Chapter Six #2
“She’s good, but I would prefer for now to see her on something gentle that doesn’t spook so easily. You see, our father rarely allowed her to ride. I’ve taken her as much as possible in London, but now that she’s living out here, I know it would be something she would enjoy.”
“I have a striking bay gelding. He’s about twelve, quite gentle. He almost has an instinct about his rider’s needs. You’re welcome to bring your sister and see if they’d suit.”
“Thank you, Your Grace. I’ll talk to Claudia about him,” Jenkins said.
“Are you coming to more events my sister has planned? I could bring the horse, and if you’re satisfied with him, you could take him home and let her ride him and get to know him on her terms.”
Jenkins nodded. “I am. That’s incredibly kind of you, Your Grace. I suppose I could bring Claudia to one of the day rides, and if she likes him, take him home for a trial.”
“It’s all set then,” Arthur said.
“Thank you again, Your Grace.”
“Think nothing of it. You don’t need to purchase a horse that may not do for her,” Arthur replied, continuing, “How is work progressing for you on the house?”
“The workmen should be done with all the outside work by the end of the month. The inside isn’t quite so bad, so it can be done at any time. I wanted the outside done before bad weather sets in.”
“If you gentlemen excuse me, I will bid you both good evening.”
“But the evening is still young,” Graham said with a smirk. “We’ve got skeet and a picnic tomorrow. Ask my wife times on your way out.”
“Your Grace,” Jenkins said with a bow. “Again, it was a pleasure to meet you.”
Nodding, Arthur turned and quickly made his way towards the door.
He’d had quite enough for one night. He needed to bid Roxanne good evening and listen to her go through the next day’s activities.
She had moved on to another of her guests and he was about to try and get her attention without having to be dragged into another tedious conversation.
But Roxanne wasn’t paying him attention.
“Your sister is quite popular,” a feminine voice from behind him said. “She’s so likeable. What happened to you?”
He whirled around to find Lady Daphne standing before him.
He swallowed hard because he was once again swept up by her beauty.
Her arrogance and condescending manner were another story.
“If you’re trying to get a rise out of me, Lady Daphne, it won’t work.
Now if you’ll excuse me. I was on my way home. ”
“Yes, yes. I suppose it is late for someone like you.”
“Good evening, Lady Daphne. I’m sure we’ll see each other again during the festivities.
It can’t be helped, unfortunately.” He had no idea of how to control his feelings.
On one hand, she was annoying, and on the other, he wanted to take her in his arms and kiss her silly.
Perhaps with a good kiss she would refrain from her unbecoming manner.
He turned and walked away. When he crossed the threshold of the drawing room, he heard his sister as she waltzed by him and stopped him. “Are you leaving without saying good evening?”
“If I could have gotten you away from your friends, I would have. Instead, I was assaulted by Lady Daphne.”
Roxanne smiled broadly. “Really, Arthur, Lady Daphne assaulting you? It looked to me more like you two were exchanging barbs.”
“That too. I don’t know what I’ve done wrong, but she needs to move on. I can understand why her parents left her behind. I’m sure she’s an embarrassment everywhere they go.”
“If that’s what you think,” she replied smugly. “You’ll be here for the afternoon activities?”
“Hmmm, I’m sure I have no choice in the matter.” He leaned over and kissed her on the cheek. “Tomorrow then.”
“Until tomorrow,” she replied, adding, “Oh, and Arthur? Don’t be so glum when you return.”
He turned back to her. “You’re not the one who’s on display. I’m afraid to say anything to any female because it will be misconstrued.”
“You knew this would happen. Arthur, you’re a handsome, wealthy duke looking for a wife. Until you find one or you become a hermit, this is bound to happen.”
He turned and began walking toward his carriage.
He raised his hand. Too bad he couldn’t become a hermit; it would solve a lot of this nonsense.
Climbing into the carriage, he sat back and tapped his walking stick on the roof.
The carriage started to move slowly. Arthur closed his eyes for a few moments, his thoughts at first going to what he needed to accomplish before he returned to this house party.
He needed to ride the gelding he spoke to Jenkins about and make sure the animal would suit a young lady such as Jenkins’s sister.
His thoughts wandered to Lady Daphne and his cock began to harden.
Damn her! He didn’t care to play her games and wondered if perhaps she was actually attracted to him as well.
He still believed he needed to test his theory by kissing her with as much passion as he could muster.
It was what she needed, and he intended to take the matter in his own hands the first time he was alone with her.
What if she rejected him after such a kiss?
He wouldn’t give up. He would find another tactic to turn her way of thinking around to his.
She seemed to like to play games, or that’s what it appeared to him, and she’d been doing plenty of game playing with him.
A sign she felt an attraction to him, and she was resisting his subtle advances.
He wasn’t sure he should try and get her alone at his sister’s party, not wanting to do anything that might end up embarrassing Roxanne.
He could invite her riding one morning before either proceeded to the activities. That might be the best way.
At Roxanne and Graham’s, there were too many young ladies whose mothers were trying their best to garner his attention to their marriageable daughters.
He didn’t want to encourage any of them, but he didn’t want them to think he was ignoring them either.
His sister had put him in a precarious position, and she knew it.
His carriage pulled down the driveway, a sliver of a moon peeking out between the clouds.
The ancient oaks that lined the drive were visible with a gentle breeze moving through their limbs.
He always felt a sense of belonging when he returned home.
This is where generations of his father’s family had lived, and future family would reside.
*
Early the following morning, Arthur walked out to the stables with Roddy at his side, deciding that having the setter go along on his ride would be an excellent move to see how the gelding reacted to dogs and other animals.
Not finding the stable master, he asked one of the young grooms to saddle the bay gelding.
Moments later, the boy brought the gelding and tied him and began grooming him.
Arthur went over and stroked the bay’s neck, moving his hand along the bay’s side and back.
The animal did not react, which was a good sign he tolerated being handled without a fuss.
He was a striking bay, darker than a lot, and matched by four black, longer than most stockings.
He had no white except for a patch of white between his eyes. A star.
As the groom brought him outside, Arthur walked around him one last time before mounting the gelding.
He whistled for Roddy and the two walked towards the meadow.
He would give the bay a good workout there before heading towards a wooded area to see how he reacted, then possibly to the lake.
He wanted to be sure the animal had no quirks before handing him over to Jenkins for a trial run with his sister, Claudia.
He urged the bay on as they neared the meadow.
The horse did everything he was asked without a concern.
He was well trained and quiet enough for inexperienced riders.
Arthur then clucked to the gelding, asking for a gallop.
They moved quicker, without a fuss, even with Roddy running and jumping near them.
Slowing to a walk, Arthur looked up and saw Lady Daphne’s gray grazing not too far off.
Would she never learn? Having ridden by any and all holes in the walls or fences, he knew someone had to have made a new point of entry.
Whatever the case, unless it was a large hole, someone had to be leading the horse through said hole.
He stood for a few minutes watching the animal before turning his mount towards the wooded area before them.
He wanted to check how well the gelding acted in a semi-confined area with tree limbs and brush close to them.
The setter ran in front of them, occasionally veering off to chase a rabbit or other small animal.
They came out at the lake with no incidents.
Yes, the bay should do Jenkins’s sister just fine.
Sitting, observing a pair of birds fly near the water’s edge, he urged the horse to the water’s edge.
He hadn’t had a chance to return since the men had cleaned up brush and such.
Soon it would be too cold to come for any length of time.
If this winter was one of the colder ones, the lake would most likely ice over.
He smiled to himself at the memory of having skated on this very spot.
It was one of the few things his father took the time to do with him.
He felt Arthur needed to be studying and learning what he would inherit one day rather than playing.
Playing was for summer and even then, on a limited schedule.
Still, he and Graham managed to find plenty of time to sneak off and enjoy their time together no matter what the time of year.
He vowed to himself more than once he would never keep any son of his, even his heir, from having a rounded childhood. Play was important to grow one’s imagination.