Read Online Naughty in Nottinghamshire 02 - The Rogue Returns by Leigh LaValle - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Leigh LaValle
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her trepidation and become alarmed. A fearful beast of seventeen hands and seventy-two stone was dangerous indeed. This time, Starlight stretched her long neck and sniffed. The horse’s nuzzle grazed Helen’s palm and she held back a scream.
Starlight pulled her head back and just looked at her.
Helen staggered back on limp legs and leaned against a tree.
That was enough, right? A good start?
She wanted to say yes. How she wanted to never approach another horse for the rest of her life.
But it wasn’t enough. Not nearly.
She was to ride out at any moment, and Roane could never know that his unwanted companion was deathly afraid of horses.
“Are you ready, then?” Roane led Zeus into the clearing. The two horses nickered at each other. “I’ll help you up.”
Helen swallowed. “Ready.”
Roane left Zeus a few paces away and approached her. She tried to look unconcerned, when truly her knees threatened to buckle. She locked them and forced a serene expression on her face.
“How shall we do this?” she asked. “I fear my skirts shall get in the way.”
“There’s nothing to it, just hop on up.” Roane looped his fingers together. “Step a foot here. I promise not to peek up your skirts.”
That was the least of her worries. Calling on every ounce of stubborn pride she had, Helen grabbed hold of the saddle and put her foot in Roane’s palms.
“Take heed you do not whack the horse with your pouch thing. I’m sure she would not appreciate it.” With that, Roane nearly launched her atop Starlight. With a dramatic billowing of skirts, Helen threw her leg over the horse’s back and landed in the saddle. Everything was a blur and a buzz inside her head.
The mare shifted two steps sideways, and Helen was certain she would plummet to her death.
Slowly, the world returned to normal, and she could make sense of her place in it.
The horse was huge! Helen ground her teeth together so they wouldn’t chatter and for the thousandth time cursed her brothers for their foolishness. Never again, she promised herself. She was done. She was not going to step in and tame their chaos anymore.
And this time, she really, really meant it.
Barely moving at all, she arranged the strap of her reticule, then tucked her petticoats around her legs like makeshift breeches. The skirts of her dress were wide, and comfortably spanned the back of the horse. Still, her legs were exposed at the tops of her boots. It pained her, but vanity had no place when gold was to be had.
“Ready?” A line marked Roane’s brow. He looked doubtful.
“Ready.” She hoped she looked calmer than she felt. For, truly, she felt anything but calm.
He eyed the tasseled silk reticule dangling from her wrist. “I can pack that little sac for you in my saddlebag.”
“No, thank you. I will keep it on me.”
“It will be in the way of the horse.”
“A lady travels with a reticule.” She sounded admirably haughty. He would never know how scared she felt. How out of her element.
Oh, how he would scoff to know she clung to this bit of silk and beading for courage.
Roane hopped atop his mount and, with a few murmured words, led Zeus out of the trees. Starlight stepped forward and the whole world tilted on its axis.
Helen didn’t look back, just let the mare pick her way through the trees to the meadow beyond. The horse naturally slipped into a slow trot and Helen forced herself not to close her eyes in panic.
I shall survive, she told herself, as long as I just hold on and don’t fall off.
***
S HE WAS TERRIFIED OF HORSES.
Roane watched Helen, stiff and awkward in the saddle, and tried not to wince. With her death grip on the reins, her skirts hiked up to her knees, and her ridiculous bag banging against the mare’s neck, she was a sight to behold. A sorry sight, slim calves and golden braid not withstanding.
He shook his head, sorry for the mare. Sorry for every horse lover that had ever lived. And sorry for himself—Lady Helen
Starlight pulled her head back and just looked at her.
Helen staggered back on limp legs and leaned against a tree.
That was enough, right? A good start?
She wanted to say yes. How she wanted to never approach another horse for the rest of her life.
But it wasn’t enough. Not nearly.
She was to ride out at any moment, and Roane could never know that his unwanted companion was deathly afraid of horses.
“Are you ready, then?” Roane led Zeus into the clearing. The two horses nickered at each other. “I’ll help you up.”
Helen swallowed. “Ready.”
Roane left Zeus a few paces away and approached her. She tried to look unconcerned, when truly her knees threatened to buckle. She locked them and forced a serene expression on her face.
“How shall we do this?” she asked. “I fear my skirts shall get in the way.”
“There’s nothing to it, just hop on up.” Roane looped his fingers together. “Step a foot here. I promise not to peek up your skirts.”
That was the least of her worries. Calling on every ounce of stubborn pride she had, Helen grabbed hold of the saddle and put her foot in Roane’s palms.
“Take heed you do not whack the horse with your pouch thing. I’m sure she would not appreciate it.” With that, Roane nearly launched her atop Starlight. With a dramatic billowing of skirts, Helen threw her leg over the horse’s back and landed in the saddle. Everything was a blur and a buzz inside her head.
The mare shifted two steps sideways, and Helen was certain she would plummet to her death.
Slowly, the world returned to normal, and she could make sense of her place in it.
The horse was huge! Helen ground her teeth together so they wouldn’t chatter and for the thousandth time cursed her brothers for their foolishness. Never again, she promised herself. She was done. She was not going to step in and tame their chaos anymore.
And this time, she really, really meant it.
Barely moving at all, she arranged the strap of her reticule, then tucked her petticoats around her legs like makeshift breeches. The skirts of her dress were wide, and comfortably spanned the back of the horse. Still, her legs were exposed at the tops of her boots. It pained her, but vanity had no place when gold was to be had.
“Ready?” A line marked Roane’s brow. He looked doubtful.
“Ready.” She hoped she looked calmer than she felt. For, truly, she felt anything but calm.
He eyed the tasseled silk reticule dangling from her wrist. “I can pack that little sac for you in my saddlebag.”
“No, thank you. I will keep it on me.”
“It will be in the way of the horse.”
“A lady travels with a reticule.” She sounded admirably haughty. He would never know how scared she felt. How out of her element.
Oh, how he would scoff to know she clung to this bit of silk and beading for courage.
Roane hopped atop his mount and, with a few murmured words, led Zeus out of the trees. Starlight stepped forward and the whole world tilted on its axis.
Helen didn’t look back, just let the mare pick her way through the trees to the meadow beyond. The horse naturally slipped into a slow trot and Helen forced herself not to close her eyes in panic.
I shall survive, she told herself, as long as I just hold on and don’t fall off.
***
S HE WAS TERRIFIED OF HORSES.
Roane watched Helen, stiff and awkward in the saddle, and tried not to wince. With her death grip on the reins, her skirts hiked up to her knees, and her ridiculous bag banging against the mare’s neck, she was a sight to behold. A sorry sight, slim calves and golden braid not withstanding.
He shook his head, sorry for the mare. Sorry for every horse lover that had ever lived. And sorry for himself—Lady Helen
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