Chapter Twenty #2
around the corner of the table, to where a trolley was laden with hot dishes.
“Georgie, I have an excellent suggestion for what we might do today, and I believe you will be most pleased by it,” Caroline announced. “A lovely, vigorous activity to get the blood flowing.”
Georgiana’s mouth formed a small, horrified O, her eyes darting to Mrs Reynolds and back to Caroline.
“You have barely ridden Swift since I have been here,” Caroline continued, biting back a smile, as the housekeeper busied
herself setting out the plates of eggs and ham. Clearly, the memory of last night’s kissing was still fresh in her friend’s
mind. Perhaps she’d even been thinking of repeating it. Caroline dearly hoped that was the case. “It is such a lovely day
after all, and I fear we have been rather indolent of late. I would not like you to grow restless.”
“But you do not like to—” Georgiana began, then closed her mouth with a sharp snap. “Ah yes, I remember you telling me only
last night how, um, how much you longed to . . . ride more.”
“Are you quite well, ma’am?” Mrs Reynolds asked, and Caroline stuffed half a kipper into her mouth to quell the burst of laughter
that threatened to erupt. “Has your headache returned?”
Georgiana shot a murderous look at Caroline, which only made her want to laugh more. “I am quite well, I assure you. I am
only surprised that Miss Bingley wishes to ride when she has so little experience on . . . horses.”
Caroline almost choked on her mouthful. Outraged, she glared back across the table, where Georgiana now wore a triumphant
expression.
“Indeed,” Mrs Reynolds said, her polite smile managing to convey clearly that she thought them both quite mad. “Shall I ask
Mrs Addlecombe to pack you a lunch, ma’am?”
The walk to the stables, though a pretty one which wound past several flowerbeds and hedgerows of uncommon beauty, was not one Caroline had taken often while at Pemberley.
Georgiana had been correct; Caroline really did not like to ride much, for she distrusted most horses.
The one exception was a short and rather plump white stallion called Edward, which she had ridden several times.
He was a reliable horse, never spooked and always steady on his feet.
One could probably ride him through a burning building without eliciting any reaction; in a strange way, the beast reminded her of her brother.
Edward nosed at Caroline’s shoulder, evidently hoping for a treat.
Caroline fed him a carrot from a nearby barrel to placate him, then a second when Miss Darcy wasn’t looking.
Georgiana was over by Swift’s stall, caressing his enormous head. Caroline had often thought that Swift must have a lineage
which included giants, for he was a truly enormous stallion to her eyes, standing sixteen hands high. His mane was a dusky
roan, his coat a tawny brown which blended perfectly with the way the ground looked at the moment summer turned into autumn,
though neither Georgiana nor Swift would probably appreciate the comparison to mere soil.
“I cannot believe you mocked my lack of experience at breakfast,” Caroline said, stepping closer. Now that they were alone,
and out of sight of the house, surely, another kiss was imminent.
“Was I wrong, Miss Bingley?” Georgiana gave Swift a final pat and turned to face her.
“No, but I . . .” Caroline dropped her voice to a husky whisper, though there was no one around to hear them. “That is only
because I had not found anyone worth gaining experience with.”
Georgiana swallowed, then picked up a carrot and offered it to her stallion. “I’m sure you shall.”
That was not at all the reaction Caroline had hoped for nor expected. She frowned. She’d assumed after their conversation
the night before, that it would be far easier to resume where they had left off, and she was disappointed to find otherwise.
“Perhaps I have not made myself clear,” she said, stepping forward until she was within arm’s reach. “You are not going to
make me beg for another kiss, are you?”
“What a strange question. I do not recall you begging for either of the others. I only recall you being utterly impossible
and frustrating me to the extent that I—”
“Would you like me to?” Caroline asked, inching closer, her hand brushing Georgiana’s arm.
Miss Darcy swallowed. “Would I like you to do what?”
“Beg.”
Georgiana looked down at her, her jaw tight. Up close, her dark eyes were a luminous brown, speckled with amber. “You are
straining my self-control again, Caroline.”
“I thought we agreed that you had already given in? You did say last night, did you not, that you tried to resist me and failed.
What, then, is the point of reviving your self-control? Consider it dead and buried where I am concerned.”
“A thing, though buried, may still haunt a person from time to time. And mine is so newly entombed.”
Caroline’s fingers itched to touch Georgiana. Why not? Why should I always wait for her to make the first move? “I do not understand why you fight it so,” she whispered, placing a hand gently on Georgiana’s waist and tugging her closer.
“Could we not simply give in to each other and enjoy whatever happens?”
Georgiana leaned in, then jerked back reflexively. Swift whickered in his stall, watching them with interest, his ears pricked up. “You,” she said breathlessly, “do not know what you ask of me. Such an affair may be easy to begin but difficult to end.”
“Why must there be talk of endings when we have barely begun?”
“Caroline—”
“You will not put me off,” she announced, tiring of all this talk. “I am determined upon this course, if you will join me
on it. So I will ask again, Miss Darcy: Would you like me to beg?”
Georgiana’s expression was not one Caroline had seen before and was far too complicated for her to parse. She waited, heartbeat
thudding, to hear what her fate would be. “You would do that, Miss Bingley?” Georgiana breathed, leaning down until Caroline
could feel warm breath ghosting over her lips. “You would really beg for me? Do you want my kisses so much?”
The answer was obvious and true. “Yes.” Caroline pressed closer, tilting her head up, her fingers tightening on Georgiana’s
waist. “Please, Georgie,” she whispered. “I want you so much, I cannot think of anything else. I—”
Her words were cut off as Georgiana surged forward, kissing her with so much passion that Caroline hit the stall door behind
her with a thump. She kissed back just as fervently, relief flooding her, the heat inside her building.
Georgiana stopped after a few moments, though she did not pull away. Instead, she rested her forehead on Caroline’s, breathing
heavily. “We really ought not to do this,” she said.
“There can be no harm in it,” Caroline assured her. “No one will discover us. It can be our little secret.”
“Are you perfectly sure?” said she, dropping her head to nuzzle Caroline’s neck and planting a series of soft kisses there.
“Quite sure,” Caroline gasped, groaning again when Georgiana’s lips touched a particularly sensitive spot. She grasped at
Georgiana’s shoulders, pulling her closer, eliciting a hum of appreciation.
“Will you grant me a favour, then?” Georgiana did pull back then and unhooked the bridle which was hanging from the wall.
“Ride with me on Swift today.”
“Oh.” Caroline stared up at the enormous horse. “Well, I suppose you were most obliging, and therefore, I ought to oblige
you in return.” She hesitated. “You’re not going to gallop like the devil himself is after you, are you?”
Georgiana grinned. “I swear I will not. And I also promise that I will keep you safe from devils and demons of all varieties
and statuses, should they appear.”
Reluctantly, Caroline acquiesced and allowed Georgiana to help her mount Swift. This was not exactly her idea of a good time,
for sitting astride the stallion made the ground seem uncomfortably far away. Before she could change her mind, Georgiana
slipped into position behind Caroline and reached forward for the reins. Clicking twice, Georgiana twitched the reins and
Swift dutifully obeyed, breaking into a trot. Caroline clung to the saddle, her palms damp, her anxiety only alleviated by
the warm body pressed against her back. However, once Swift had settled into a sedate pace through the woods and Georgiana’s
arms had wrapped tightly around Caroline’s waist, holding her securely, she was prepared to admit that, perhaps, she had overlooked
some of the great benefits of riding.