“You have an interesting style,” Lady Anna said once Lady Delia reached them.
“Lady Delia prefers to ride astride,” Rupert explained.
When Lady Lillian spoke, he wished he’d held his tongue.
“Does she? That’s almost scandalous.” She gave Lady Delia a long look. “Maybe to get the hang of it, we could find you an old-fashioned sidesaddle chair.”
She was mocking Lady Delia, and the others chuckled. Wishing to return their outing to a pleasant experience, Rupertsaid, “I’ve been exploring this week, and the Avon Valley is beautiful from end-to-end. Straight on from here, past the oak, there is a hill with a good view. We could go to the river and then circle around north to Sham Castle.”
“Sounds splendid,” Lady Lillian said.
“Good idea,” Lord Leland agreed.
“That sounds like a long, long ride,” Lady Delia said.
“That’s the point,” he said. “What could be better?”
The others struck out in the direction he indicated.
“After you.” Rupert watched her fiddle nervously with the reins, but soon, she nudged her horse with her left heel while giving the mare a little tap with the crop. Blossom began to walk.
“We’ll have to gallop if we don’t wish to get caught out after dark.” They were walking beside one another. “We should catch up with the others.”
He hoped for a chance to ride next to Lady Lillian, who looked extremely fine. Her riding habit was soft blue and draped elegantly over her horse. A part of him wished to chat with her again and discern if she truly was as dull as she’d seemed the night before.
Yet he didn’t want to abandon Lady Delia, no matter how she crouched over her horse’s neck and swam in her ill-fitting gown. After all, she was only there at his urging.
“What say, my lady,” he called out, surging ahead, feeling the joy of cantering over the grasses.Fresh summer air, butterflies, plants in full bloom.Lady Delia ought to be in heaven.
Her response was silence. Again, he turned. She was trotting. Slowly. He rode back to her.
“You must know if you canter, or even better, bring your horse to a full gallop, it is a far smoother ride than trotting. You will barely feel the ground.”
“Of course I know that,” she replied. “Only stop fussing over me, my lord. If you go ahead, then I shall find my pace and catch up.”
“Are you certain?”
“Yes, I beg you to give me a little room to breathe,” she snapped.
He flinched. Perhaps he was being a little smothering. “Very well.” Because Lady Delia appeared adamant and because the others were waiting, Rupert touched his hat, nodded, and rode on.
AT LAST, SHE WAS ALONEin her misery. Delia waited until Lord Perish and the others had crested the hill. Then, ever so slowly, she turned her horse toward Lady Osbourne’s estate. Blossom was as good and gentle as any horse she’d ever seen. Nevertheless, such a long ride seemed precarious and uncomfortable, perched so high as she was, with her right leg caught up.
How much nicer would it be to stroll through the fields, although Delia conceded it was a lovely view. Not having gone too far, she hoped to be back at the stable and heading indoors for a cup of tea before...
“Oh!”she cried out. Blossom seemed to have the same idea. Upon facing home, the horse picked up the pace, and nothing Delia did slowed her down.
Was she slipping?Most probably, she would fall and break her neck. On the other hand, she would be the most talked-about guest Lady Osbourne ever had. Finally, Delia would excel at capturing theton’s attention, even it was only by dying ignominiously in a field of buttercups.
She tried to get her right leg over the horse, not sure it would help, but failed anyway. This was her punishment for lying to Lord Perish about having any better ability when riding astride than she did riding sidesaddle.
The horse’s hooves were thundering more loudly, and she shut her eyes, wishing her right leg wasn’t stopping her from leaning even more closely against Blossom’s neck.
Suddenly, the mare halted.
Opening her eyes, Delia saw Lord Perish in front of her, looking exceedingly angry. Even his normally calm green gaze appeared blazing with fury.
“You were riding with your eyes closed and going the wrong way.”
