Chapter Seven
T he night was heavy with stillness, broken only by the rhythmic creak of saddles and the soft snorts of horses as Juliana and Sebastian prepared to leave the only lives they had ever known. The chill air formed clouds with their breaths, swirling like their unspoken fears. Yet as their gazes met—emerald locked with sapphire—a wordless promise passed between them, a shared resolve unshaken by the storm of uncertainty ahead.
Sebastian leaned closer. “Are you certain, my love?” he murmured. “Once we leave, there’s no turning back.”
Juliana straightened in her saddle. “I have never been more certain of anything. A life with you is worth any sacrifice.”
Her words sent a surge of determination through him. With a quiet command, they urged their horses forward. The hooves struck a steady cadence, carrying them farther from their family estates.
As they rode side by side, the rush of freedom coursed through Sebastian. For too long, he had carried the weight of his family’s expectations, bound by an animosity he neither understood nor shared. Now, with Juliana by his side, he felt the exhilarating pull of possibility, a future carved from love rather than tradition.
He gazed upon Juliana, his heart swelling with love.
She rode with grace and determination. Each stride of her horse seemed to peel away the constraints of society. She appeared to embrace the thrill of rebellion. She was not simply Lady Juliana, daughter of a duke—she was a woman chasing her own destiny—their destiny.
Their laughter broke through the stillness as they galloped across moonlit meadows, the silvery glow casting the landscape in an otherworldly light. Sebastian tossed a playful glance her way. “Shall we make this journey interesting, my darling? A wager, perhaps?”
Juliana’s lips curved into a mischievous smile. “What do you propose, my lord?”
“The first to cross the Scottish border shall claim a kiss,” he suggested playfully.
Her laughter rang out, bold and unrestrained. “Only one? Surely I deserve more if I best you.”
Sebastian smirked. “Then let us see if you can earn it.”
With a flick of her reins, Juliana spurred her horse forward, a streak of determination and grace as she raced ahead. Sebastian chuckled, the joy of the chase igniting his pulse as he urged his own mount to follow.
A rumble of thunder shattered the tranquility. The sky split open, and rain poured in icy torrents, turning the path into a treacherous ribbon of mud. The playful gallop became a careful, harrowing endeavor.
Juliana’s horse skidded, its hooves slipping on the slick terrain. She clung tightly to the reins, her knuckles white as she fought to steady the animal. Rain lashed against her face, obscuring her sight and seeping through her cloak.
“Sebastian!” she screamed, her voice nearly drowned by the storm’s ferocity.
He was at her side in an instant, his horse moving with practiced ease despite the treacherous ground. “We must find shelter,” he shouted, cutting through the chaos.
Juliana nodded, her trust in him absolute as he guided them toward a copse of ancient oaks. Beneath the canopy, the relentless rain softened to a steady patter above, offering a moment’s reprieve.
Sebastian reached for her hand, his fingers warm despite the chill. “Are you hurt?”
She shook her head. Her breath quickened, each inhale shallow and strained. “No, but the path is treacherous. What if the delay allows our families to catch us?”
“We will make it,” he promised, his blue eyes fierce with conviction. “Nothing will stop us. Not a storm, nor our families—not when Gretna Green awaits.”
A shaky smile transformed her lips, his confidence bolstering her own. “Together, we are unstoppable.”
He flicked his reins, his gaze holding hers. “You can count on it.”
As the rain eased, they ventured back onto the path, now a quagmire of mud and shadow. Their progress slowed, each step of their horses a careful negotiation with the slippery ground. The storm had transformed the once-friendly road into a test of their endurance and resolve.
Sebastian scanned the darkness ahead, his body taut with vigilance. When faint outlines of travelers emerged through the mist, he reined in his horse, signaling for Juliana to follow suit.
“Stay close,” he rumbled. “They could be harmless, but we cannot take chances.”
The cloaked figures passed in silence, their faces obscured by the storm. His hand hovered over the hilt of his sword, poised to confront any danger. Only when the sound of hooves faded into the night did he relax, releasing a slow breath.
“They’re gone.” He turned to Juliana.
She reached for him, her fingers trembling as they brushed his. “What if someone recognizes us, Sebastian? What if they follow, or worse, set our families on our trail?”
“They won’t,” he assured her. “But if they do, I will protect you. Protect us. Always.”
Her trust in him was unshakable. As they resumed their journey, her gaze shone with renewed determination. They were closer than ever to freedom and the life they had dared to dream of.