Chapter 4 #2
“Lady Ramsbury, I am most pleased to have met everyone at last night’s ball as well.
” Alaina practically giggled, trying to ignore the exchange about providing heirs; she certainly understood precocious sisters, but was able to stifle her laughter, and merely return the duke’s regard with an amused grin.
At the same time, she heard a chuckle just out of her range of vision, toward the door of the parlor.
As she shifted her glance to find the source of the sound, she was presented with the slightly reddened countenance of the marquess, and the straight face of her butler, Arthur.
Clearly, the marquess had not been able to contain his mirth in the slightest. Alaina certainly hoped the two friends had a good-natured relationship.
If not, how cruel to laugh at a friend after such a gaffe from his sibling!
Trying to gain control of the room, Alaina quickly changed the subject. “Would you all like me to call for some biscuits and tea before we take our ride?”
“There is no need for refreshments before our ride. I am most eager to be outside and we had such a wonderful breakfast. I find that I am not hungry in the least, but thank you for the kind offer. Shall we be off?” Lady Ramsbury was first to respond, clearly used to being in charge of a household.
The duke and marquess did not seem phased by the lady’s attitude, and simply both looked to Alaina for her assent.
“That is a wonderful idea. I will just call for my horse to be brought around front, and we can head out on our ride,” Alaina spoke with a little more ease now, having seen Lady Ramsbury’s confidence around both the duke and marquess.
“Have a wonderful ride, and maybe after, we can have refreshments and tea? I am confident you will all be hungry then,” Evelina said.
Alaina and Evelina exchanged a sisterly glance, and Alaina could see she was eager to join in on the activity, but alas she was too young to be out and about without a parental chaperone.
The duke finally spoke. “Well, that is a wonderful idea, Lady Evelina. I look forward to our post-ride snack and tea. Georgiana, shall we?” He motioned for his sister and the marquess to precede him out the parlor door and toward the front of the townhome, each accepting their gloves from the butler on their way out.
The duke presented his arm to Alaina, and smiled down at her warmly, meeting her eyes with a sparkle of mischief.
It was really quite a lovely day, and what better activity to enjoy it than a ride on horseback in the middle of Hyde Park.
The four riders seemed at ease, grouped together with two horses in front and two in the back.
As she had expected, Alaina was most comfortable in the back pair of horses, feeling quite inadequate as a rider next to the other three in the group.
They truly seemed one with their animals, but Alaina was never able to fully relax, her hands gripping the reins with vice-like strength, and the legs in her sidesaddle never quite comfortable.
The duke realized this early in their ride, and decided to fall back to meet her, requesting walks for his horse more often than needed to allow Alaina to rest a bit.
While they walked their horses through a grove of trees, they were able to chat as a group.
“I hope you will see fit to call me Georgiana, no more of this lady stuff,” Georgiana shot over her shoulder.
“That is most kind. I will certainly do such and expect you to dispense with the formality as well. Please call me Alaina.”
“Well in that case, I guess I should give you leave to call me by my given name as well. Please call me Graham,” said the duke, cocking his head a little and glancing sidelong at Alaina with his charming lopsided smile.
Alaina smiled back at the duke, pleased with Graham’s attention, having enjoyed the ride and conversation so far.
“I give you leave to call me Alaina, your grace, er, Graham,” Alaina said softly.
After what felt like an eternal pause, the marquess stated quite quickly, “And as a member of this little riding group, I give you leave to call me by my given name as well. Please call me Christopher.” His statement was almost gruff, and he seemed to be waiting for her acknowledgement.
“The same to you, my lord. Please call me Alaina.”
“Christopher.” The marquess corrected, this time adding a teasing grin to his face, one that actually reached his eyes.
“I apologize… Christopher,” Alaina responded, feeling as if she had a stone lodged in her throat. She was perturbed that Christopher’s eyes had such an effect on her, and hoped no one else in the group could sense her discomfort.
“What is your favorite part of your family’s country estate, Alaina?” Graham questioned.
“Oh, uh,” Alaina started, finding solace in his benign question and the change of subject.
“I guess you can already tell that it is not riding around the grounds on horseback, that would be Evelina. I am partial to a few spots along the edge of a pond. On particularly sunny days, I prefer to sit underneath this one large oak tree and read, but on other days, I like to sit out on this large boulder that stretches a bit over the edge of the pond. If the water is high enough, I can put my feet into the pond and soak up the sights. I often bring my journal, or a book, or both.”
Alaina looked over at the duke to gauge his reaction, worried he may make too much of her reading like Lord Finch and his sister, but he appeared almost like he was trying to imagine the scene she described.
As he smiled broadly and maintained eye contact, Alaina continued.
“Sometimes I find the country inspiring enough to write, sometimes I need to just read and think, and sometimes I just like to be.”
“That sounds quite nice. I often find myself trying to find the perfect spot to read or just take in nature. Most people imagine men as only involved in sport, hunting, or gaming, but I certainly like my time to relax alone in the country.”
“I do not remember much of that introspection you speak of when we were kids. If I remember correctly, you were always terrorizing the grounds with Christopher,” Georgiana needled her brother.
“Quite right. If you remember, though, I have grown up since then, Georgiana,” Graham chided.
“Ah, yes, I seem to remember you and Christopher are now grown men, looking to take wives, as you should,” Georgiana returned his banter.
“Not this again, Georgiana,” Graham warned. “Besides, I am the only one of us currently looking for a spouse. Christopher much prefers his bachelorhood.”
Alaina stifled a giggle, recognizing good-natured sibling banter.
She and Evelina had much of the same relationship, teasing one another, sometimes for maximum embarrassment, but totally understanding each other.
She caught a quick protruded tongue and wrinkled nose from Georgiana, directed at Graham, and sighed, turning forward in her horse to find Christopher observing her intently, a shielded look in his eyes.
Maybe Graham’s comment had bothered him in some way, but the reason eluded Alaina.
Alaina was about to chastise him about keeping his eyes forward, and how rude it was to stare, when a commotion just in front of Christopher caught her eye. Just as the sound reached her ears, a group of riders emerged rather recklessly from a dense cove of trees.
“Look out!” Graham cried out. Georgiana pulled her horse to a quick stop, with Graham easily pulling up next to her.
Alaina tried to stop her horse as well, but with the commotion from the other horses galloping past, her horse spooked and attempted to flee the noise, unfortunately in the forward direction.
The quick reaction of her horse forced the reins from Alaina’s hand, and she lost control.
Finding purchase in her horse’s mane, Alaina closed her eyes and clung to her horse with only hope that the horse would stop.
As her horse galloped wide of the offending group, Alaina heard an accompanying rumble of hooves come up beside her.
A strong pair of hands quickly gathered the reins that had slipped from her hands and pulled the frightened horse to a halt.
Too afraid to open her eyes until the earth stood still, Alaina assumed her savior to be Graham, but was surprised to find Christopher’s blue eyes looking at her with something akin to concern.
Alaina watched as his eyes traced her face, and she felt surprised to find warmth in his countenance.
The connection between herself and Christopher seemed unbreakable, and Alaina felt something warm build in her chest as she looked at the gentleman who she, just a few moments ago, might have thought of as an adversary.
“Are you quite well?” Christopher asked, a muscle in his jaw working, as if in anger.
Alaina could only nod in the affirmative, and she swallowed hard to calm her panic as Christopher led her horse back to Graham and Georgiana.
As they passed the reckless horse riders, Christopher took a breath as if to call out, but Graham seemed to beat him to the punch. “Ho there! Did you not see our group while you were galloping through the trees? You could have easily toppled two ladies, coming upon us as you did.”
Alaina immediately recognized two of the three riders: Lord Finch and his sister, Lady Barbara!
The third rider was not familiar to her.
Alaina found herself wishing the earth would open up and swallow her whole; nothing good could come of interaction with those siblings, no matter their companion.
Unfortunately, Alaina was not so lucky. However, the mystery of the third companion was quickly put to rest.
“Cousin, how delightful to see you,” the lead male rider of the group called out. He certainly looked familiar to Alaina. “These are my companions, Lord Finch and Lady Barbara Finch, his sister.”