“Luna,” he said, satisfaction in his voice. “A silver moon mare.”
“I assume she’s the horse you found when I asked you to look around for a mount suitable for my wife?” Simon said as he crossed his arms and leaned on the half wall to watch the unfolding scene.
“Aye, she’s from Hill Brook Farm.” Roper took a similar stance next to him. “Part Arabian and beautifully trained. Will cost a pretty penny if you decide to keep her.”
Simon chuckled. “I think there’s no ‘if ’ about it. Luna seems as sweet natured as she is beautiful.”
“Aye, and well trained.” Roper gestured with his chin at the adjacent loose box. “The Duke, the chestnut in the next stall, is a good mount that’ll suit your weight well.”
Simon looked in that direction and nodded. “A very handsome fellow. I’ll look forward to deepening my acquaintance with the Duke tomorrow morning.” He entered the loose box and joined Suzanne. “Tomorrow morning you’ll find out if Luna is as lovely to ride as she is to look at.”
“She will be,” Suzanne said confidently. “But now I suppose it’s time to go inside and prepare for dinner.”
“Exactly so.” Simon took her arm and they left the loose box.
Suzanne gave Roper a smile that made him blink. “Thankyou, Mr. Roper! You have wonderful taste in horses.”
She took Simon’s arm as they left the stables and walked through the dusk to the house. “I’m so glad we married, Simon. I feel young again.”
“So do I.” He patted her hand where it rested on his arm. “But I don’t suppose that eliminates the darkness of more recent years.”
His words were like an icy hand on the back of her neck. There had been so much darkness. “No, it doesn’t. I wish I could wash the stains from my soul and be normal again!” She was startled by her vehemence.
“I’d like that, too,” he said quietly as they entered the house. “Give it time. Time and happiness can work wonders.”
She hoped he was right. As he took her cloak, she studied his handsome face, thinking how dear he had become to her. With sudden hope, she wished that they were both normal newlyweds who were learning to rejoice in each other’s bodies.
As soon as the thought took form, her body shrank back, repulsed by the idea of being used sexually.
Yet she was capable of accepting his warm embrace at night. In fact, she loved it. Surely that pleasure was a good omen?
She wished she could be sure it was.
Chapter 11
It was difficult for Suzanne to remove herself from the delicious warmth of Simon and her bed, but anticipation of riding persuaded her to slide out from under the covers. The room was chilly so she wrapped her warm robe around herself and shoved her feet into slippers.
Hoping the day would be fine, she moved to the window and gazed out, catching her breath at the sight of the white horse emerging from the dawn mists just as Simon had described the day before. She sighed happily.
Simon moved so silently that she didn’t realize he’d joined her until she felt his body’s warmth against her back. She leaned against him. “I find that I am enjoying marriage.”
He chuckled. “So am I. It looks as though it will be a grand day for riding.”
“Can we ride over to the white horse?” she asked. “I’d like to see it close up.”
“It’s several miles and you might want to take it easy your first day back on a horse.” He rested a warm hand on her shoulder. “Let’s see how it goes.”
That made sense. She wished she could banish the uneasy feeling that everything was goingtoowell.
* * *
By the time Simon and Suzanne had dressed and breakfasted, the sun had emerged and the day was cold and hazy bright. She was bubbling like a happy teakettle as they walked out to the stables.
Roper was waiting with their saddled and bridled mounts. “’Tis a good day for a ride,” he said jovially.
Despite her impatience, Suzanne took the time to check the saddle girth and tack. Simon approved. “Ready, milady?” He laced his hands to help her up.
She set her neatly booted left foot in his hands and he tossed her up into the saddle. She landed gracefully as thistledown. She grinned down at him as she adjusted her full skirts to fall over her legs. “One of these days I’m going to try riding astride. I was never allowed that before.”
