safe. No, I think he feared me making a fool of myself on the horse if I ever rode. I know he didn’t like people whispering about his blind daughter. I was his shame.”
“Shame?” Seth scoffed. “That man is nonsensical. He does not deserve someone with your heart.”
“Seth…” Her voice softened. She longed to reach for him but feared releasing her grasp from the reins. “Thank you,” she whispered instead, deciding that she would show him through touch later just how much his words meant to her.
“It is true,” he said with sudden passion. “The more I see of this world, the less I think there is enough good in it. It can be stolen from us, too soon, before its time, especially when it comes to family. Your father should have loved you as you are, rather than expecting you to become something you are not.”
Charity outstretched a hand toward him despite her worries, releasing the reins. Somehow, she managed to find his shoulder. At her touch, she felt him inhale deeply and then release a slow breath.
“What happened to you, Seth?” she whispered. For so long, Charity had harbored many questions about Seth she longed to have answers to. Was now not the perfect time when they were completely alone, riding together? “What happened to make you this way?”
The question was vague enough, but somehow, Charity knew he would understand what she was asking.
“It… it is not easy to speak of so freely,” he said, his tone just as quiet but lower and deeper. Once more, that deep sound resonated within Charity. His voice always held power over her, from the first moment they met—but these days, that power seemed to have grown exponentially. “Another time. I will tell you another time, Charity.”
Part of her mind might have feared he was being distant with her again, but she chose to hold onto his promise. Someday, he would tell her everything, and she would know what pain he had suffered.
“Come, let us ride this way,” he added. “Your movements are already more natural. You are rather surpassing my expectations, if I’m being candid,” he chuckled.
Their lesson, or rather, easy-going exploration of the Axfordshire woodlands, continued until Charity was exhausted. She stepped down off the saddle in the stable yard and landed in a large puddle. She giggled when she felt the muddy streaks lancing up her skirts.
“How much of a mess am I now?” she asked Seth as his arm came up around her waist, steadying her.
“About as much a mess as I am,” he remarked with a small laugh. “We are both swarmed in mud and grime if you must know, but I hope you feel it was worth it, for my valet will want my head come day’s end.”
“You have no idea how much it is.” She leaned back into him. The trust he had in her, to let her ride his horse, was everything to her. For so long, she had felt shackled to the life of a prisoner, or worse, a child, never being permitted to experience the simple joys in life. She reached up and tangled one of her hands around his lapels. “You make me feel… free.”
“Free?” His lips moved closer to her ear. “I do?”
“Utterly.” She nodded with a sad smile. “From that first evening, I felt it, but now, the feeling grows stronger every passing day. Thank you for this, Seth. You have no idea how happy I am to know I will someday be your wife.”
His lips abruptly found her neck, as if caught up by her words. She gasped at the touch.
“Will your staff not see?” she whispered, fearing how close they might have been.
“I do not care if they do. Come with me, Cherry. You feel free, yes? Well, I’m determined to give you complete freedom now.To show you something you long to know.” He took her hand and drew her toward the edge of the stable yard. “There’s a step here,” he spoke when they reached the door.
He offered such soft and small directions throughout the house. At one point, Charity heard the distant barks of Rufus and Shelby, showing they had been taken elsewhere, but she never once heard the hurrying footsteps of any of the staff. She felt completely alone with Seth, thrillingly so, as they climbed the stairs toward the chamber they had occupied so often together.
When they reached his bedchamber, he opened the door wide and pulled her hurriedly in. She stumbled in her effort to keep up with him, but he was there to catch her as the door swung shut behind them. His hands caught her waist, and he kissed her as she fell into him.
There was nothing soft in this kiss, but pure unadulterated passion. One of his hands desperately moved across her back and waist, urging her to curl into his body, pressing them together. He parted her lips, tangling their tongues together in a heated dance that had her breathless. Each touch he gave made her body tingle, trembling with the anticipation ofmore.
“What…” she tried to murmur between kisses, struggling with her breath, before he traced his lips along her jaw. Shifting her Spencer jacket to the side, he kissed down her neck and found a sweet spot just above her collarbone. She gasped and tipped her head back, loving the sensation he conjured. “What did you wish to show me?” she whispered.
“Everything,” he murmured against her skin, his voice now so deep that it vibrated across her body and made her heart thud against her ribcage. “Unless you wish me to stop...”
“Don’t stop,” she panted so quickly that he chuckled in a low rumble.
