“Good.”
Something else occurred to Fletcher. “If Anthony told you all this, you must be spending more time together.”
“We are, we are. I ran into him at the club last night. We got to talking. I don’t know if a romantic relationship is in the cards, but it is nice to be able to speak with him again.”
“That is something.”
“Yes. But learn from my example. If you love her, you should act on it.”
Yes. Of course. Because Lark and Anthony had once been in love and Lark had ended it and now look at them. Fletcher hoped to avoid the sort of misery that would send him to seek solace in a bottle, and he thought if he could just convince Louisa, he might avoid that fate. “I will, I will. I will speak with her as soon as I can.”
Chapter Eleven
Louisa rode alongside Daniel in the park. They took their horses for a slow walk. Daniel seemed content to enjoy the silence between them, but Louisa felt restless, especially after everything that had happened with Fletcher.
She was furious at Fletcher.
She was thus trying to overcome her doubts by spending time with Daniel, but riding horses through the park, even at a slow pace and side-by-side, was not especially conducive to conversation, especially not with Louisa’s right leg starting to go pins-and-needles from being in the side-saddle too long.
As a girl, she’d borrowed an old pair or Fletcher’s breeches to ride astride. No one in her family seemed to think it improper, but here in London, with all of society looking on, she did not have that luxury. But whoever decided ladies should ride like this was likely a man.
Still, spending time with Daniel was likely the right thing to do. Even if she worried marrying him was the wrong thing, well, what was the alternative? If she ended the engagement, it would be a huge scandal, would it not? Not that she cared. She’d long been perceived as a bit odd, but her parents wouldn’t like it. Still, she had to figure out how to make this situation work.
She looked around. She spotted see Adele and Grace walking the distance. It was hard to miss them; Adele was taller than most women and Grace had shiny blond hair but seemed allergic to bonnets.
“Daniel?” she called out.
“Yes, my love?”
“Do you mind if I walk for a bit? I’d like to go greet my friends.”
He looked up and must have also seen Adele and Grace. “Of course.” He slid off his horse so that he could help her down from hers. She didn’t really need his help—she’d been riding since she started to walk—but she indulged him. His firm hands on her waist probably should have made her feel…something. But they didn’t.
“I can return the horses to the stables if it pleases you,” Daniel said. “Then return in a little bit to escort you home.”
“Oh, you don’t need to—”
“I’m happy to, truly. You looked uncomfortable in the saddle.”
“I don’t love riding side-saddle, truth be told. Icanride, but this leisurely pace over the uneven ground was making my leg sore.”
“Oh.”
“That is, I don’t want you to think I’m uncomfortable with riding generally. Just…this particular ride was uncomfortable for me. I love to ride normally. I’m sorry. It’s not your fault. I should have insisted on a faster pace.”
He smiled. “No worries, my dear. I’ll be back shortly.” He took her horse’s reins in his hand and then climbed back aboard his own mount. He walked the horses back toward the stables.
With a sigh, Louisa dusted off her thighs and then walked toward her friends.
Adele and Grace greeted her warmly. Louisa and Adele had grown especially close; Adele had been hidden away as a paid companion to an elderly countess before she’d married Hugh and had not known many in society, so Hugh had askedLouisa to help her integrate now that she was a duchess, and they’d become fast friends. Grace had been a harder nut to crack because she spent part of the year in Wales, but Louisa liked her a lot, and now it seemed she and Adele had bonded over being mothers. The three of them had spent a lot of time together the previous season, and Louisa genuinely liked both women.
Would Louisa join their ranks as mothers? It remained to be seen. If Louisa stayed with Daniel, she hoped the act of making heirs was more pleasant than kissing him was.
Lord, what a mess. To the devil with Fletcher.
“My friends, I am glad to see you,” Louisa said.
“Was that Rotherfeld?” asked Adele.
