Priscilla appeared shocked, and he felt the need to explain. “I apologize for not letting you know I informed her of our plan. I was worried she was becoming too attached to you and would be crushed when things ended between us. It seemed like the kinder move at the time, but now it seems like she’s scheming to bring us together.”
Priscilla took a step towards him and took his hand. “You don’t have to apologize. You’ve done nothing wrong, and I understand you were trying to protect her. I just hope she’s not too disappointed in the end.” West noticed Priscilla fidgeting with her hands as she spoke about their ultimate ending. Was she uncomfortable with their plan?
“And it’s hardly anything compared to what my mother tried to pull in the past,” she continued with a little laugh. “Why, just two years ago she tried to arrange a situation at a house party where it would appear the Duke of Carrington had compromised my sister so he would be forced to marry her. Your mother’s invitation pales in comparison,” she rambled.
“Priscilla,” he said while gently lifting her chin so he could look into her eyes, “are you still comfortable with our arrangement?” She shifted slightly but nodded her head.
“Yes, I am,” she said confidently after a moment. “I would still much rather spend my time with you than fending off other suitors.”
He took a step closer and examined her critically. Her words seemed sincere, but her body language a moment ago conveyedan unease he’d not seen from her before. But she preempted any more questions, raising her fingers and gently tracing them under his eye and across his cheekbone where a faint discoloration still lingered after the hit he had taken the week before.
“What happened?” she asked as he fought not to lean into her touch.
“A stray hit during a sparring match before I left London,” he said rather huskily after clearing his throat. “It doesn’t hurt anymore, but the greenish tinge has stubbornly hung on.”
“I’m sorry,” she whispered while absently brushing her fingers back and forth across the spot as West became lost in her gaze. “I don’t like to think of you hurt.”
“It really was nothing, but I appreciate your concern,” he said, reaching up to stop her caress before he went mad.
Taking a step back, she pulled in a breath and brought herself into a proper posture once more. “I’ve waylaid you and caught you unawares. I’ll leave you to your work.”
“It’s alright. You have good timing, actually. I was just taking a break and about to take a ride to loosen up. Would you like to join me?” he asked, surprising himself.
What had made him offer such an invitation? He needed distance—and to talk with his mother—not to bring her along when he was attempting to clear his head. But it was too late, her entire face lit up at his question.
“Oh, you wouldn’t mind? I do love to ride, and it would feel marvelous after having been cooped up in the carriage for so long to get here.”
Well, he couldn’t deny that, could he? She was so excited, he could hardly try and steer her to a different activity now. West led her into the stables and brought her to meet his ever-faithful steed.
“Shakespeare?” Priscilla asked, raising a quizzical eyebrow as she stroked the horse’s nose.
“The cadence of his stride is so smooth . . . it’s as if one were experiencing the rhythm of a sonnet while riding him,” West replied. She gave him a soft smile while continuing to pet his mount. He was glad to make her smile, even if his sentiment leaned too far toward the poetic for his typical standards. There was just something about being around her that brought out a softness in him, making him liable to sound like a lovesick fool.
“I like it, it suits him. Whom should I ride?”
West led her to a smaller, beautiful, mahogany mare. “This is Maple, named by my sister when she was younger for her coloring. She’s a sweet one and should treat you well.” He watched as Priscilla held out her hand for the horse to smell her, becoming accustomed to her new rider, and a second later, Maple was already nosing into her palm.
“See? We’re friends already,” Priscilla said as she leaned forward and rested her forehead against the mare’s. It was such a gentle and beautiful gesture that West’s breath caught as he observed her with the animal. No one who was so patient and loving with a horse could be anything but a good person.
Clearing his throat again, he said, “Come, let’s ride.”
CHAPTER 20
West was reluctant for the ride to end as they returned to the stables. Priscilla had shown herself to be an adept rider, keeping up with him and Shakespeare the entire time. Coming from a family of horse enthusiasts and having ridden extensively since he was a little boy, that was no easy feat.
He enjoyed talking with Priscilla about the estate, pointing out landmarks as they rode past, such as the tree house he and John had built when boys in the largest tree by the river. John had spent hours there before going away to school, reading anything he could get his hands on with their neighbor Maeve. She loved the lush tree cover near the river which eventually thinned into the endless stretches of pastureland dotted with sheep.
Having been raised on the estate, West loved his home. He felt a part of the land and wanted to make it a success. He’d managed to meet with most of the tenants since arriving, and he planned to discuss more modern farming techniques with his cousin Ethan once he arrived.
West’s grandfather and father had left others in charge of running the estate. Having come from the professional class, neither knew anything about land management and neverbothered to learn best practices. His grandfather simply had not cared to learn, and West’s father had believed work was beneath him as a member of the gentleman class. Left without an invested leader, many of the land managers had become lax in their attention and effort to care for the farms and tenants.
Now that West was in charge, though, all that was going to change. He’d had a year to learn everything he could about the estates and their most pressing needs. He was ready to create a longer-term plan to improve yields and profit for all who lived off the land in this area. During their ride, he had shared many of his dreams and plans with Priscilla and he appreciated her attention as she encouraged him in his schemes.
But the moment was officially over, and as West helped Priscilla dismount, he relished the brief moment to hold her and feel her softness. After rubbing down Maple and Shakespeare and leaving the remainder of their care to a groom, he led Priscilla back to the manor house that was now bustling with family, arriving for the birthday celebrations.
Immediately, Lizzie bound up to him to inquire about the horses—her main passion in life. Ethan rolled his eyes at her eagerness while shaking his hand. But West was surprised to see Cumberland among the group. While introductions were being made between his cousins and Priscilla, out of the corner of his eye, he saw the earl giving his signature smirk.
Though he was glad to see Cumberland at a family gathering, he had a sinking feeling that his cousin was not necessarily here to make nice but had another motivation in mind. This was confirmed shortly after when he was introduced to Priscilla. He bent deeply over her hand, kissing it while holding her gaze.
