Page 13 of Rakes & Reticules
“I do,” Athena answered. “They are too constricting to ride in.” Isla had chastised her for removing them, but her older sister didn’t understand. Athena liked to breathe while she was racing through the fields. The last thing she needed was to faint while her horse galloped along. She’d be dead for sure once she fell off and broke her neck.
Her maid loosened the laces on her corset. Athena sighed as she pulled it off and set it on her bed. It was always a relief when she was able to remove her corset. She went over to her armoire and found her riding clothes, then quickly dressed. She sat on her bed and pulled on her riding boots. Another item that was usually reserved for me and she’d had made specially for her. Luckily, some of the shops in town didn’t want to offend her father and had reluctantly agreed to make the items for her. Though the bootmaker was easier than the tailor to convince. They were not as good as Hessians, but she didn’t care. They were not something she wore out in society. All Athena needed was something comfortable and durable.
“I don’t know how long I’ll be,” she told her maid. “I’ll ring for you when I’m back in my chamber if I need your assistance.”
“Very well, my lady,” she replied, then curtsied. “I’ll unpack your trunks and have everything organized for you.”
“Thank you,” Athena replied. She smiled. “It’s so good to be home.”
That smile remained on her face all the way to the stables until she reached Hades’ stall. Her horse made a loud whinny when she stroked his mane. “Did you miss me” She held out some sugar cubes for him and he licked them off her hand. “I definitely missed you. Let’s go for a ride.”
Athena gestured toward Tommy to help her. She prepared Hades herself as much as possible. Once the saddle was secured, she led Hades over to a mounting block. She could climb on without one, but she preferred the extra help when it was available. Her bag of snacks, along with her mother’s journal, was already in her saddlebag. She had made a lot of progress since she’d first started reading it. There wasn’t much left of the journal and she would have to pass it on to Maeve. Isla wanted to be the last to read it.
She kept Hades at a sedate walk until they were some distance from the house. Then she pressed her knee into his side to tell him she wanted to go faster. Hades took off and raced across the field. Athena leaned down and enjoyed the wind whipping across her face. There was no better feeling than riding her horse as fast as she could. She pulled back on the reins. It was time to slow down. They had already gone farther than usual. The pond she normally stopped at passed by in a whirlwind. Perhaps she should circle back…
Hades buckled when he stepped into a hole, and she went flying off his back. Athena landed on the ground hard, but fortunately, they had already slowed. Her pride was more bruised than anything. She started to pull herself up and winced. Her hip burned with pain and it hurt to move.
Hoofbeats pounded on the ground. It wasn’t Hades. Her horse, thank heavens, hadn’t been injured either. He trotted next to her and whinnied. Athena glanced around her and that’s when she noticed him. Another rider was barreling towards them at a breakneck speed. He slowed down as he reached her. “Are you all right?” he asked.
She frowned. “Why are you here?” The Earl of Kendal, Roman, had come for her. Athena was certain of it.
“You didn’t answer me,” he responded. “Did you hurt yourself?” Roman slid off of his horse and walked toward her.
“I’m perfectly all right,” she said and jutted her chin upward. “Now you can leave.”
He laughed. “Darling, I’m not going anywhere without you.”
In response, the sky opened up and started to pour rain over them. She glanced up and cursed the unfortunate weather. She was drenched through. “We need to get out of this rain.” She couldn’t walk far, and incidentally, they wouldn’t have to. “Follow me. There’s an old hunting cabin not far.”
They would have their confrontation in something resembling shelter, at least…
* * *
Roman heldthe reins of his horse and followed her as she led her own horse to wherever the hunting cabin was located. He didn’t know the area well enough to be certain there was actually a cabin nearby. Though he didn’t think she would have any reason to lie to him.
Finally, they reached a building. Not that he would call it much of a hunting cabin. When was the last time anyone had come out here? It was not in shambles exactly, but it was definitely abandoned. “Why is this no longer in use?” he asked.
She shrugged as she tied her horse to a nearby post. “This belongs to the Duke of Thornridge. You would have to ask him.” He did the same with his own horse and then they went inside. It was dusty, but it still had all of its furnishings. He went over to the hearth and luckily there was kindling nearby that they could use for a fire. Roman arranged them and quickly lit a fire. It took a while for it to grow enough to provide warmth, but he was satisfied with his work.
He turned toward her. “Now tell me how badly you were injured?”
“I told you I am all right,” she insisted. “My side will have a bruise, but it’ll heal. Nothing to concern yourself with.”
Roman sighed. She was so damned headstrong, but he liked that about her. “I won’t ask again then.” He stared at her. “There are other things that are far more important we need to discuss.”
She lifted a brow. Her ice-blue eyes held curiosity and something else he couldn’t quite identify. “I am glad you have your priorities, my lord.”
He shook his head and sighed. “We’re back to formalities, are we?” Roman moved over to her side. “I thought we had progressed past all of that.”
“We had,” she said. “But that was a mistake.”
“We are not moving backwards,” he said in a firm tone. “Your sisters were not forthcoming, but I can guess what the issue is. I won’t let you run away and hide.”
“What do you think you know?” She had that defiance in her tone that he almost admired, if it wasn’t being used against him. “We’ve barely had any time together. It’s been nothing but slips of time that can be easily set aside. You’re better off not having me in your life.”
“I don’t agree,” he said. Roman had known the moment he met her she was the woman for him. He had also known that she might require convincing of that fact. “The only thing I’ll ever regret is walking away from you. Nothing in life is easy, and sometimes the things that are the hardest are the most worthwhile. I’ve seen a lot of atrocities, but you’re not one of them.” He lifted his hand and cupped her cheek. “You love, are the one thing I have always wished for and never imagined I could have. I’ll never be able to let that go. Don’t ask me to.”
She closed her eyes. “My family…”
