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Even for such a large manor, the walls were beginning to chafe. She had been able to doze for a half-hour, but then the sight of her four bedroom walls began to gnaw at her patience. Dominic had sent word that her note was fortuitous, for in fact an urgent matter had arisen with a tenant and she should rest from her malady. Thinking him away from the manor for the rest of the afternoon, Lilly decided a good, long ride was in order, and entered the stables clad in her dove-gray velvet riding habit and cloak. Lilly had been spending her time with a timid yet spirited mare named Bella, who had a beautiful chestnut coat and mane. Bella snorted and pawed anxiously when Lilly entered, and only settled down when Lilly would rub her nose and softly sing to her.
“She likes you,” Dominic said, stepping out of the shadows with a harness slung over his shoulder. Startled, Lilly nearly jumped out of her skin before turning to glare at him.
“I thought you were gone?”
“The matter was handled quickly. Have you done much riding?”
“We have an understanding: she doesn’t throw me and I give her all the sliced apples she could ever want.” Lilly lovingly stroked Bella’s neck.
“Ah, bribery. If only that would work with all females.” He smiled arrogantly
“Only a man would say such a thing.”
Bella nickered at Dominic and he stepped closer to rub her nose.
“She certainly likes you too—or do all females just simply fall at your feet?” Lilly said.
“I give her sugar lumps.” Dominic smiled boyishly.
It was one of those unguarded, youthful smiles that so rarely occurred, and turned Lilly’s knees to water. “Would you like to join me for a ride?” Lilly caught herself saying before she could stop herself.
“I would be honored, Lilly, and I know Magnus will be very grateful.”
“Magnus?”
At the mention of his name there was a loud whinny and a kick a few stalls away. The kick was forceful enough to make the walls around them shake.
“Oh my goodness, is that a horse?”
“Sometimes he thinks he’s a prize bull,” Dominic responded dryly.
Lilly walked down to the stall and stared in awe at the massive beast. He was black as midnight and sculpted in heavy muscle. “He’s enormous!” she exclaimed as Dominic came up beside her.
The horse snorted and pawed the ground, anxious to be out of his stall now that his master had come. “He’s not so bad. He just hasn’t been ridden yet today, so he has a lot of energy to burn.”
“I’ll say.” Lilly jumped back as the horse noisily nudged the stall door.
“Why don’t you have Duncan saddle Bella while I take care of him?” Dominic suggested.
Lilly needed no excuse to hastily head away from the raucous horse. She much preferred dainty and spirited Bella to such a powerful and robust creature.
Dominic met Lilly outside the stables and they rode toward the manor drive. Once outside the gate they galloped down the lane, letting the horses have their heads. They slowed to an easy trot as they came upon a meadow rioting with wild flowers. Outside of London, spring was in full bloom and blankets of wildflowers undulated gently in the early afternoon breeze.
“Has your headache subsided?”
“Yes, thank you, a little rest did the trick. It’s lovely out here!” Lilly sighed, spreading her arms and lifting her face to the sun.
“Did you not spend much time in the country?” Dominic asked.
“Mother thought it uncivilized to live so close to nature.”
“Even in winter?”
“Especially in winter.” Lilly looked up into the sky and smiled with joy.
“The air in London is awful in winter; all that coal dust must have made you ill?” Dominic said with concern.
“No, I spent most of my childhood in the nursery, never outside, but maybe...” Lilly looked into the sky again and closed her eyes against the brightness. Her expression was sad but thoughtful. “Maybe that’s why my mother died.” She met Dominic’s gaze.
“They never told you?” he asked softly.
“No, and I wasn’t allowed to see her for fear the illness was contagious.”
There was a long silence. The emotional conversation hung over them like a dark cloud.
“There are a lot of questions I need to ask you, Lilly.”
“I know, but it’s painful to talk about the past. I have nothing to hide, it just hurts.”
“I understand.”
Their eyes held. Dominic’s searching for answers, hers looking for reassurance, a sign she could trust this man with her emotions... with her heart. The soft rumble of a carriage in the distance broke the spell. It was coming toward them, toward the only lane leading towards the manor.
“Are you expecting someone?” Lilly asked.
“No, the only person who would seek me here is... Get behind those trees, Lilly, and stay out of sight.”
“What, why?”
“Just do as I say.”
Lilly quickly rode behind a small stand of trees and hid herself and Bella just as the carriage came into view. She couldn’t see the crest, but it was definitely a member of the aristocracy. It slowed as Dominic hailed it and came to a stop. He was speaking to the coachmen, but Lilly couldn’t hear what was being said. Suddenly, the carriage door slammed open and a very angry gentleman stormed out.
Chance.
Lilly cringed with guilt. She had been so distracted by Dominic and her abduction from London that she had completely forgotten Chance and his promise to rescue her the day she left London with Dominic. He was such a good friend, and very furious by the looks of it. He angrily strode toward Dominic as he was dismounting from Magnus. Chance’s words were a far sight louder than Dominic’s, and Lilly could easily hear him.
“What have you done with her! If you touched one hair on her head I will call you out!” Chance bellowed.
“Whoa, Chance, she’s fine,” Dominic said calmly.
“Then where is she?”
As if on cue, Lilly rode out from behind the trees. “I’m right here, Chance, see? I’m fine.” She held her arms open. “Completely hale and whole, with nary a scratch.”
Chance snorted and looked back toward Dominic. “Hale and whole, Dom?” he said. “Yes, Chance.” He eyed his friend angrily. “I would never hurt a woman, least of all a lady of peerage.” Dominic stressed the last two words. “I should flay your hide for letting her traipse around my kitchen in disguise.”
Chance flushed guiltily. “I was handling it.”
“Apparently not soon enough.”
“What do you mea—”
“Enough!” Lilly shouted over their bickering, and dismounted from Bella, throwing them both a glare when neither stepped forward to assist her. “If you two are done bickering like children, we can proceed to the manor before we get drenched with rain.”
Both men looked upwards, surprised by the darkening clouds overhead.
“April showers bri—”
“Funny, Lil.” Chance said. “Lilly, in the carriage with me. Dom will take the horses.”
“No.” Lilly and Dominic said together, glancing at each other. “I am going to ride just as I intended to with or without your interference.”
“Interf—” Chance began to say, but Lilly had already walked away, and with Dominic’s assistance remounted Bella. Chance turned back to the carriage, kicking rocks petulantly.