Chapter 12
Robertson woke early, feeling better than he had in a long while. Bryer brought a cup of coffee for him while he dressed.
“I’ll have your bath ready when you return, my lord,” the valet said.
“Thank you, Bryer.”
The sun was shining, and the air was brisk as Robertson headed for the stables —a perfect day for a good gallop. He was looking forward to riding with Lady Armstrong today. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d looked forward to anything with this much enthusiasm. Probably never.
Olivia.
Such a beautiful name for a beautiful lady. He could hardly wait to see her and taste her sweet lips again. When he’d agreed to come to the house party, his only reason had been the desire to leave London before the Marquis of Evans announced his betrothal. But now, he wasn’t afraid to admit that he owed Miles a huge thank you for suggesting they attend. Otherwise, he’d never have met Olivia, which would have been a real shame. She was like a breath of fresh air, something he’d been starving for without even realizing it.
She’d been so receptive to his kisses last night, but a hint of sadness still seemed to cling to her. What could it be? Whatever it was, he vowed to make it his mission to see that sadness disappear from her beautiful green eyes. They said the eyes were the window to the soul, and he wanted to peer deeply into hers and understand her fully. She had such beautiful eyes—a combination of green and gold so unique, he’d never seen anything like them before.
“Lord Robertson, shall I saddle Hades for you today?” the groom asked when Robertson reached the stable.
“Yes. I’m expecting Lady Armstrong this morning. I don’t know how well she rides—do you have a mount available that’s gentler than Hades?”
“Of course, my lord. I’ll see to it right away.”
It wasn’t long before Olivia joined him.
“Good morning, Lady Armstrong.”
“Lord Robertson, lovely to see you this morning.”
The only thing Robertson wanted to do was take her in his arms and kiss her until they were both quivering with desire… but he couldn’t do it here at the stables. He planned to ride to a more secluded spot on the estate that would allow them a lot more privacy to indulge in their passion.
“I hope you’re well this morning?” he asked.
“I am, thank you.”
They both turned when they heard horses clop toward them. Hades was stamping his feet, knowing that he’d get to run again today. The beautiful bay mare beside him seemed a lot calmer.
“Here we are, my lord,” the groom said.
Olivia reached out to stroke the mare’s neck. “Hello, you beautiful girl.” She turned to the groom. “What’s her name?”
“It’s Clara, my lady.”
“Well, Clara, I think you and I are going to be great friends.”
Robertson moved next to Olivia. “My lady, may I assist you?” When she nodded, he lifted her into the saddle and held onto her small waist a moment longer than necessary before releasing her and vaulting onto Hades’s back. “Shall we be off?”
“Yes, absolutely.”
They rode out of the yard together, heading toward the meadow beyond the formal gardens.
“The estate is quite beautiful,” Robertson said. “I found a folly the other day. Would you care to see it?”
Olivia smiled. “I’d love to.”
“It’s just beyond that line of trees,” he said, pointing off in the distance. “Shall we race there?”
Much to his surprise, Olivia and Clara took off running toward the trees without waiting for him.
He gave them a bit of a head start before leaning into Hades. “Come on, boy. Ready to run? Let’s catch those ladies, shall we?”
Hades snorted and took off like a shot. His long strides ate up the ground, and he overtook Olivia and Clara before they reached the tree line.
Olivia pulled back on the reins. “Whoa, Clara.” She patted the horse’s neck. “Such a good run.”
“My lady, you surprised me!”
She glanced at him and smiled. “I hope in a good way, my lord.”
“Please, you must call me Everett in private.”
“Of course, Everett. I knew we didn’t stand a chance of winning against your magnificent mount, but I thought we could all use a little thrill.”
“Indeed. You ride very well.”
“Thank you. It’s been my sole pleasure for a long while. Which way to the folly?”
Her only pleasure? What had the lady been doing since she was widowed, he wondered. Perhaps she’d share more of her life with him today. “It’s this way,” he said, steering Hades to the left of the trees. “There’s also a stream where the horses can drink.”
“That sounds lovely. Lead the way,” she said.
The folly soon came into view. Columns held up an elaborate dome of iron latticework. There were also three stone benches inside, where weary travelers could have a respite. Lord Fleming obviously took good care of the grounds, and the flowers around the base were in bloom, scenting the air.
“It’s beautiful,” Olivia said.
“Indeed,” Everett said, looking at Olivia, not the folly.
Everett helped her dismount before leading the horses to the stream for a much-needed drink. He walked back to Olivia and took her hand, leading her to the center bench inside the folly. “I hope this is to your liking.”
“It’s one of the loveliest follies I’ve ever seen,” she said.
Her smile warmed his heart. The sadness that had clung to her since she arrived was momentarily gone. He wanted to keep it that way and moved to sit next to her. “Olivia, I adore your smile.”
“Thank you,” she said, a blush coloring her cheeks pink.
Robertson leaned toward her. “May I kiss you again?” he asked in a husky voice. “I might perish if I don’t feel your lips on mine once more.”
“Well, my lord, we can’t have that, now can we?”
He snaked his arm around her waist and pulled her close. Their lips were nearly touching, and he could feel her tremble, which only inflamed his desire for her more. He could wait no longer and took her mouth in a searing kiss. When she moaned in pleasure, he deepened the kiss. There was something so sweet and innocent about her as if she’d never been kissed passionately before. Did her husband not relish the feel of her soft lips? What a fool that man had been because Robertson had never felt like this, and he’d kissed plenty of women before. He couldn’t get enough of her, but he certainly didn’t want to frighten her.
When she leaned into him, he kissed a path along the column of her neck and felt her shiver. “My lady, are you cold?” he whispered.
“No, your kisses are delicious. I’ve never felt like this before.”
“I’m so glad,” he said, reaching to undo the top buttons on her riding habit. He knew it was too much when she suddenly pulled away from him and stood up.
“Olivia, I apologize if I’ve offended you,” he said, jumping to his feet. He watched closely as she smoothed down the front of her riding dress.
“You didn’t. It’s just—”