Chapter 17
Chapter Seventeen
Daisy was surprised at how well she slept, considering the events of the evening before. She had staggered off to bed, devastated by Edmund’s abrupt dismissal of her and everything they’d shared. But in the cold light of day, she could understand his sentiment.
The entire situation was a monumental mistake.
She went downstairs to breakfast and found Lady Archworth seated at the dining table. The matriarch’s face lit up, and she gestured for Daisy to take a seat next to her.
“How has the weekend been for you?” she asked. “You won yet another challenge. How do you feel?”
Daisy gave her a strained smile. “Relieved? Happy?”
“You’re not sure?” Lady Archworth inquired.
Daisy couldn’t exactly explain that her body still trembled from Edmund’s touch, that she could feel him like a brand on her skin.
That she’d slept like a baby, but her dreams were plagued by him—amorphous scenes where he chased her, and she ran.
She was barely moving, but he stayed just out of reach.
Meanwhile, somewhere close by, Lord Dulforth cackled with demonic laughter.
I might be losing my mind.
Instead of trying to explain all that, she just shook her head. “No, it’s just that there are so many emotions churning through me, I hardly know which is which.”
“Ah, young love.” Lady Archworth put a hand to her chest, smiling. “It can be very confusing.”
Daisy could only blink a few times, unsure of what she ought to say next.
“It’s a pity we’re all returning to London today. I can hardly wait for the next challenge. I feel sure you and my nephew will excel at it.”
Daisy swallowed hard, glad to know they were leaving but not wanting to say any more about Lady Archworth’s nephew.
After breakfast was done, the carriages arrived, ready to return everyone to town.
Daisy went in search of Lydia so they could ride together, relieved to have some time away before she had to see Edmund again.
They gathered at the races a week later. The tension between her and Edmund did not help one bit. She’d thought that it would lessen, even dissipate after a week, but if anything, it grew stronger.
She was at a loss as to how to proceed. She caught sight of Baron Dulforth, walking slowly towards the horses, and frowned. She’d managed to avoid speaking with him in the last week and a half and was profoundly grateful for that reprieve.
As if he could sense her attention on him, he turned and looked straight at her. She did her best not to quail like a frightened rabbit by pushing her shoulders back and standing her ground. If he knew she was afraid of him, he would never leave her alone.
Before Lord Dulforth could march in her direction or even send another challenging glare in her way, Lady Archworth called for their attention by clapping her hands.
“Ladies and gentlemen, the next task should be easy for you equestrians. It simply involves being able to sit on a horse, with grace, and lead it around the stable in a series of maneuvers that will show your capability and elegance.” She paused, grinning.
“By the end of the exercise, your companion should regard you with increased admiration. The spectators will vote for who has completed the assignment with the most panache. Good luck to all!”
Soon, a groom arrived to help Daisy lead the horse to the racecourse. She looked down at her riding habit, wanting to make sure she had everything she needed. Once they arrived at the starting line, the groom helped her onto the horse and then stepped away.
Her fellow contestants also got comfortable on their horses. Lady Archworth blew a whistle, and it was time to show off.
Daisy rode sidesaddle, much like the other young women. She held her back straight and stiff as she led the horse forward to the first hurdle. It was a ditch, and the challenge was to step daintily around it without getting covered in any mud.
She worked her reins so that her horse pranced onto the strategically placed stones and got to the other side with no mud touching either of them.
“Well done.”
She turned to see that Edmund was following along on the side of the track. She looked away quickly.
I’ve no desire to see him…
But then, she peeked in his direction, for Daisy could not fool herself. The Duke nodded encouragingly at her, and her heart broke when she glimpsed the smile on his face.
Daisy harumphed loudly, then turned in her saddle so she could ignore her partner entirely.
The next hurdle was a bump in the road, which the horse was meant to jump over ideally without unseating her. Daisy wasn’t worried. She’d done just such a maneuver plenty of times.
She held onto the reins and tensed, ready for the jump, but then she felt something beneath her shift and the next thing she knew, the horse was jumping, and she was falling.
She managed to roll away in time to escape getting trampled by the horse’s hooves, but she knew it had been close by the screams from the crowd.
Then Edmund was sliding to a stop beside her, managing to do what she’d been avoiding before and splatter her with mud.
“Daisy! Are you all right?” he asked frantically, feeling her body for breaks.
“I’m…fine. Just a bit shocked is all.”
“Can you stand?”
She thought about it for a moment before nodding. “Yes, I think so.”
He helped her to her feet, keeping an arm around her waist as he led her off the track. “We’ll forfeit the round if I don’t finish.”
“Forget the game, Daisy. If you’re hurt, it doesn’t matter.” She could not help feeling a bit gratified by his concern.
He led her off the track towards a bale of hay and sat her down on it. She was glad to see that this secluded spot was away from the main crowd. Her fall had been embarrassing, and she did not wish to share her humiliation with anyone other than Edmund.
“I saw that buffoon Dulforth leaving the stables and marching in your direction before the competition. I should’ve taken his appearance as an ill omen and been on the alert,” Edmund said as he examined her leg for any swelling.
His hands were on her calf, and her ankles were showing.
She was doubly glad there was nobody else around to see. “I think he must have cut your saddle.”
“There’s no way to prove that definitively,” she said quietly.
“I know.” He looked up at her, his jaw tense, his fists clenching so tightly the knuckles turned white. “He cannot get away with this. He must pay—”
Daisy’s heart sank. She knew if Edmund retaliated in any way, Dulforth would carry out his threat to report her father’s misdeeds to the town gossips. “Please don’t. It’s not necessary. No harm’s been done.”
“Daisy, he tried to hurt you—”
She shook her head. “Please. I don’t want any trouble. I am fine now. I’d truly rather we just let it go.”
She leaned forward an inch, and he lifted his head until their lips were just a breath away from each other. She stared into his eyes, and he stared back.
His lips parted, and she felt his warm breath on her skin. He mouthed her name, and she almost whimpered in response.
There was a shuffling sound close by, and they both pulled back, Daisy’s cheeks heating in further mortification.
“I’m sorry,” they both murmured at the same time.
Edmund drove his aunt home after the races. She’d been informed of the possible sabotage of Daisy’s saddle and had seen fit to cancel the challenge, telling all participants that any attempts at cheating would result in disqualification.
There was some disgruntlement from a handful of players and claims of favoritism. Lady Archworth had declared that, as it was not fair to the other players to simply disqualify them all from the challenge, each team would receive a single point for the day.
Edmund was fine with the compromise, but Daisy left early. Miss Kerwood informed them that Daisy felt guilty about causing so much commotion, and she needed to leave.
Since that moment, Edmund had done nothing but think of Lady Daisy. He wished, most ardently, that she had told him how she felt and allowed him to take her home in his carriage.
If I knew she was safe, I might feel better.
Lady Archworth turned to him as they rode, a smile on her face. “You know, in spite of today’s debacle, I am quite happy with how the games are proceeding. You and Lady Daisy make a wonderful team.”
A twinge of guilt twisted Edmund’s stomach. “Aunt, I don’t think we should be discussing the games. There is enough talk of favoritism.”
She laughed. “In any case, all I wanted to say is that I am happy for you. It has been… I cannot even remember how long it’s been since you’ve been this light and carefree.”
Edmund turned to face her with a cocked eyebrow. “Light? Carefree? I would use neither of those terms to describe my current state.”
“You don’t see it, but I do,” Lady Archworth said with an enigmatic smile.
Edmund just sighed. This situation was getting more and more complicated by the day.