Page 21 of Wicked Is the Duke
He adjusted himself in the saddle, dropping the reins to give the stallion freedom. "My great-grandfather built the lake for his duchess, my great-grandmother. Since then, it's been a favorite spot of my grandfather and father to take their duchesses. Somewhere private. They each added to what was originally built."
"Such as?"
He graced her with a smile. "You'll see in a few minutes."
She sighed. "If the lake is manmade, where does it get its water?"
"An excellent question. The lake is fed from a stream that runs nearby."
They rode the next couple of minutes in silence. The lake came into view, and Anna gasped. "It's beautiful, Henry."
Before them on the edge of the trees sat a brick cottage with a bank of windows facing the lake. It didn’t look out of place at all. It was perfect.
"My parents and grandparents referred to it as their summer house, though compared to the main house it is a mere cottage."
"A place to get away from all society, even if only for a few hours."
He grinned. "That's right. The cottage is comfortable. My father had it updated before he died."
"I see."
"My mother used it as a place she could come to relax. With all of us in residence, it could be quite noisy."
"I can only imagine. Did you not have nannies and governesses?"
"We did, but with as many of us as there were, we found ways to escape the nursery."
She smiled. "Jane has mentioned you boys were a boisterous bunch."
"Did she? I'll let you in on something, my sisters were not well-behaved young ladies, either. They got into their share of mischief."
He opened the door to the cottage, and she walked into a sun-kissed room. A small kitchen was off to one side, and down a short hall was a bedroom. The walls of windows faced the lake, reminding Anna of a greenhouse.
"It's beautiful."
He nodded. "I've always been partial to it. A great place to come to clear one's head or spend an afternoon reading."
"I can see why."
If she was nervous about being alone with him like this, she didn't let it show. His cock hardened as thoughts he hadn't had before crept into his mind. He saw the basket sitting on the small dining table. "Shall we see what cook sent?"
"Yes."
"Would you care to eat inside, or we could take a blanket and have a picnic near the edge of the lake. I know the perfect spot."
"A picnic would be perfect."
He picked up a blanket which had obviously been sent along with the basket and handed it to Anna. "You carry this, and I'll manage the basket."
When they arrived at the picnic spot and spread out the blanket, she began laying out the food. "Whoever packed this basket thought we'd be here a while." She flashed him a grin. "Do you think they're expecting us back for dinner?
"I can assure you they are."
No sooner had Anna had all the food laid out than the skies opened up. The storm moved in quickly, without warning. Thunder rumbled and lightning lit up the skies. Rain began to pour as though a tap had been opened. Rushing to pack the basket as fast as they could, they ran back to the safety of the small cottage.
Anna stood gazing about the one main room of the cottage, painted white with a wall of windows on the exterior. The French doors overlooked the lake. Henry grabbed wood off the hearth and began to make a fire. He turned to Anna. "There ought to be blankets in the bedroom. You need to get out of your wet clothes. We'll put them in front of the fire to dry."
"What of the horses? You can't leave them tied to a tree in this weather."
