Chapter Eleven
James
J ames straightened his collar for the third time, standing in the grand hallway of Dairvin Castle, and checked himself for the umpteenth time in the giant, ornate mirror. This was it. The moment had arrived. Somewhere in this building was Lady Victoria Bruce. Was he about to meet his destiny? As the youngest daughter, she was in no position ever to inherit this place, but the connection was good enough – for his parents anyway. James smoothed his hair, not entirely convinced this was the path he wanted to follow. Did he really want to be rubbing shoulders with the aristocracy for the rest of his life?
His mum certainly did.
The man who’d let him in reappeared. He was dressed in a smart suit. Was he a butler? Seriously, did people still have them in this day and age?
‘If you’ll follow me.’ He led James into an expansive drawing room where the Earl and Countess of Dairvin awaited. The earl, a short, balding, rather portly man with a stern countenance, stood by the fireplace, while the countess, elegantly dressed, sat on a chaise longue. A young woman with dark, glossy hair stood near the window.
‘Ah, James,’ the earl said. ‘Good to see you again and welcome to Dairvin Castle.’
‘Thank you. It’s an honour to be here.’ James inclined his head slightly.
The countess smiled warmly. ‘I seem to run into your mother all over the place. She’s told me all about your love of riding. I had no idea. When we met at the Highland Games last year, you didn’t mention it and Ophelia didn’t either.’
‘Oh, well… One doesn’t,’ James said with a nervous chuckle, glancing at the woman.
‘Indeed.’ The countess raised an eyebrow, then turned to the window. ‘Victoria, come and meet James Charlton.’
The woman at the window smiled and came forward. ‘Hello. I’ve been looking forward to meeting you.’
‘Likewise, Lady Victoria.’ He moved towards her and took her outstretched hand. Her grip was very firm, almost crushing. Was she trying to make a point? She may be small, but she was fierce, perhaps?
‘Please, call me Victoria.’
‘Thank you, Victoria.’
‘Shall we sit?’ The earl gestured to the seating area.
They all took their places, James feeling like a show dog on display. Victoria sat next to him, rather closer than he’d expected. She smiled at him again, her lips wide and red. The earl and countess took the opposite sofa.
‘So, are you looking forward to riding?’ Victoria leaned closer.
‘Yeah, of course.’ James drew back a little. He’d met some fast women before, but he didn’t expect her to be quite so in his face, especially when her parents were in the room with them.
The countess rubbed her fingertips together, watching James closely. ‘Victoria is quite the equestrian herself. She’s won several competitions, you know?’
‘Mother, you’re embarrassing me.’ Victoria flapped her hands about, though from her broad smile she obviously wasn’t bothered.
‘I’m sure you’re very talented,’ James said.
‘We’ll have to see if you can keep up with me.’ She gave him a playful nudge. James forced a smile, but his insides twisted. He wasn’t sure he liked this familiarity.
‘I probably won’t. My mother loves to exaggerate my skills.’
‘We mothers do that.’ The countess clasped her hands in her lap. ‘Tell us more about yourself, James. What do you do when you’re not riding?’
‘Work, mainly.’ He sensed all eyes on him. ‘Duchan Fayre keeps me busy, but I try to find time for other pursuits.’
‘Such as?’ Victoria’s gaze was intense.
‘I enjoy golf and reading. Crime novels and the like.’
‘Father enjoys golf,’ Victoria said. ‘You should play together sometime.’
‘Absolutely.’
The earl nodded. ‘I’m not particularly good, but it is quite an enjoyable pastime.’
James imagined them playing a round together and having to lose on purpose to make sure he didn’t fall out of favour.
‘Let me ring for tea,’ the countess said.
James kept his smile in place. When he’d had hopes of a relationship with Ophelia, he’d called at her at father’s home a few times and each time he’d thought her father’s dress sense ludicrous: he was a fan of plus fours and looked like a character from Downton Abbey. This was even worse. These people had servants and rang for tea. Unreal. His parents had a housekeeper, but she didn’t wait on them. She cleaned the house, did the washing and ironing, and prepped meals. This was a whole new level.
‘We’ll ride after.’ Victoria raised an eyebrow at him. Was that a deliberate innuendo? He rather suspected it was, and it put him even more on edge.
‘Er, yes.’
A woman brought in a silver tea tray laden with fine china, delicate sandwiches, and an assortment of pastries. James watched as the countess poured the tea, holding the lid on the pot with a dainty finger. This was straight off a film set. He took a cup gingerly, willing himself not to spill any of the contents.
Victoria moved even closer, her eyes bright. ‘Have you been to the Royal Atholl Horse Show? It’s one of my favourites.’
‘Oh, um, no,’ James said. He’d never been to any horse shows. ‘I’ve heard it’s quite an event.’
‘Oh, it is. You must go sometime.’ Victoria beamed. ‘Last year, I competed in the show jumping. Came in second. The competition was fierce.’
James took a sip of his tea. ‘Impressive. You must be really good.’ And that wasn’t the best news for him.
‘I just enjoy it.’ Her coy smile was ruined when a laugh burst through. ‘And what about the Horse Trials we hold here? Did you attend last year?’
‘I think I was abroad.’ James took another sip of tea. ‘On business.’
‘Well, you simply must come this year.’
The countess watched him over the rim of her cup, her gaze sharp. Was she evaluating him? Measuring his responses? He forced himself to meet her eyes, hoping she couldn’t see through his facade.
‘It’s not long now.’ Victoria looked at a gold wristwatch as though she was checking the date on it. ‘Just a few weeks. I’m sure you’ll love it.’
‘I’m sure,’ James replied, though the prospect filled him with dread. ‘Though I’m nowhere near good enough to compete. I only ride for fun, you know. I’ll leave the competition to the accomplished riders.’ His mind strayed to Dagmar. Did she take part in it? It was on the tip of his tongue to ask Victoria if she knew, but he thought better of it.
‘Excellent.’ The earl set his cup down. ‘It’ll be good for you two to spend some time together.’
‘Indeed.’ The countess’s eyes never left James. ‘We’re delighted you’re so enthusiastic about riding, James. It’s a passion of ours, as you can see.’
James smiled, trying his utmost to appear genuine, but this was worse than any business meeting he’d ever attended. ‘I’m looking forward to it.’
Victoria’s hand brushed his knee as she reached for another sandwich. ‘We’ll have so much fun. I can show you all my favourite trails.’
He froze for a moment. Why did she keep touching him? Did she have no boundaries? Or was he just particularly sensitive to it because he couldn’t warm to her yet? ‘Sounds great.’
The earl launched into a story about his favourite hunting trip, and James did his best to listen attentively, occasionally glancing at the countess. Her expression remained serene. He didn’t have a clue about any of this stuff. Not only would he have to keep learning to ride better, but he’d need to study all the different riding disciplines and various shows and events. But was there really any point? He’d promised to try his best with Victoria, but was it worth it if he felt nothing for her?
Keep trying.
Like anything else, relationships could succeed with hard work and practise – or so his father kept telling him. Maybe he just hadn’t put the work in previously.
As they finished their tea, Victoria chattered on about various horse shows and events. James kept nodding and smiling but couldn’t bring anything else to the party. She might as well have been talking Greek. When he and Dagmar talked about the horses, it was interesting. He liked discovering their personalities and learning how to work with them. But all this horse show stuff wasn’t something he had any interest in. But he had to keep trying.
‘You must have some wonderful stories yourself.’ Victoria turned the conversation back to him.
‘Oh, well.’ He searched his mind for something plausible. ‘I’ve had my share of interesting rides recently. My life has been rather taken up with business. But I enjoy meeting new horses and getting to know them.’
‘Oh, really?’ She pulled a surprised face. ‘That’s so cute.’
‘Is it?’ He downed some more tea.
The countess set down her cup. ‘Perhaps you should prepare for your ride?’
‘Yes, let’s.’ Victoria leapt to her feet. ‘I can’t wait to get you in the saddle.’
James rose, giving her a brief smile. Was she attempting more innuendo? He didn’t really want to know. His insides were knotted. What if he made a total balls-up of this? Conker was such a good horse. What if the one Victoria gave him to ride wasn’t as easy or didn’t like him?
He made his way back through the grand hallway, his footsteps echoing off the polished wood floors. As he stepped outside, the fresh air hit him like a splash of cold water. He took a deep breath. Dairvin Castle was impressive, but completely overwhelming, not to mention over the top. He reached his car and popped open the boot to retrieve his riding boots.
As he changed his shoes, he gathered himself. Just keep plugging away. Victoria was attractive and seemed genuinely interested in him. This was a significant opportunity, and he owed it to himself and his family to at least try. Just because the attraction wasn’t there yet, didn’t mean it wouldn’t ever be there.
‘I got this,’ he muttered under his breath.
Once he was in his brand-new riding boots, courtesy of Duchan Fayre’s equestrian section, he closed the boot, straightened up and took another deep breath. This was just another challenge. He could handle it.
Walking back towards the stables, he spotted Victoria waiting for him. She was dressed in riding gear now, with tight jodhpurs, a tweed jacket and long boots. The look reminded him of Ophelia, except Victoria didn’t have the height or the presence to carry it off in the same way. She smiled as he approached.
‘Ready for the ride of your life?’ She waggled her eyebrows.
Was this her flirting? Would he normally find this ok? Maybe . So why then was it making him bristle? ‘Absolutely. Let’s do this.’
They walked together towards the stables.
‘So, how long have you been riding?’ he asked.
‘Since I could walk, really.’ Victoria’s eyes lit up. ‘I was on a pony when I was tiny. It’s been a part of my life forever.’
‘The best way, I guess.’
‘Was it the same for you?’
‘Oh… no. I was later.’
As they reached the stables, the scent of hay and horses hit him and brought with it an image of Dagmar. He’d much rather be at Glenvorneth talking to her than here. A young woman was waiting with the horses already tacked up.
‘Morning,’ she said. ‘I have Dizzi ready for you, and Caspar for Mr Charlton.’
James clipped on his riding hat and admired the two horses.
‘Great. You’ll love Caspar.’ Victoria indicated a large white horse. He looked about the same size as Conker but had a somewhat snooty expression. Maybe he sensed a fake. James remembered everything Dagmar had taught him about being respectful to the horses and trying to build a rapport with them. He approached Caspar slowly, talking in a low voice. When the horse responded, James moved closer and gently patted Caspar’s neck.
‘You’re very good with him.’ Victoria mounted Dizzi like a pro from the mounting block the groom had led them to.
James followed suit, getting into the saddle with barely a hitch. That was better than expected. The familiar pang of uncertainty hit him and intensified as he realised he was on his own up here. Dagmar wasn’t close by to help if anything went wrong. And he couldn’t very well confess to Victoria that he was little more than a novice. Forcing calm, he took up the reins and gave Caspar a gentle squeeze to move him forward.
They started off down the path and James reminded himself to breathe. Caspar seemed gentle and good-natured, though he wasn’t quite as responsive as Conker and James felt like he was working harder to control their direction. But maybe it was partly because he wasn’t sure where they were going. He glanced at Victoria, who looked quite serene. She had good posture but still appeared natural. What did he look like? He was possibly too straight or too slouched and probably looked petrified.
‘Let’s take the trail through the woods.’ Victoria pointed ahead. ‘It’s lovely this time of year.’
‘Lead the way.’ James forced another smile, and pressed Casper to follow Victoria onto the woodland path, then caught up with her.
They rode side by side. The path wound through lush greenery surrounding the estate. It reminded him a little of Glenvorneth, but the surrounding hills were higher, more dramatic, and even a little threatening.
‘So, what do you think of the estate?’ Victoria asked.
‘It’s stunning. A gorgeous place to live.’
‘We don’t live here all the time. When the castle is open in the summer and the tourists are in, it can get quite annoying. The gates open at eleven, so by the time we’re heading back, you’ll see for yourself. This path will be crawling with people.’
‘Hmm.’ James didn’t mind the idea in terms of bringing people to the area. Visitors here were often enticed to travel a few miles more to Duchan Fayre and enjoy the country shopping experience. But purely on a selfish level today, he wasn’t sure he wanted to be dodging people here and there, jostling for a place on a path when he was up here, and they were down there.
The path opened up to a wide field. Victoria’s eyes lit up. ‘Let’s have a gallop, shall we?’ She shortened her reins a fraction.
James’s stomach flipped. No freaking way. That would be a dick move. He needed to keep it slow. ‘Actually, I was thinking we could take it slow. Walking gives us more time to talk and enjoy the scenery.’
Victoria frowned slightly, but then her expression softened. ‘Ok, if you insist. Though I do love a good gallop.’
‘Another time, perhaps. I don’t feel as confident on a new horse and I don’t want our time together to be over too quickly.’
She laughed and pulled her coy face. ‘You’re quite the charmer, aren’t you?’
Was he? Sometimes maybe, but so far, that charm hadn’t yielded the results his family wanted for him. But maybe this time it would.
‘So, what’s your favourite route to ride?’ He’d said he wanted more time to talk, so he’d better use it.
‘Oh, that’s a tough one.’ Victoria pulled a pout. ‘This one is great, but there’s a lovely hill trail through the Dairvin woods if you go back into the village. It’s across the bridge. There are some quite fantastic views from up there.’
‘Sounds amazing.’ James shifted his position. His backside was chaffing from being so often in a saddle this week. ‘I don’t actually know this area as well as I should. I grew up in Perth and my family moved here after I left school. Duchan Fayre was only built twelve years ago. The design was deliberate to make it look old.’
‘Oh, it’s wonderful. Mother adores it.’
‘Happy to hear it.’
Victoria eyed him over with a smile and he forced himself to return it.
They continued along the trail at a leisurely pace. James grew easier as the time passed. Birds chirped in the trees and an occasional wood pigeon shattered the quiet with a loud flappy landing.
‘You know,’ Victoria said after a while, ‘it’s kind of nice to slow down and take everything in.’
‘I’m glad you think so. There’s something to be said for enjoying the moment.’
They reached the edge of the field, where the path re-entered the woods. The canopy of trees provided a cool shade. They continued at a walk, passing a few people on foot, as Victoria had predicted. James held his breath every time he stopped to let them by, praying Caspar would stay still and not bolt or get spooked.
As they neared the stables, Victoria looked over at James. ‘I had a good time today. Even at a walk.’
‘Me too. We should do this again sometime.’ That was the plan, after all.
‘I’d like that.’
James dismounted, feeling every ache and protest from his body. He wasn’t used to this. He grimaced slightly as his feet touched the ground and he felt like he had a wedgie. Was there any way of adjusting it without looking totally uncouth? Victoria slid off her horse effortlessly, landing lightly beside him.
‘I really enjoyed spending time with you.’ Victoria stepped closer. ‘I think this could be the start of something.’ She gave him a little wink.
‘Indeed. Let’s see how it goes,’ he kept his tone light. ‘And we should definitely arrange another ride soon.’
Victoria’s smile widened, and before James could react, she pushed onto tiptoes and kissed him on the cheek. It was quick, but it left him stunned. Ok… What the hell? He hadn’t expected that.
‘I’ll sort the horses.’ Her eyes lingered on him for a moment. ‘Unless you want to stay a bit longer.’
‘I should probably get back now. Will you say thank you to your parents for me?’ He’d already done so before they set off, but it seemed only proper to do it again.
‘Of course.’ She raised her hand in a little wave, and he had a funny feeling she might try to kiss him again, so he backed away. ‘Goodbye, Victoria.’
As he returned to his car, he let out a long breath. What had just happened? He started the engine. Everything had gone better than expected, but he just wasn’t feeling it, and he wasn’t sure how to change that.
He drove home, showered and changed, but his mind was restless. Memories of the day kept jumping up and slapping him. He cringed as he replayed the conversations about horse shows and events, and how he’d fudged his way through them.
One thing kept coming back to him. You need more practice . How else could he get better? By early evening, he’d wound himself up so much, he knew the only thing to do was to go to Glenvorneth and train. This was like prepping for a business takeover.
He arrived in the stable car park, not entirely sure how he’d got there. The drive was a blur. What had been a fairly decent day earlier was cloudy and a little grey. The horses were in the field, looking settled. Was this a sensible time to ride Conker? He needed to find Dagmar and ask her. Even if he couldn’t ride right now, maybe she would spare him some time, so he could pick her brains about events and shows.
He checked the stables. Nothing. He sighed and turned. Maybe she was in her trailer. The evening air was cool and a little breezy.
As he neared the trailer, he spotted her sitting by a small fire pit. Her hair was loose, cascading over her shoulder. He’d rarely seen her hair out of a plait. The crimped waves still bore the markings of it. The firelight danced on her face, highlighting her features and her lithe figure in a way that made his breath catch. For a moment, he just watched her. She had on a thin white t-shirt and the ridge of her bra strap was visible on her back.
She shifted slightly, smoothing her hands over her hair, her gaze fixed on the flames. James cleared his throat, stepping closer. ‘Hey.’
She looked up, and her hand leapt to her chest. ‘You gave me a fright. What are you doing here?’
‘I… uh, need to ask you something. Do you mind if I join you?’
‘Ok.’ She gave a little shrug.
He took a seat, feeling the warmth of the fire. Possibly he’d misjudged the weather and put on too many layers, but at this time of year, in late spring, it was hard to judge what to wear. He glanced at her, and for a moment he couldn’t remember why he was here. Their lingering eye contact sent blood rushing to his groin. Every hot-blooded sensation he’d hoped for with Victoria had decided now was a better time to show up. ‘I had a rough day.’
‘Did you fall off or something?’ Her eyebrows raised in the middle.
‘No. The ride itself actually went pretty well, except when she wanted to gallop.’
Dagmar straightened up. ‘You didn’t, did you?’
‘No. I managed to fob her off for now. But I’m going to have to learn. And that’s not all.’
‘What?’
‘I need to know about events and gymkhanas and all that jazz. Most of the time, I didn’t know what she was talking about.’
‘What do you want to know?’
James held out his hands. ‘Everything.’
Dagmar smirked and poked the fire with a stick, sending a shower of sparks into the evening air. ‘Well, we haven’t got time for that, but I can tell you a few of the main things she’s likely to talk about. I know which events she likes. There are several disciplines. You’ve got dressage, which is all about precision and elegance – horse and rider performing a series of movements from memory. Then there’s show jumping, where the aim is to complete a course of jumps, without knocking any down or refusing any, in the fastest time. Cross-country is jumping but over natural terrain and obstacles.’
‘I’ve heard of them, but I’ve never really thought about the differences.’
‘There’s also eventing, which is a bit like an equestrian triathlon – it includes dressage, cross-country, and show jumping. She’s into all of them. I’ve seen her take part in several events.’
‘Like something she came second in last year. A Royal something.’
A little smile grew on Dagmar’s face. ‘The Royal Atholl Horse Show?’
‘The very same.’
‘Do you know who came first?’
‘Should I?’ He cocked his head.
‘You’re looking at her.’
James dipped his head and rubbed his brow. ‘Christ, I’m slow off the mark today. Sorry. I didn’t click. You must be really good.’
She gave a little shrug. A cool breeze swept over them and Dagmar wrapped her hands around herself, rubbing her arms.
‘Here.’ James shrugged off his sweater and handed it to her. ‘Take this. I’m too hot and you look cold.’
Dagmar hesitated for a moment, then reached out and took it. ‘There’s no need. I’ve got stuff in the trailer.’
‘It was to save you getting up, but it’s no big deal if you don’t want it.’
She draped the sweater across her shoulders with a brief nod of thanks.
‘So, do you do eventing?’ James leaned back on his hands.
‘I do.’
‘I remember Ophelia saying you were really good.’ He smiled. ‘I think she was jealous.’
‘Ophelia is a good rider, but she doesn’t put in the practise. She admits it herself.’
‘Fair enough.’ His eyes lingered on her. The firelight highlighted the contours of her cheeks and chin. Her face had a strong shape, but she still looked delicate, with her slender neck and round shoulders. Her thin shirt hugged her svelte shape and small perky breasts, which were really rather cute. Fuck . Why was he looking at them? He’d forgotten about Lady Victoria, and why he was actually here. And his mind didn’t want to go anywhere else.