Chapter 6
“Are you sure you won’t mind if we stay here, Estelle? I admit it’s a lovely morning to go riding, but Adam and I, well…”
Linette faltered, blushing so prettily from just inside the door that Estelle could but smile at her sister.
“Of course I don’t mind. Get some rest, both of you.”
Linette nodded, her lovely face still bright pink, and glanced over her shoulder atsomething Adam said from deeper in the room.
Probably waiting for her to return to their bed, Estelle thought unabashedly, grateful for the deep love Adam exhibited for her sister. She didn’t begrudge them time alone one bit. She hadn’t seen Linette look so happy and healthy in months, Estelle so grateful, too, that Corie had suggested them for her chaperones.
“Adam said to enjoy yourself, butto stay close to the other riders. You’re not familiar with the countryside here—”
“I’ll be fine, don’t worry about me.” Estelle gave her sister a quick hug and then hurried to rejoin the footman waiting in front of her room to escort her to where the horses were saddled and waiting.
Breathless excitement swept over her to see Valentin again, even though she knew she must share him with hisother guests…including three very charming ones. Yet what did it matter? Within a few days, he would announce their upcoming marriage, this immense castle—Bratavia, for that matter!—soon to become her new home.
“Miss Easton.”
Mattie had appeared at the door, a blush burning her freckled cheeks as she held something out to Estelle in her hand.
“I found it on the floor just now while I was tidyingup, miss.”
Estelle felt her own face grow flame hot at the polished brass button in Mattie’s outstretched palm.
One of Valentin’s buttons from the military coat he wore last night. Oh, Lord, what must her lady’s maid be thinking? She wouldn’t know it was Valentin’s, but clearlysomegentleman’s button…
Estelle had no clue what to say, so instead she nodded and took the button, clenching itin her hand. The footman stood several feet away, looking somewhat self-consciously at the floor, which made her face burn even hotter though she lifted her chin.
All she could do was pretend that nothing was amiss, and indeed, what did it matter?
Finding some comfort again that within days, Valentin would proclaim his intention to marry her, Estelle tucked the button into the pocket of herolive green riding habit and hurried after the footman.
***
Valentin glanced over his shoulder, chafing that Estelle rode so far behind him with a dozen or so courtiers and accompanying soldiers. Meanwhile his other guests—namely Princess Ophelia of Luxembourg, Lady Ingrid of Bavaria, and Countess Alicia of Castile—maneuvered their mounts close to his prancing black stallion as if theyhad conspired to prevent Estelle from coming any nearer.
He did his best to appear unperturbed—but dammit, this charade was grating more fiercely upon him with each passing moment!
“Your Highness, such a lovely day for a ride,” enthused Lady Ingrid, a petite blond woman who expertly managed her frisky mare. “You were so gracious to suggest an outing for us—”
“Yes,sogracious,” Countess Aliciabroke in much to Lady Ingrid’s evident annoyance. A black-haired Castilian beauty with flashing dark eyes, the countess flicked her whip so that her horse trotted even closer to Valentin. “I’ve heard you have the most exquisite gardens at Chateau de Chevalier. I wouldsolove to see them—”
“Oh, yes, so would I!” interrupted Princess Ophelia, the most beautiful of the three women with her glossyred hair and flawless complexion, and the one most blatantly determined to ride right next to Valentin.
God help him, what he needed at that moment was a sudden thunderstorm to blacken the sky and bring this interminable excursion to an abrupt end!
Instead, the brilliant sunshine and endless expanse of blue seemed to mock him, offering him no escape in sight. He thought to pull up on the reinsand fall back to ride closer to Estelle, but he didn’t want to incite a feminine riot.
With a low curse, he kicked his stallion into a gallop across a rolling meadow flanked on two sides by thick forest. The trio of prospective candidates hoping to become his bride squealed with surprise and followed him in lively pursuit.
Another glance over his shoulder told him that Estelle followed, too,leaning expertly over her sidesaddle as her mount, a powerful gelding, forged after them. Glad to see that she didn’t appear daunted by the rude behavior of his other guests, Valentin cursed again as he thought of Hortense’s blatant move to exclude Estelle last night at dinner.
How he wished the coronation was tomorrow instead of three days away! The memory of her lithe form in his arms lastnight, the sweet taste of her lips, her tender touch was maddening to him, sleep proving almost impossible.
Even more unforgettable…the look in her luminous brown eyes when she’d agreed to become his wife, his chest feeling as if it might explode with joy and relief.
She hadn’t yet said the words, but he sensed with every fiber of his being that she loved him as much as he loved her. That suchintense emotion could have been forged from the moment he’d pulled her safely from the crashing waves, to grow only stronger over months of misery was a miracle to him…and made him all the more impatient to make Estelle his bride.
