Page 42 of His Dark Heart
She went below stairs, her costume causing her to have a sense of appearing slightly ridiculous. Why had she insisted on the breeches to begin with? Mrs. Reynolds was by the door with her fur-lined cape and yet another gift from Darcy: black riding boots that travelled up her leg almost to her knee. Quickly, she exchanged her footwear and quit the house, amid Mrs. Reynolds' protests.
Darcy was already in the courtyard with Finn and Jane and a few members of his guard. Jane was in conversation with her husband, and she wore a frown. When she saw Elizabeth, her frown became heavier.
“Pray tell me you are not going to do this.”
“I must. I shall be fine, Jane. Ye have taught me well.”
“Apparently not well enough to avoid trouble in the first place.”
“Lord Darcy will be there. He would let naught happen to me.”
Jane shook her head, and Finn drew her into his arms to comfort her. Darcy pulled Thora over and assisted Elizabeth into the saddle. It took her a few moments to become accustomed to the feel of sitting on a horse and how high up she was. She swallowed her fear to the best of her ability, and, to Thora's credit, the horse did not act on Elizabeth's unease. Darcy squeezed her knee to reassure her and hoisted himself onto Caddock.
Elizabeth waved to Jane and Finn, who as Darcy's second, was in charge while he was gone. She swallowed her fear, pulled Thora's reins, and followed her husband and his men.
With Darcy and the four other men surrounding her, Elizabeth entertained herself by watching the countryside pass to remain distracted from the fact that she was on a horse. Thora's gait was as smooth as it could be, but almost three hours into the ride, Elizabeth was sore and cursing herself for her determined behaviour earlier. Darcy, though, was ahead of her and rode with strength and confidence, and she envied him more than a little.
After a while, he fell back, allowing one of the men take the point position so he could ride alongside her. She tried to smile when Thora decided to trot a bit faster, but she bit her tongue.
“Ow!”
“Halt!” he called out, pulling Caddock alongside Elizabeth's mount. “What happened?”
“I bith my towng,” Elizabeth replied carefully, flinching again when her injured tongue tapped a tooth.
“Do you need a break?”
Grateful, she nodded and let him help her down once he dismounted. Legs stiff and unsteady, she nearly tumbled, but Darcy caught her. He lifted her up, carried her to a boulder, and sat her down, then rubbed her thighs and calves.
“Thy men are going to think me a weakling.”
“My men think you are the most insane, brave woman they have ever met. There have been no other women who have had the audacity to ride out with us.”
“The insane part I agree with. What woman in her right mind gets on an animal she is petrified of and rides for hours to make a point?”
“You are frightened of Thora?”
“Well, yes, but it is better now than when ye first pushed me up on her. I was thrown when I was younger and have not ridden since. I was hurt badly. Papa told me I was close to death at one point.”
* * *
He pushed a stray lock of hair from her face. How could he have been so stupid as to not ask why she was not a horsewoman?
“Do not look like that. It was time for me to put aside childish fears and learn to ride properly. I am married to a horseman, am I not? It would be silly of me to allow my fears to better me, do ye not think?”
“Still, I should have known that.”
“Ye could not have known. Ye were not aware that ye needed to ask. Remember, my lord, we are virtual strangers to each other.”
“I know.”
She gripped his hands and held fast. “Let me make a vow to ye that I did not make yesterday. I am an open book, sir. If ye need know anything of me, pray ask. All I require in return is the same courtesy.”
He had so much to hide from her, but he made the vow regardless, and all the while, he was hoping against hope that her questions about his involvement in George's downfall would never come to pass. With as warm a smile he could muster, he offered her a hand. His wife took it, and they returned to the horses. Once they had mounted, they exchanged a careful, respectful look, then continued their trip, arriving at their destination another hour later.
“High Lord Darcy, how glad I am you could make such a journey. I apologize for not attending your wedding, but you must be well aware of the circumstances that kept me at this point.”
Darcy huffed. He was tired from the journey and tired of this bickering. All he wanted was to be alone with his new wife. “Foster, I have not the time for your incessant grovelling. Where is Hargrove?”
