Footsteps sounded from behind him but he did not need to turn around to know who it was.
“I see you finally managed to choose a horse you like,” he said, smiling when Evanapproached, leading the horse out, with a saddle propped on his shoulder.
“Ah yes, pardon me for my indecisiveness. I’ve never much liked changing horses which is why I’ve had my old girl for so many years now. It never feels quite the same but this beauty right here is the closest any has come,” he grinned.
“I see how that could pose a challenge,” he said, patting his horse on the side. “I don’t believe we’ve had much time to catch up since the season began. Perhaps you would like to join me at White’s sometime?”
“Certainly. I’ll be ready whenever you are, although I doubt my sister would like that very much,” he said, snickering.
Benedict frowned. “Is there a reason why she would be against it?”
“Well, Augusta and I have had a difference in opinion on certain matters. You know of her desire to save every young lady from rakes,” he explained.
Benedict nodded. “Yes, an admirable quality to be found in a lady,” he said truthfully, staring back at Evan when he only lifted a brow.
“Quite so, however, it is my wish that she would give it up. I do not want any harm to come to her.”
He nodded once again. It was a concern of his as well. There were so many men who could consider her actions as a slight and choose to harm her. He frowned. The thought of her in harm’s way did not sit quite well with him.
“You’re right, of course. Unfortunately, I do not think there is much we can do to stop her. We can only do what we can to protect her from harm.”
Evan sighed, feeding his horse. “You are a very determined man, my friend. I don’t believe there’s ever a man who is quite strong to deal with my sister like you have.”
Benedict laughed. He admired the relationship between Evan and Augusta. He remembered the first time he had seen her when Evan had made the joke about her being dropped on her head. Although she had not found it funny, he knew there was no malicious intent from Evan’s end.
There appeared to be a bit of rivalry going on between them. It was more playful than serious but they exchanged vicious words much more than siblings in the ton did. Their closeness and love for each other, however, was not one he had any trouble seeing.
“I wonder how it must have been to grow up with someone like her. It seems to have sharpened your tongue,” he said.
“Truthfully, not really. She used to be very sweet when we were younger. She only changed as the years went by,” the Viscount mused.
Benedict turned from brushing his horse and looked at Evan in shock. “What? What do you mean?”
Evan shrugged, tending his own horse. It was clear that he had no intention of saying any more than he already did. Benedict was curious. He had always been so intrigued by her but now that Evan had let slip that there was this part of her he did not know about, his curiosity had increased rapidly.
Still, he knew not to force the issue. She would tell him if she ever felt like it.
He could not stop the questions that plagued his mind.What changed her?If she used to be very sweet while she was younger then she should have grown up to be a naïve and sweet lady instead of the skeptical and untrusting one she turned out to be.
Somebody really must have hurt her to change her but her brother clearly did not wish to part with that information.
Augusta joined them finally, running her hand down the horse’s side. Despite the attention she gave the horse, which was a clear indication that she was not afraid of it, she also did not seem to be as interested in the activity as he’d thought she’d be.
“Do you not like horses?” he asked when her enthusiasm did not increase.
“I do not care much for them but I also do not dislike them,” she said.
“So, you’re not afraid,” he stated.
“Why would I be afraid of horses?” she asked him, her brows furrowing in confusion. “They draw the carriages, my brother rides them all the time, and we have a few at the estate. So, why would I need to fear them?”
“Well, from the books that I have been reading, the ones that you recommended to me, the ladies do seem to be afraid of horses,” he explained playfully.
Augusta’s jaw dropped. Her eyes flicked over to her brother who was paying them no mind and then back to him.
“You actually read them?” she asked.
“Yes, of course,” he said without thought. “As a matter of fact, this outing was inspired by a scene from one of the books.’
