Page 71 of Wedded to the Ruthless Duke

“Horace?” Philip called, needing to speak with him.

The butler bowed and sent the footmen on. When he stood straight, Philip caught that look of fear and understood. Horace had not wanted to bring that scandal sheet to Philip’s attention, fearing what would entail in his mood.

“Would you do me a favor?” Philip asked.

“Of course, your Grace.”

“Any further scandal sheets that mention my wife, would you put them in my chamber please? I don’t want her to stumble upon them and be upset.”

Something in his words seemed to soothe the butler, for he smiled.

“Yes, of course.”

“Thank you, Horace.” With these words, Philip turned away and hastened to find his riding jacket. He caught sight of Grace again through the doorway of the dining room, who was now slowly sipping her tea and staring into the distance.

Philip felt a longing to know what she was thinking about so avidly.

* * *

“Race? You wanted to race me?” Philip asked with a deep laugh.

Grace smiled at the sound. She was discovering there was something unique about Philip when astride a horse. He was not as stiff as when he walked, nor as proper and refined. He’d shed his jacket, now that the morning dew had heated up into a pleasant day. With his shirt sleeves rolled up to his elbows, he was quite the informal picture.

This new Philip was easier to talk to, even easier to provoke and tease.

“And you think you could beat me, do you?” Philip asked, tauntingly, as they trotted alongside each other on their horses.

They had already explored the lower grounds together, and Philip was now steering their path toward the trees in the parkland. Here, it felt like they were a world away from London, rather than just on the very edge of it.

“Oh, I don’t doubt it,” Grace said with a delighted smile. She had threaded some of the cow parsley and rosemary flowers they’d found on their ride through the bridle of the horse. This scent wafted up to greet her as she teasingly steered her horse a few steps in front of Philip’s. “Yet if you are so confident that you will lose and you wish to maintain your dignity in not losing to your wife…”

She trailed off, looking back at Philip with a taunt in her tone. He was smiling too now.

Something had changed in this last hour of exploring the estate together. There was an ease in one another’s company that had only been there before when they were making love.

“On the count of three?” he said, moving his horse to stand alongside her own. “First one to the top of the hill wins. One…”

“Two…” Yet she hadn’t even got to three before his horse leapt forward. “Oh, you cheat!” she called after him, flicking the reins and racing after him. She could hear his rumbling deep laugh sounding from far ahead of her.

She wondered how she had gone so long without hearing him laugh in such a way. When in her bluestocking group with Eleanor and her friends, not once did she hear his laugh echoing from another room in the house. He was always quiet, always reserved, never this… free.

She flicked the reins harder as they reached the hill and began to climb. Her horse, stronger, lither, and also carrying the lighter load, managed not only to catch up to his but also to streak out in front of his. She looked back at him victoriously then concentrated on her path ahead, streaking through the trees as quickly as she could, jumping tree roots and fallen logs.

When she appeared on the crest of the hill, she slowed her hose, ambling the mare around in a circle to face Philip as he appeared through the trees.

“You cheated,” she accused him with a mocking glare.

“You still won.” He smiled. “I had to try something to win.” He trotted the horse near to hers. “Picnic?”

Grace nodded and slid off her horse. The two of them moved around one another, setting up their picnic with ease, and leaving the horses to graze on the grass at the top of the hill. With an extensive view of not only the house and estate but London too before them, they sat together, eating their lunch.

“Well? What do you think?” he said, nodding at the horizon.

She saw an opportunity to tease him more as he leaned on his elbow on the ground and tore up a pork pie, handing her half to eat.

“I think that you and I are able to enjoy one another’s company without rules between us.” Her challenge made him look at her, offering the smallest of smile though he said nothing on this subject.

He still intends to keep to some rules, doesn’t he? He still wants to part from me after a month.

---