His heart thundered in his chest
A river of sweat poured down his spine.
And he was sitting a horse.
“Are you all right?”
“Aye.”
“Grab my waist.”
His hands slid around her firm waist, and she clicked her tongue—and they were moving through the woods.
He was riding.
He understood he wasn’t healed through some mystical force.
No miracle had transpired today.
But what had was understanding and acceptance—hers of him … his of himself.
And perhaps it was the latter that was most important.
That he understand himself.
Which could possibly lead to an acceptance.
It was a first step.
And that this first step toward reclaiming an essential part of himself was with Artemis by his side was no accident.
It was fate.
They emerged from the shadowed woods lining the stream and the rolling countryside expanded before them.
A new day had begun.
He didn’t care that it was the most obvious metaphor poet ever put to paper.
He felt it deeply—profoundly.
So it wasn’t a profound metaphor.
But it was a profound feeling.
This woman gathered in his arms was his fate.
And he was done fighting fate.
CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
EVENING
As the main course was served on this final evening of the Somerton house party—a delicious joint of venison with spiced mushrooms—Artemis settled back in her chair and observed, as she’d been doing for much of the meal, peering into others’ conversations without feeling obliged to contribute.
Across from her sat Liam Cassidy, who was now England’s most famous jockey, and who she realized with something of a start was a relation of hers by Rake’s marriage to Gemma. To his left sat Beatrix, who had insisted he recount every moment of the Race of the Century. No detail was too minute. Artemis had never met anyone with more knowledge of or interest in the sport of horse racing than Beatrix. To Beatrix’s left sat her husband, who insisted on being called Dev, instead of Lord Devil. Fair enough. Dev was attending to the conversation of the man across from him, the Duke of Acaster, who also was an investment partner in his steam engine business.
Further down the table sat Rake and Gemma, and the rest of the guests—Julian and Tessa; the Earl of Stoke; Celia, Acaster’s duchess; and Lady Gwyneth and Bran.
