I rolled my eyes as I adjusted my grip on the reins of my horse. “I will go, but not for that.” I gave my horse a nudge with my heel to speed up.
“Don’t you care about finding someone? You could ride off into the sunset while you talk about bugs or whatever you science folk use for small talk!” She laughed, pushing her horse forward to catch up with me.
“There are more important things to chase than men. Men are plentiful. It is not hard to find them. Sometimes they even find you.”
She shook her head at me as we rode up the path, approaching the estate.
The men were warming up their horses and playing a friendly polo game in the back courtyard.
I could see a flash of golden hair on a chestnut stallion bolting toward the ball, his strong arm smacking it hard with the stick, his body practically leaning sideways off the horse. The ball hit the net. Some cheers and groans chorused as Silas yanked on the reins, turning around. He spotted me off into the distance, giving me a smirk before he circled around to the other players.
I could feel Phoebe’s glare already.
“What?” I smiled sheepishly.
“Strictly business?” She raised her brow.
“Yes, strictly business,” I reassured her with an unconvincing smile.
“I wasn’t aware he was on our guest list,” she said throughclenched teeth, “and I made the list myself. Unless I am missing something.”
“He said he came with Jonathan, the one who works for one of your father’s acquisitions,” I lied.
She looked like she considered the possibility but was ultimately unconvinced.
I wasreluctant to look in the water, not wanting to see any more unsuspected eyes peering back at me.
Tea was being served in the gazebo for the ladies in attendance. It was a nice day for fresh air and leisurely activity. I looked down at the honey-colored liquid in my cup, pushing my spoon around, stirring the fragments of leaves at the bottom.
“Is it true?” a voice spoke out.
My mind was pulled from my trance as I looked up to see many sets of eyes now on me, waiting eagerly for a response.
“Apologies. I was lost in thought. What was it?”
“Silas Forbes,” one brunette pipped. “Is he everything they say he is?”
“What might they be saying he is?” I sipped from my cup.
“They say he’s quite gifted in the... carnal subjects.” She smirked, and others joined in a cheeky array of giggles.
I had a tense expression on my face. “I wouldn’t know. Mr. Forbes and I are not involved other than business.” I set my cup down and glanced awkwardly at Phoebe, who refused to look in my direction.
“What project has he commissioned you for? A dog rig?” one woman teased boldly.
“Clarissa!” Phoebe snapped. “I expect more fromyou, but you look like the type of mug to know a dog rig when you see one. What’s that saying? ‘Looks like a duck, quacks like a duck’? How predictable,” she spat. I swore her tongue could cut up a woman faster than even the most esteemed butcher.
“It is all good fun, Phoebe.” Another woman sighed.
“Do not pretend you asked in good nature,” Phoebe sneered.
The table was silent, everyone glancing between the two.
“If rumors are something that you would like to believe, then be my guest to do so,” I spoke finally, rising from my seat to excuse myself.
I placed my hand on Clarissa’s shoulder in passing, my lips to her ear. “No amount of insult will be able to make you feel better about a man like him preferring a woman with a bit more... substance.” Malice lingered in my words, leaving them all with that as I headed back to the house.
It might not have been wise to feed into the rumors about Silas and me, though it was not like I could make them disappear either. What was one more rumor? No one knew which one to believe anyway. Someone had also spread a rumor that it was confirmed from the horse’s mouth that we were courting, though it was not from mine, that was for sure.
