As they passed a small apothecary, a sudden commotion caught their attention. A horse came galloping down the narrow street at an alarming speed. The villagers quickly stepped aside, pulling children and carts out of the way as the horse charged forward, its hooves pounding against the cobblestones.
Peter’s instincts kicked in the moment he saw the horse careening toward them. Without a second thought, he pulled Lavinia sharply to the side just as the horse thundered past. The force of the movement sent her stumbling into him, and he wrapped his arms around her to steady her, holding her close against his chest.
For a moment, everything seemed to stand still. He was acutely aware of her arms around him, the solid warmth of her body against him, the rapid thud of her heart. Her face was inches from his, and he relished this moment when they both could work through their terror together.
“Are you all right?” he asked, his voice low and urgent.
Lavinia blinked. She quickly loosened her grip on him and backed away. Immediately, Peter regretted that she felt the need to put space between them.
“Yes,” she managed to say, slightly breathless. “I’m fine, thanks to you.”
“That was horrifying, yes?” He noticed how pale her face had become and hoped that she would recover from the shock soon.
“Yes,” she whispered. Then, she cleared her throat. “Thank you, Peter,” she said sincerely, meeting his gaze, “for saving me.”
It was the first time she had ever thanked him so openly without the usual deflection. He noticed the change in her expression; she was honestly and truly grateful. He nodded, still dumbfounded by this new progress.
He felt something shift between them, a new level of intimacy in the way she looked at him and even the way she spoke to him.
“Anytime,” he finally replied. His voice shook more than he would have liked. He did not look away, did not even try to mask the depth of his feelings at that moment. “I’ll always be here for you, Lavinia.”
Lavinia’s breath caught, and her lips parted. They just stared at each other. For a moment, he felt as though they were the only two people in the world.
“Are you all right?” Charles asked worriedly, out of breath from running over to them.
“She’s all right now,” Peter answered for her.
“That’s good to know,” Charles said as Madeline came to Lavinia’s side and hugged her.
“Are you still willing to proceed with our plan, or should we turn back?” Charles asked.
“Yes, Brother. I am feeling fine… just fine. And I wish to see this place you have been so eager to visit,” Lavinia replied.
“All right then,” Charles said. “There’s a spot by the river that I want to show you. It’s a bit of a walk, but I promise you, it will be worth it.”
Madeline, ever the explorer, was immediately on board. “Lead the way, Mr. Fitzroy!”
Nearly half an hour later, the group halted. The river was as beautiful as Charles had promised, its water sparkling in the afternoon sun as it flowed gently over smooth stones. A small waterfall cascaded down a series of rocks at one end, creating a soothing melody that filled the air. The banks were lined with tall grass and wildflowers, their colors vivid against the deep green of the surrounding forest.
Madeline let out a delighted gasp as they reached the riverbank, her eyes wide with wonder. “Mr. Fitzroy, this is lovely! However did you find this place?”
Charles smiled, clearly pleased with her reaction. “It was Lord Windham and I who stumbled upon it during one of our rides together the last time he came to visit.” He cast a look over his shoulder. “Where is Windham, anyway? Did he not invite himself on this excursion?”
Peter snorted. “You’ve just realized that we left Lord Windham behind?”
Charles’s gleeful grin vanished. “I suppose that makes me a rather poor friend, does it not?” He turned to look at Lavinia. “Do say you are not too upset that we left Windham back at the estate.”
Lavinia said mildly, “I shall not lose any sleep over it.”
Peter barked a dry laugh. Madeline and Charles quickly joined in, adding sniggers and giggles of their own. As for Lavinia, Peter could see that she was relieved and… pleased.
For now, she is free of that man.
Madeline wasted no time kicking off her shoes and dipping her toes into the cool water, letting out a satisfied sigh as she waded in up to her ankles.
“This is a sheer delight,” she declared, her smile bright and infectious.
Charles and Peter exchanged a look, both amused by her enthusiasm.
