Read Online A Country Mouse by Fenella Miller - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Fenella Miller
Tags: Regency Romance Novella
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'I would love to, thank you, Cousin Sebastian. And I can assure you I might be impulsive but I'm not stupid. I have no intention of setting tongues wagging a second time.'
'I am glad to hear it.' He offered her his arm and she felt it would be uncivil to refuse. The moment her hand rested on the rough fabric of his riding jacket she knew it to have been a mistake. She felt his muscles bunch beneath her light hold and believed that his reaction demonstrated his antipathy to her touch. She could not have been more wrong.
The progress had been noted by an observant stable boy and Sultan, and a spirited grey mare, were saddled and waiting when they arrived in the yard. Emily looked around with approval. The well-swept cobbles, freshly painted boxes and the glossy, enquiring heads hanging over half doors, told her that this was a well-kept stable yard.
Then she saw the horses, standing ready and her smile, for the first time that morning, became genuine. Without pausing she stepped up to the huge chestnut stallion and rubbed his nose. He lowered his head to allow her to pull his ears.
'Good morning, you handsome fellow. How are you today?' The animal whickered and lipped her face with his whiskered mouth. 'Silly thing; you're too big for kisses.' As she stepped away she became aware that she was, once more, the centre of a circle of interested spectators. Her eyes met Sebastian's, they were not censorious, but amused. 'I'm sorry; but I could not resist greeting him.'
Grinning he leant down and with a pocket handkerchief wiped away the trail of slobber his horse had left on her forehead. 'There is no need to apologise; Sultan is sorely in need of friends. He is cordially disliked by all the grooms and lads who attend to him. For some strange reason he has fallen under your spell, Cousin.'
'You are bamming me? Sultan is not wild, he's a gentle giant.'
'I think his stable lad would dispute that, my dear.' He smiled; his eyes alight with laughter, making him suddenly look approachable and less severe. 'Do you like Polly, your mount? She is a fast ride but I am certain that you will have no difficulty handling her, even riding side-saddle.'
Emily turned her attention to the mare, who was more interested in flirting with the stallion. 'I love her. If I can not have Sultan for my own, I shall happily settle for Polly.'
The head groom threw her up into the saddle and she hooked one leg round the raised pommel. The other groom fitted her neatly booted foot into the single stirrup.
Sebastian vaulted into his saddle unaided and gathered up his reins. 'I thought we would take the route through Home Woods, there are hedges, logs and ditches to jump, and then come back across the park.'
'That sounds perfect. It's so long since I've been able to ride and I have missed it dreadfully.'
They clattered out of the yard in easy conversation. He had quite forgotten his vow to alienate his future wife by his obnoxious behaviour. She had quite forgotten that she disliked him. The dreaded appointment in the library was temporarily pushed aside by the exhilaration of the ride.
They arrived back two hours later, hot and mud-spattered, having spent the entire time without speaking a cross word. They parted, amicably, and when they returned to their apartments to change their garments neither of them gave a thought to what faced them in the library.
* * * *
Sebastian dressed in a coat from Westons, cut square at the front as the newest fashion dictated. It took his man, Morrison, twenty minutes to ease him into this and his skin tight inexpressibles and highly polished Hessians. He tied his own neck cloth in an intricate arrangement he had devised for himself. Satisfied, he strode from his chamber, his jaw clenched and his expression grim.
He was faced with the prospect of spending the rest of his life in the company of someone he scarcely knew. It was a recipe for disaster. Then his expression relaxed a little as he recalled the pleasant two
'I am glad to hear it.' He offered her his arm and she felt it would be uncivil to refuse. The moment her hand rested on the rough fabric of his riding jacket she knew it to have been a mistake. She felt his muscles bunch beneath her light hold and believed that his reaction demonstrated his antipathy to her touch. She could not have been more wrong.
The progress had been noted by an observant stable boy and Sultan, and a spirited grey mare, were saddled and waiting when they arrived in the yard. Emily looked around with approval. The well-swept cobbles, freshly painted boxes and the glossy, enquiring heads hanging over half doors, told her that this was a well-kept stable yard.
Then she saw the horses, standing ready and her smile, for the first time that morning, became genuine. Without pausing she stepped up to the huge chestnut stallion and rubbed his nose. He lowered his head to allow her to pull his ears.
'Good morning, you handsome fellow. How are you today?' The animal whickered and lipped her face with his whiskered mouth. 'Silly thing; you're too big for kisses.' As she stepped away she became aware that she was, once more, the centre of a circle of interested spectators. Her eyes met Sebastian's, they were not censorious, but amused. 'I'm sorry; but I could not resist greeting him.'
Grinning he leant down and with a pocket handkerchief wiped away the trail of slobber his horse had left on her forehead. 'There is no need to apologise; Sultan is sorely in need of friends. He is cordially disliked by all the grooms and lads who attend to him. For some strange reason he has fallen under your spell, Cousin.'
'You are bamming me? Sultan is not wild, he's a gentle giant.'
'I think his stable lad would dispute that, my dear.' He smiled; his eyes alight with laughter, making him suddenly look approachable and less severe. 'Do you like Polly, your mount? She is a fast ride but I am certain that you will have no difficulty handling her, even riding side-saddle.'
Emily turned her attention to the mare, who was more interested in flirting with the stallion. 'I love her. If I can not have Sultan for my own, I shall happily settle for Polly.'
The head groom threw her up into the saddle and she hooked one leg round the raised pommel. The other groom fitted her neatly booted foot into the single stirrup.
Sebastian vaulted into his saddle unaided and gathered up his reins. 'I thought we would take the route through Home Woods, there are hedges, logs and ditches to jump, and then come back across the park.'
'That sounds perfect. It's so long since I've been able to ride and I have missed it dreadfully.'
They clattered out of the yard in easy conversation. He had quite forgotten his vow to alienate his future wife by his obnoxious behaviour. She had quite forgotten that she disliked him. The dreaded appointment in the library was temporarily pushed aside by the exhilaration of the ride.
They arrived back two hours later, hot and mud-spattered, having spent the entire time without speaking a cross word. They parted, amicably, and when they returned to their apartments to change their garments neither of them gave a thought to what faced them in the library.
* * * *
Sebastian dressed in a coat from Westons, cut square at the front as the newest fashion dictated. It took his man, Morrison, twenty minutes to ease him into this and his skin tight inexpressibles and highly polished Hessians. He tied his own neck cloth in an intricate arrangement he had devised for himself. Satisfied, he strode from his chamber, his jaw clenched and his expression grim.
He was faced with the prospect of spending the rest of his life in the company of someone he scarcely knew. It was a recipe for disaster. Then his expression relaxed a little as he recalled the pleasant two
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