Aunt Phyllis nodded and smiled, resuming her walk. Her daughters were not so circumspect. Seth grinned as he heard one of them say, “But Mama, we were not invited by the Earl.”
The other commented, “Why should Cousin Amelia be invited and not us, Mama?”
Seth tried to remember their names but could not recall them and subsequently gave up.
“Hush, girls,” Lady Phyllis chided, “Amelia is betrothed to a Duke. As such, she takes precedence over two single ladies. But your time will come, my dearests.”
Seth found himself enjoying the annoyance of the Willoughbys at their lack of invitation from Earl Tewkesbury. He caught more than one glance of an envious nature at Amelia from both of the young daughters. As they were now walking much closer, he also heard the wordrake, spoken in a stage whisper that was clearly meant to be heard by both him and Amelia.
They were as irritating as midges, their whispers and looks constant bites. Seth glanced at Amelia, who seemed to be rising above it, though from time to time, he caught her flinching at one of their comments. Or glaring when she thought she was unobserved. It was soothing to him that she shared in his dislike. It made Seth feel a bond between them.
Until he remembered that he could not afford to feel any such thing.
God’s teeth, but a simple plan has suddenly become complicated, and I have no idea why!
They had reached a section of the park that was fenced off as pasture for horses, left there by ladies and gentlemen who had ridden in but wanted some time on foot. Liveried grooms stood in attendance on the animals.
“Would you care to ride?” he asked Amelia, knowing that she did not ride.
Without waiting for an answer, he seized her hand and strode to the paddock. He lifted her over the fence and vaulted it himself, choosing two animals at random.
“I tire of walking. A little sport is called for, don’t you think?” he smirked devilishly.
Amelia was taken aback, looking back towards the Willoughbys, who had only just become aware of Seth’s impulsive decision.
“Are these your horses?” she asked.
“No. But we are only borrowing them,” he shrugged.
He put his hands about Amelia’s waist and bodily lifted her into the saddle of a roan mare. She flushed bright red as she perched there, clutching her bonnet. Seth vaulted into the saddle of another mare, this one coal black with a white streak down its nose. He took Amelia’s reins and turned his horse using his knees, leading them away into the paddock at a trot.
He expected to hear her gasp or even scream, given that she had once told him that she had very little experience on horseback. She had gone on to say that living in London seemed to render horse riding obsolete. One either walked or took a carriage.
But Amelia neither gasped nor screamed.
Suddenly, the reins were snatched from his hands, and Amelia was spurring her horse to a gallop, surging past him.
“If we are to ride, let us ride!” she called out, black hair streaming behind her like a banner.
Seth fell stupefied. He allowed his horse to come to a halt. She rode with the skill of a born rider, reaching a speed that he had never seen from a woman riding side-saddle.
Quite astonishing. Magnificent in no uncertain terms. I feel as though I have been played from the very beginning. And I am not sure that I am all too unhappy about it.
He shook himself angrily. There was no room in his head for such thoughts. He was being played, and Amelia was his opponent. He did not intend to lose to her—not his title and certainly not his heart.
CHAPTER 6
Charlotte breathed a deep sigh of relief as she sank into the steaming hot water. She had realized how tense she had been for the entire day. Such was the pressure of maintaining a facade as she was forced to do.
She let her head sink beneath the surface for a long moment, watching her breath rise in bubbles before lifting herself out and wiping hair from her face. She let her head rest against the back of the bathtub.
Marie had left for France, but Charlotte could not ask any details, for the real Amelia would know what had become of the lady's maid. Marie would have been her only ally in the house. Her betrothed was flirtatious and, at times, overbearing.
Not my betrothed. Amelia’s betrothed. I must remember next time he wants to kiss me.
But he had not wanted to kiss her after the ride around Hyde Park. Charlotte had gloried in the chance to be ahorse, something that was commonplace in the Nightingale’s country estate in Yorkshire. She had out-ridden Seth at every turn, laughing and taking great pleasure in her victory. She had felt sure that her display would render him besotted with her.
No! With Amelia!
