Panic filled her, and she nodded. “Yes. I believed him when he spoke to me that evening as he pretended to be your penniless cousin.”
“Then can you honestly tell me that you didn’t think he was arrogant and cocksure of himself during your conversation?”
She tried not to laugh this time, though it was a struggle. “I must confess, when I first met him, it was several hours before the ball had started. My two younger sisters were trespassing on your land, and he presented himself as your cousin at that time. I found him very arrogant, but at the ball…” She shrugged. “He seemed to change, but only slightly.”
Collin’s eyebrow arched. “Change? How so?”
“He was sweeter and didn’t seem so self-absorbed.” Bridget wasn’t about to tell him that Adrian had only actedsweetwhile they were hiding in the kitchen’s pantry. However, it was his charm that had trapped her.
Collin released a heavy sigh. “My brother has been judgmental when it comes to social classes. He had his heart injured by a woman who only wanted him because of the Worthington family’s money, and since then, Adrian has hardened his heart. I hope he wasn’t too rude to you.”
“No, he wasn’t too rude. Nothing I couldn’t handle.”
As she studied Adrian still pretending to be intently listening to Priscilla, Bridget’s heart started to soften. Had he truly allowed a woman into his heart—enough to hurt him? For some reason, that seemed impossible. But if that was what really happened, then it was no wonder he had lied about his identity when they first met.
Blowing out a pent-up breath, she realized she couldn’t allow this to alter her decision about him. He was still a scoundrel.
The crunching of wheels behind them drew Bridget’s attention to the buggy slowly coming their way. Collin stopped his horse, and she pulled the reins to stop her animal, too.
“Good afternoon.” Aunt Beatrice was driving the one-horse buggy toward them, waving. “I hope you don’t mind if I join you, Lord Hanover. When your valet told me that you and Lord William had gone to take the Hartwell sisters riding, I knew I had to come along.”
Collin nodded. “Of course, Aunt Beatrice. We would love your company.”
He glanced at Bridget as if waiting for her approval, so she quickly smiled at the older woman. “Of course. It’ll be nice to chat with you once again.”
Suddenly, a blast like a pistol firing ripped through the air. Before Bridget knew what was happening, Collin clutched his shoulder and fell from his mount. Bridget’s horse reared up. She grasped the reins firmly, trying to calm the animal and bring it under control, but the mare continued to dance around. Seconds later, her mare bolted away from the others.
Bridget cried out and clung to the reins, trying to tighten her leg around the horn of the sidesaddle. She leaned closer to the horse’s neck as fear rushed through her.Oh, Lord. Please help me!
*
Everything happened allat once, and Adrian didn’t know who to help first. His brother was holding his shoulder, but since he could see there wasn’t a lot of blood, he knew Collin would be fine.
Priscilla screamed her sister’s name.
Without another thought, Adrian dug his heels into the flanks of his horse and urged the animal into a gallop, racing after the runaway mare. His heart pounded with the same rhythm as the horses’ hooves as they galloped toward Bridget. Pain gripped his chest, and he prayed that she wouldn’t be thrown to the ground.
“Come on… go faster,” he snapped at his horse.
The gap between him and Bridget was closing, but not quickly enough, in his opinion. Finally, when he was at last able to maneuver his horse beside hers, he reached out to her. “Take my hand.”
Wide, frightened eyes looked at him. Her face had lost color, and her lips were tightly pressed together. She shook her head.
He guided his horse a little closer. “Bridget, take my hand. I won’t let you fall.”
Tears filled her eyes as she shifted her attention between his hand and her horse.
A thicket of trees loomed ahead. If they rode in there, he wouldn’t be able to make this move. It had to happen now.
“Trust me, Bridget.” He leaned forward, stretching his arm toward her once more.
She met his gaze, and for a moment, there was a look of confidence on her expression. She released the reins and reached for him. Leaning closer, he wrapped an arm around her waist and yanked her off the saddle. Her arms flew around his shoulders as she hung on to him.
He quickly reined in his horse as he pulled Bridget in front of him. She linked her arms around his neck and buried her face against his chest. The moment his horse stopped, he circled his arms around her, pulling her tighter in his embrace.
Her whole body trembled, and it nearly killed him to know she could have been seriously injured. Breathing deeply, he tried to quell the panic that had risen inside him as he rested his face in the crook of her neck.
“Oh, Adrian.” Her voice shook. “I thought… I thought…”
