Chapter 18
Since Inveresk Castle is still closed to the public while the royal family is here and I get a day off, I text Finn and suggest
we meet later to go riding. After a power nap, I try a writing trick my English teacher taught me called free-falling. The
key is to write immediately, as soon as you wake up, before you’re alert enough to edit yourself and second-guess yourself.
I’m able to get two thousand words on the page before I need to get ready to see Finn. And I even like a lot of those words.
I can’t wait to tell him about my breakthrough.
I shower and dress, thinking about how lucky I am to get to ride two days in a row. I walk to the stables, Finn on my mind
and in my heart. My imagination wanders to X-rated places, making me flush. Thankfully, a breeze kicks up to cool me off just
as the stable hands wave to me. They’re tending to the ponies outside, which means Finn will be inside alone.
“Hi,” I practically sing, the now-familiar smell of hay greeting me. Finn is in the midst of saddling up Ivanhoe. When he turns to look at me, I don’t quite get the greeting I’m expecting. He doesn’t say hello. He doesn’t say anything and I can’t quite read his expression.
“Oh, are you a new stable hand?” a posh British voice says.
Beatrice, the woman I’ve cyber-stalked every day since I learned of her existence, is approaching me. I’m finally seeing her
up close and personal. Predictably, she is perfection in tailored, fawn-colored breeches that hug her tiny but still well-formed
rear, navy cashmere sweater, and shiny black riding boots. Her dark hair is pulled up and sleek. It’s all I can do not to
run away in my beat-up jeans, crop top, and sneakers. I’ve never felt so short and squat in my life.
“Stable hand?” I repeat.
“This is Hannah,” Finn corrects her. “I told you about my American friend who’s working at the gift shop this summer.”
“It’s nice to meet you,” I say automatically, even if it isn’t the truth. I keep my eyes fixed on Beatrice, too afraid of
what I’ll see in Finn’s face if I look.
“Oh, of course. The American friend, Hannah.” She steps forward, and to my amazement, air-kisses me on both cheeks. “I hear Finn saved you from abject poverty.”
I’m so taken aback, I don’t think before replying, “I’m pretty sure I saved him from abject boredom.”
She lets out a laugh that I’m sure is fake, though it’s convincing enough.
Finn clears his throat. “Shall we be off?”
Ah. So this riding excursion now includes the guy I’m falling for and his hot ex. Wonderful.
I’m already feeling sharply territorial about Finn, and that jealousy extends to my horse soulmate. Pretending I’m totally
cool with every single thing happening in here, I ask, “Who are you riding, Beatrice? Rosie?”
Beatrice gives me a perfect toothpaste-commercial smile. “Oh, no. She’s better suited to beginners, isn’t she? I’ll be on
Puck. So you are, in fact . . . joining us on the ride, Hannah?”
It feels as though I’ve just fallen into a pond in November. I’m the interloper here, not Beatrice. I redden as she continues
to stare at me in consternation.
“I’ve been giving Hannah riding lessons,” Finn explains. “What do you think, Hannah? Would you like to join us?”
“Please do, Hannah. I insist. Any friend of Finn’s, well . . . almost any friend of Finn’s,” Beatrice says. The two of them share a laugh over some private joke as she greets a dark horse that
looks like Ivanhoe’s twin and, quite frankly, scares the hell out of me.
I’m tempted to run back to the cottage and spend the day hiding from this British goddess. But the fact that she probably
doesn’t want me here, coupled with the fact that I know Finn does, makes me dig in my heels.
“Sure, I’ll join you.”
“Wonderful,” Finn says. I hope I’m not imagining the relief in his voice.
“Wonderful,” Beatrice echoes. She gives me a tight smile. “Puck and Ivanhoe are brothers, you know.”
“Fascinating,” I say, trying to keep the sarcasm out of my voice. If this is some weird horse-adjacent way of telling me she’s
better suited for Finn, I don’t care.
When Finn asks me if I need help getting on Rosie, I swear I hear a titter from Beatrice. Reddening, I assure him I can do
it.
“Sorry, it was unavoidable,” he whispers in my ear before stepping back to allow me to mount Rosie. I nod and blessedly manage
to get on the horse without humiliating myself.
Like Finn, Beatrice mounts without using the block. I don’t know much about horses, but it seems like she stuck her butt out
more than necessary before hoisting herself into the saddle. To my dismay, she looks even more elegant astride Puck than she
did on the ground. The three of us set out, and as we reach the end of the drive, Beatrice calls out, “Finneas? The usual?”
It’s an innocent comment, and yet I can’t help but feel as though it’s also designed to make me feel out of place. Well, I’m already a common foreigner hanging out at a castle in Scotland, babe. I can take your little jabs.
“Sure. The usual,” he calls back to her.
Finn catches my attention to give me another apologetic look. I keep my face neutral and ignore it. I’m not angry with him. Finn has obligations outside our growing relationship that I barely understand. Who knows, maybe pissing off Beatrice somehow starts a war in Finland or something.
Beatrice rises into the stirrups, leans forward slightly, and Puck takes off at gallop. It’s like watching a sports car go
from zero to sixty in three seconds. Ivanhoe whinnies and tosses his head, eager to follow suit, but Finn keeps him at a steady
trot next to me.
“She was supposed to attend a luncheon at some philanthropic something or other with Mother and Poppy,” Finn explains when
she’s out of earshot. “At the last minute, Mother convinced her to go riding with me instead.”
“It’s okay,” I say. And it really is. If it means spending time with him, I’ll put up with an ice queen. Or ice duchess, or
whatever her title is. “Maybe we can hang out later? Just us?”
“My father’s insomnia is the only obstacle I have to deal with in the evenings. Providing he’s not roaming the castle halls
tonight, I’ll come tap at your window.” We stare at each other, the heat building between us. “I want to kiss you,” he says.
“There are a lot of things I’d like to do with you. Maybe behind that tree,” I reply, vaguely surprised at how brazen I’m being. I’ve never said anything like that to anyone, not even Dean. But with Finn . . .
His eyes turn molten. “I want to—”
We’re interrupted by the sound of pounding hooves. I look up just in time to see Beatrice steer Puck toward an enormous fallen
log. He leaps over it easily and gallops straight toward us. My heart begins to pound. What if she runs into us? Will Rosie
take off? Or will we just get trampled? As I brace for impact, Beatrice leans back slightly and Puck comes to an abrupt stop.
“Everything all right?” she asks with mock concern. “I’ve never seen you ride so slowly in your life.”
“I should head home,” I say. “I’m holding you both back.”
“Hannah, please stay,” Finn pleads.
“Truly, it’s okay. I’ve got some writing to do.”
“If you’re certain.” His eyes are trying to read me and I let them, because I really am certain. Interfering with Beatrice’s
plans was fun for a moment or two, but I have no desire to spend the day with her.
“By the way, Hannah,” Beatrice calls before I leave. “We’re going to the Highland games and then to the beach to view the
aurora borealis tomorrow. You must join us.”
“Oh,” I say in surprise. I’m not terribly interested in another third-wheel situation (who the third wheel is, is unclear).
But I don’t want to miss out on the chance to spend more time with Finn. “Who’s going?”
“Some of Finneas’s closest friends are coming for a visit.” She looks at me expectantly. “Tell me you’ll come too. After all, aren’t you in charge of making sure Finneas doesn’t get bored?”
“Right. Yes, I’d love to,” I say. What she doesn’t know is I’ve already met Callum, Mhairi, and Bethany, so I’m not intimidated
in the least.
“Wonderful,” she replies with a smile that looks as insincere as mine feels.