“I’m a bit shaky,” Carrie confessed.
He took her arm as shudders rocked through her. “You’ll feel better after some brandy.”
When they entered through the front door, Abercrombie hurried over to him. “Dear heaven, my lord, I saw the groom run past. What has occurred?”
“Miss Leeming fell from her horse,” Nicholas said. “No harm done, Abercrombie. Have Bella and Jeremy arrived back from the stables?”
“Not yet, my lord.”
“Send for them and have the tea tray sent in.”
They entered the morning room. “Some brandy?”
“Yes, please.”
Nicholas poured her a half glass and one for himself. He had thought he could face anything, deal with anything that came his way after the war. But in an instant, discovered how wrong he was. He would rather face an advancing army than witness someone he cared for struck down. He’d never wanted to suffer again. Had been careful, in fact, never to risk placing himself in such a vulnerable position. But it appeared he could not bargain with fate. He handed her the glass and came to sit opposite her. “An unfortunate occurrence.”
“It might have been had you not caught me.”
He smiled. “No harm done, then?”
She returned his smile. “No. Just my shame at having failed to keep my seat.”
“Riding sidesaddle? They are perfect for a canter around the park, but I dislike women riding to hounds on them.”
A glimmer of humor warmed her eyes. “So, a lady should ride astride?”
Nicholas chuckled. “Why not?”
A long silence followed as they sipped their drinks, while Nicholas squashed a disgraceful image of Carrie riding astride naked with her red hair swinging down like Lady Godiva.
Carrie took a deep sip of the brandy and coughed.
“Easy,” Nicholas said. “I imagine you rarely imbibe.”
She placed a hand on her chest. “I’ve never had brandy before. It certainly warms one.”
“Indeed it does.”
“Carrie!” Bella burst into the room, followed by her brother. She flung herself onto the sofa beside her sister. “Are you hurt?”
“Not even a little, Bella,” Carrie said calmly. She stroked her sister’s head where she rested it on Carrie’s lap. “Sit down and have tea. There might be crumpets.”
Bella sat up and sniffed. “Have they remembered the honey?”
Jeremy sat down in a chair. “Women can’t ride as well as men.”
Nicholas raised his eyebrows. “That will get you into no end of trouble should you repeat it in a lady’s presence when you are older.”
Jeremy blinked. “But it is true.”
“It is not only wrong,” Nicholas said as the tea tray arrived. “It is entirely unfair. Especially when ladies ride to hounds and jump their horses while on a sidesaddle.”
“Well, yes, I suppose so,” Jeremy said grudgingly.
When Carrie’s gaze rested on his with warm approval, he felt ridiculously pleased.
After tea, Nicholas returned to his library. He sat at his desk for a moment, stoking Chester’s silky head. His elevated mood surprised him. How quickly the children became dear to him. He never would have believed it. And Carrie? Well… Nicholas straightened his shoulders. Her beauty had beguiled him. He’d enjoyed having her in his arms for even a brief moment. But he didn’t forget the fear which gripped his insides at that moment before he caught her, when she almost fell beneath the plunging hooves of the horse.
