“No one is riding Betty,” I say. “The princess will ride Periwinkle, and that’s that.”
Monty groans. “Periwinkle is boring. It will tell me nothing about Rosey’s skill.”
“You wouldn’t know skill if it slapped you in the face.”
He grins at the insult. “Which is precisely why I need her to ride a challenging mare. If she sits that horse as well as she strokes it—”
“This isn’t a game.”
“Oh, but it is.”
“I mean her safety.” My voice rises nearly to a shout. “Toy with us all you like with your events and activities, but—”
“Mr. Blackwood.” Briony’s words sever my own. She meets my gaze with a look of smug defiance. “I’m perfectly capable of making my own decisions.”
I open my mouth but I don’t know what to say. She’s right, of course. I’m sure she’s fully aware thatthisis likely part of the game as well. Knowing Monty, whether Briony rides Betty at all may be the deciding factor of her win. But she doesn’t know what she’s getting into. Betty is fast and rarely obeys new riders.
My eyes dart to the saddle on Betty’s back, and my anxiety darkens. “You can’t ride her sidesaddle.”
“I can.” Briony’s lips pull into a smirk.
“You’ll need more control—”
Holding my gaze, she climbs upon the mounting block, plants one boot-clad foot in the stirrup, and swings herself gracefully onto the saddle. The skirt of her riding habit drapes perfectly around her. Eyes still locked on mine, she repeats, “I can.”
Monty chuckles. “It seems my blushing bride is a stubborn mount too.”
My face whips toward Monty, the fury of a thousand suns heating my blood. “Did you just call her a fucking mount?”
“And start!” Monty snaps Biscuit’s reins, and the stallion takes off at a gallop. The three ladies follow suit, leaving me to scramble for the only remaining saddled horse. Looks like I’m the one riding Periwinkle today.
Thankfully, Periwinkle is almost as fast as Betty and is a hundred times more obedient, so I catch up to the others in no time. The party has slowed to a leisurely canter as they make their way toward the northern edge of my property. I draw my horse beside Briony’s, opposite Monty who rides at her other side. Her back is straight, posture refined. Despite my fears, she clearly knows how to ride. As long as the rest of our journey remains uneventful, she’ll be fine.
She meets my gaze with a glare. “What’s wrong with you?” she whispers. “Stop looking at me like I’m made of glass.”
I keep my voice low enough so as not to be overheard. I can’t give Monty any bad ideas. “Whatever you do, don’t bring Betty to a gallop.”
She scoffs. “I know how to ride. My education was thorough, trust me.”
“I trust you,” I grind out through gritted teeth. “It’s him I don’t trust.”
Monty remains oblivious to our conversation, a cocky smile twisting his lips. Briony outpaces me, and Monty pulls ahead to join her. The two fall into amiable conversation—at least I assume it must be, for Briony only clenches her jaw twice.
Angela passes me to ride beside Briony, while Cosette’s horse sidles next to mine. “Do you think he’ll choose her?” she asks.
Her voice is like razors against my eardrums. Not because her tone isn’t pleasant; we’ve simply never gotten along. I suppose that’s because she’s partially to blame for why Monty is the way he is.
“He certainly won’t choose you,” I say, not bothering to hide the ire in my tone. “You had your chance and you threw it away.”
“That was so many years ago,” she says, her tone devoid of emotion. “I regret rejecting him, and I’ve told him as much. I’ve done everything I can to show him how I feel.”
“All you’ve done is plague him with your presence, reminding him of the woman who broke his heart. What are you doing now? Why are you here?”
“You know why I’m here. I’ll win him back.”
“You won’t,” I say with somber certainty. Monty may be a frivolous rake, but he will never be soft enough to forgive her. He may take her to his bed, simply because she’s already been there and he feels no guilt in refusing a deeper intimacy, but he will never marry her.
I’d feel bad for her if she hadn’t been so cruel to him all those years ago. Her family fell to ruin shortly after she rejected Monty—her long-time beau—to accept a wealthier man’s proposal. After her family lost their fortune, he called off their engagement, which further destroyed her reputation.
