Page 27 of A Perfect Engagement
“No. Even if they do, you’re my fiancée. They will just correctly assume I want you all to myself.”
“But you’re not my fiancé.”
“I am for another couple of days anyway.” He reached into his pocket and pulled out his brother’s letter, handing it to her. Charlotte scanned the brief missive with a frown. She exhaled an angry little humph. Then she silently handed the letter back to him and met his gaze for the first time.
“My choice?”
“Absolutely.”
“Then let’s ride into town and go to the bookshop. You can meet crabby old Mr. Buxley.”
Their plan worked out beautifully. They simply kept to the rear of the large hunting party until the dogs had scented the prey, and everyone else took off after the hounds. Charlotte waved him to follow her, and they cut across a grassy field in the opposite direction. Charlotte was indeed an excellent horsewoman. She rode her bay with grace and confidence. The gelding had to be at least fifteen hands tall. This was no prancing lady’s mount.
She appeared to have her horse well in hand as they jumped gracefully over a downed tree trunk. Then with a cry of distress, Charlotte slid sideways. Her hands grasped tightly to the reins as she hung on for dear life. Her horse pulled to an abrupt stop. She let go of the reins, and Charlotte dropped to the ground in an ungraceful heap, her white petticoats on display as her foot dangled from the stirrup. Daniel swung his leg and dismounted Hercules. He raced over to Charlotte.
“Are you hurt?”
“Just my pride.” She looked up at him with a pained expression. “Can you help get my boot from the stirrup; my ankle is being twisted unnaturally.”
Daniel gently loosed her foot from the stirrup. Then he reached down to help her stand.
Charlotte brushed her hands over the skirts of her riding habit to dislodge leaves and dirt. “I haven’t fallen off a horse in years. The saddle just slid to the right all of a sudden.” She stepped over to her horse to inspect the saddle. Daniel walked around to the other side. Indeed, the buckle was set far too loose.
“Did you check the saddle before we mounted?” he asked.
Charlotte shook her head. “I trust my stable hands to check everything. I’ve never had an issue before. Perhaps they were distracted because of the volume of people in the yard this morning?”
Daniel frowned. “There is no excuse. You could have been harmed much worse because of their negligence. You will need to speak to your father.”
Charlotte righted the saddle then adjusted the straps with expert efficiency. She patted her horse’s neck. “There, girl, now we are set to rights.” She turned to Daniel, her expression nonplussed. “I will speak to the stable master. I should have checked everything myself, so it is partially my fault. I’m glad it was only you who saw me fall. Can you imagine if it had happened in front of the whole hunting party?”
Daniel helped her mount her horse. “You’re sure you are all right? Your ankle is not bothering you?” He reached out to check if it was swollen, but Charlotte swept her skirts into place.
“No, it doesn’t hurt at all.” She blushed.
They continued through the forest at a more sedate pace, the quiet of the place only marred by the occasional bird call. He appreciated that Charlotte didn’t feel the need to fill the silence with conversation. As they exited the trees onto a dirt-packed road, Daniel guided Hercules alongside Charlotte’s horse. She glanced over at him, her face flush with excitement.
“We made it! I don’t think anyone even noticed we snuck off.” Charlotte’s smile widened.
“See, a little rebellion feels good, right? I know. Let’s do things all morning which neither of us has ever done before.”
“There are scads of things I have never been allowed to do. We would need days to accomplish half of them.”
“I have never been into Little Marbury before, so that’s one for me already,” he said.
As they walked their horses, the sun peeked out from behind windblown clouds and kept the morning air from feeling too chilly. Charlotte appeared to be mulling over his suggestion. He caught her glancing at him. Her mouth opened then shut, as though she wanted to say something but then changed her mind.
“Out with it. What is it you would like to do first?”
“Well…this bit of road which leads to the village is quite flat and straight… It’s perfect for racing.” She bit her lip as she gauged his reaction. “My brothers never let me race with them. Said they would get into trouble with Mother.”
Daniel studied the long stretch of dirt road in front of them, assessing the conditions. It looked free from obstructions, and there were certainly no other travelers out this morning. He nodded.
“All right, a race it is. Where will the finish line be?”
“There is an ancient elm tree about a quarter mile down. Its branches curve over the road, you can’t miss it.”
“Shall I give you a head start—?” he began, but the look of affront on her face stopped him midsentence. “Never mind.”
