Although he didn’t want to get back to them, he didn’t know what other excuse to give her. Gavin didn’t know if Lady Burns had told her daughter who sired her, but it was plain to him whothe girl’s father was, and at this moment, he didn’t want to see her or his father’s former mistress.
He turned to the group of ladies and nodded. “I shall leave you to return to your socializing.”
As he left, he heard their chimes of goodbyes. He tried not to appear as though he was in a hurry, but truly, he was. He wished he knew whom to trust to talk with about his father’s other offspring, and the only people he could think of were his cousins. However, that would mean meeting them at the gaming tables, and since he didn’t have money to throw away, he didn’t dare go there.
He strode toward the nearest exit. Riding around the estate would soothe him. It always had. But with this current shock to his system, would he ever recover?
*
Priscilla was gratefulto be away from the manor as she rode the mare that her employer had given permission to take. She’d enjoyed the guests the Dowager Duchess of Englewood had at her party, even if Priscilla noticed the condescending stares some of the older women had tossed her way. It was obvious that she had been the subject of their gossip lately. Of course, it didn’t help when her father had tried pushing his daughters to marry any wealthy man, no matter what was needed to make it happen.
Thankfully, her sister Bridget had married well, but Priscilla would never find that kind of happiness. If only people didn’t have to gossip about her family.
She had been able to handle the ladies’ uppity manners—until Gavin had entered the room. She was relieved to see him looking back to normal, and she would love to talk to him in private about the remedies she had given him, but when she sawthe way he looked at Miss Georgina, Priscilla was hit by a feeling she hadn’t experienced in quite a while.
Why she felt any kind of jealousy, she wished she knew. Gavin was certainly not worth feeling that way about. Yet the way he’d studied Miss Georgina had Priscilla wishing he would look at her that way.
It shouldn’t matter to her whom he decided to seduce, as long as it wasn’t her.
She stopped the horse and glanced around the area. She couldn’t remember the exact places within the perimeter of the lands, but she thought the neighbor’s land was close by. Even if she had broken a few rules in her life—being in Gavin’s room last night was one of those times—she generally followed the straight and narrow, so trespassing wasn’t something she wanted to do.
Priscilla guided the animal toward a stream, but before she reached the water, a strong gust of wind knocked against her. She looked up and noticed gray clouds gathering quickly.
She frowned. Just her luck that it would rain when she wanted to go riding. But then, she could go tomorrow. For the rest of the afternoon while the dowager napped, Priscilla would stay in her room and read the book she had borrowed from the library this morning.
She pulled the reins, trying to move the horse around to head back toward the manor. Another gust of wind pushed against her, stronger this time. The wind rattled the branches in the trees and startled her horse. Since she knew how to calm the horse, she wasn’t worried… until the animal started bucking wildly as if afraid of something.
Panicked, she leaned forward, tightening her hold on the reins and trying to stay on the sidesaddle without falling off. That was when she saw the reason for the horse’s distress.A snake!
If she didn’t get the horse away from the reptile quickly, she would find herself on the ground while the animal ran away.
That was unacceptable. She hadn’t been thrown from a horse since she was ten years old, and she didn’t plan on ending that record today.
Chapter Six
Gavin trotted hishorse near a stream until he felt the first drop of rain. He was nearly home and knew the shower wouldn’t ruin his afternoon ride. In fact, he welcomed the moisture, since both he and his steed were hot from riding for two hours.
He whipped his riding crop across some bushes to clear the way as he peered toward the neighboring land. Lord Rothwell didn’t take care of his estate very well, and several times throughout the years, Gavin’s father would complain to the neighboring lord about certain reptiles crossing the border. Nothing was ever done about it, of course, but it had made Gavin’s father feel better criticizing the other nobleman. Then again, the former duke usually had something negative to say about most people.
Just as he turned the animal back toward the path, Gavin heard the panicked neigh of another horse, followed quickly by a woman’s cry. Maneuvering the animal around, he searched through the trees and shrubbery, trying to locate the source of the distress. Within seconds, one of his grandmother’s horses ran past him—minus a rider.
Gavin cursed under his breath and urged his horse in the direction from where the frantic animal had come. The blue from a woman’s riding habit on the ground amongst the tall weeds on the edge of Lord Rothwell’s land capturedhis attention. Gavin kicked the horse’s flanks and rode faster, stopping only when he reached the fallen woman.
As he jumped off the animal, he recognized her. Priscilla lay curled up, holding her ankle and rocking back and forth. Her red face was scrunched in pain. When she saw him, she released a sob.
“Cilla, what’s happened?” He knelt by her side, reaching for her foot.
“A snake spooked my mare, and I was tossed to the ground.” Gingerly, she touched her ankle and flinched. “I hadn’t wanted to cross to Lord Rothwell’s land, but I couldn’t stop the horse. I think I sprained my ankle when I landed.”
“Put your arms around my neck and let me lift you. I will take you back to the house.” He glanced around them. “Is my grandmother out here as well?”
“No, she is taking a nap, but I assure you, she gave me permission to ride.”
“I’m not questioning that in the least. I’m grateful I don’t have two women to assist when there is only one horse.”
“Your grandmother wouldn’t have been thrown from her horse, I’m sure.”
He smiled. “Although she is a great horsewoman, I doubt she would have remained on her mare if a snake upset the animal as it did yours.”
