Page 28 of A Perfect Engagement
They lined up their horses next to each other. Charlotte reached forward to pat her gelding’s neck and murmur encouragement. Then she readied her riding crop, grasped the reins tightly, her eyes focused on the road ahead. Hercules sensed games were afoot, because he pawed the ground impatiently as Daniel held him firmly in check.
“On three. One, two…three!” he shouted.
Despite Charlotte’s obvious disapproval of his idea of giving her a head start, Daniel held Hercules back some in the first stretch. At almost seventeen hands, Hercules’s long legs could easily overtake almost any opponent. Daniel wanted Charlotte to have fun in her very first horse race. He kept steady to her horse’s right flank. Then to his surprise, she began to pull ahead. She let out a loud whoop of joy, making him laugh outright. So the girl had some spirit in her after all. He spotted the great old tree ahead, and he let Hercules have his head. They caught up to Charlotte easily but only beat her horse by a head as they crossed under the leafy finish line.
As they slowed the horses to a canter, Daniel looked over to find Charlotte smiling from ear to ear.
“That was so much fun!” she exclaimed. “Now I understand why Susanna lost her head in London.”
“What happened in London?” he asked.
“My friend Susanna is an excellent horsewoman. Actually, she is rather horse-mad. Anyway, we were riding in the park next to Rotten Row, and an impromptu race was about to begin. She and her horse joined in at the whistle to everyone’s shock. She beat them all too. The whole thing landed her in enormous trouble with her parents, as you might imagine. She has been banished to the house here in the country until next season. My party is the first social event she has been allowed to go to in months.”
“That’s quite a story. I spoke with her last night about horses. Your brother mentioned she was knowledgeable about breeding them. When I am back to being myself, I will have to ask her opinion on some mares I plan to purchase to breed with Hercules.”
“Oh, she’ll talk your ear off if you let her. The two of you will get along famously.” Charlotte frowned a bit at the last comment. He wondered what changed her mood. But her expression cleared quickly. “Here is Little Marbury.” She gestured widely at a group of neat little houses that cropped up on each side of the street.
He found the village to be not as small as the name would suggest. The main street they rode in on was bisected by three smaller streets. And in the middle of town was a large green. It held a fountain surrounded by a half-dozen benches.
“Is there a Big Marbury?” he asked.
“Not that I know of.” Charlotte shrugged. “Perhaps the town used to be smaller, hence the name? We can stable the horses at the inn. Gregory Martin will get them water and fresh hay to nibble on.”
Once they had the horses unsaddled and properly seen to at the stables, Daniel took Charlotte’s arm, and they strolled down a tree-lined street back to the middle of town. The street was a mixture of homes and storefronts. They passed a bakery, a haberdashery, and the butcher shop.
“So you’ve never been to town in the six months you’ve lived here? How far are we from your estate?”
“My estate is a good hour directly east of here. If you follow the main road out of town, you will pass right by the front gates to the estate. They are unique, to say the least. The wrought iron gates are set between two brick towers fashioned to look like chess rooks. Atop of each rook is a great black raven with wings outstretched as though they will peck your eyes out for daring to trespass.”
“Truly?” Charlotte’s nose wrinkled in dislike.
“Unfortunately, yes. My father had a strange sense of humor. I do remember he and my mother loved to play chess, but I never got the chance to ask him what the birds were supposed to symbolize. I am definitely thinking of at least getting rid of the ravens. They are hardly welcoming. Anyway, I have not had a reason to come into Little Marbury. I mostly have had servants run errands for things we’ve needed.”
Charlotte gave him a confused glance, and he winced at his mistake. His hope she wouldn’t ask him was in vain as her next question was, “We? Do you have relatives who live with you?”
“At times,” he answered non-committedly. “So where to first? Still the bookshop?”
She brightened. “Yes, it’s just down here. It’s my favorite place in town.”
The bookshop was a narrow building and the inside a cramped, stuffy affair. Daniel followed Charlotte into the dim little shop skeptically. She greeted an older gentleman sitting behind an oak desk with enthusiasm not returned.
“Good day, Mr. Buxley, may I introduce you to my fiancé Lord Hawksridge? I am showing him around our fair town today.”
Mr. Buxley stood up with haste and gave a short bow. Daniel inclined his head at the man.
“It’s good to make your acquaintance, sir. I have heard great things about your shop from Miss Grisham,” he said politely.
“Thank you, sir. Please look around.” The wiry old man gestured widely as though the store was far more expansive than it appeared.
Charlotte took his arm and led Daniel to the back of the shop where an entire wall was covered in bookshelves. A narrow spiral staircase disappeared into an opening in the ceiling. He wondered if it was for extra storage as he stared up through the hole. Charlotte tugged on his sleeve.
“I have never encountered the man to be so polite and solicitous,” she spoke softly. “Egad, you must be the most important titled person who has ever graced his shop.” She snorted, putting a hand in front of her mouth to stifle the sound.
“The most important faux-titled person you mean.”
“Nonsense, you still hold the courtesy title as your brother’s heir. You are the Earl of Dunlop are you not?”
“Yes, but I never use it. It’s simply a technicality. Besides, when you and Miles have a proper heir, then I’ll be back to plain old Lord Weston.” He rolled his eyes and sighed dramatically. “Hardly a title at all.”
