Page 94 of Courting the Country Miss

The horses fell into a comfortable walk. If Tristan hadn’t been so terrified, he would have shaken his head at the thought of him walking a team hitched to a beauty like his new phaeton. One step at a time. Literally. So early in the morning, a few people and the occasional cart rumbled along the street. He drove without a direction, following the streets to get a feel for the team and carriage. He calmed. He could do this.

He urged the team to a trot. They responded, matching their strides to one another. In the well-sprung conveyance, the bumps in the road were of little consequence. Exhilaration shot through him. How long he drove, he could not have guessed, but the roads soon filled with other carriages and riders on horseback, many heading toward Hyde Park. The team trotted with matched strides, responding to his guidance, and ignoring the chaos of the London streets around them.

He had to show Leticia. He arrived at Mrs. Tallier’s house as Leticia stepped out of the front door, accompanied by a familiar-looking woman and a brawny footman.

He pulled up in front of the house and called out, “Where are you bound so early today?”

Leticia’s expression lit up and she waved as she descended the steps. “To the school. Is that your new rig?”

“Do you like it?” He puffed out his chest.

“It’s beautiful!” She moved up alongside the carriage. A teasing glint entered her eyes. “I’m surprised it’s black. How understated.”

He grinned. “You expected bright yellow with red wheels, no doubt.”

“Something like that.”

After securing the reins, he leaped down and gestured. “Well, I did get green seats. Too dark to match your eyes but…”

“Very elegant.” She walked up to the horses and rubbed their faces, missing his comparison.

Actually, ever since he discovered her eyes were green, he’d begun choosing that color more and more often. How had he not noticed the particular beauty of the color green?

She cooed at the horses. “Are you going to introduce me?”

“The mare is Dancer and the gelding is Willow.”

“They’re charming.”

Willow gave her a nibbly-horsey kiss. Leticia giggled.

“Oi!” Tristan pretended to scold the gelding. “For shame, Willow. You can’t go around kissing every pretty girl you see.”

Leticia grinned at him as she rubbed Willow’s nose. “Why? Are you the only one who can do that?”

“Leticia, Love, if I kissed every pretty girl I saw, I would have kissed you years ago.” He rested an arm against Willow’s back and eyed her.

She laughed, but did a double take as if searching for his sincerity. Her green bonnet brightened the green of her eyes, and little curls next to her cheek and temple framed her face. She was so lovely. She sobered and looked back at the horse as if unprepared to see the admiration in his expression.

She seemed out of reach today, as if the connection between them had been stretched. He dropped the flirtatious guise and settled for some honesty.

“Today is the first time I’ve driven since the accident,” he said quietly.

She touched his arm, looking into his eyes. “Are you…well?”

Her hand on his arm warmed him by degrees all the way to his heart. “It took a bit of courage at the beginning, but it feels comfortable now.”

She removed her hand and ran it along Dancer’s perspiring back. Lucky Dancer. “You’ve been driving for a good long while, now.”

Tristan nodded. “Since early this morning. I wanted to get the feel of the team and carriage, see how they handled, before the traffic started.”

Leticia glanced over her shoulder at the young woman and a footman who murmured to one another, sending darting glances at Leticia.

“I’m keeping you from your plans,” Tristan said. “Can I give you all a ride? There’s enough room in the footman’s seat if they are willing to sit close.”

“Thank you.” She gestured to the pair. “Mr. Barrett will give us a ride, if you don’t mind squeezing into the back. Oh, forgive me; Mrs. Harper, have you met Tristan Barrett?”

Mrs. Harper nodded. “I have, indeed. Thank you for all your help with the school,” the teacher said in a cultured accent at odds with her position and plain attire.