Page 30 of Her Cursed Duke
Prudence placed her hand in his, feeling the warmth of his touch so distinctly, even with her gloves on, accepting his assistance to climb into the carriage. He took his place next to her, and they began their journey to the edge of the town, where the raceswould take place on the course that had been used for decades for equestrian events and such.
“Pardon me, Your Grace. I forgot to thank you for inviting me to join you on this outing,” Prudence spoke up a few minutes into their journey.
“I should be thanking you for agreeing to join me. I know that the idea of being out in the sun, surrounded by crowds and noise, might not have been an appealing idea for a day out, but I do hope that you enjoy yourself today.”
Prudence smiled, touched by his sentiment. “That is very thoughtful of you, Your Grace. I might not like horses as much as you do, but I will try to share your enthusiasm. If I fail, please keep me entertained for the remainder of this outing.”
“Ah, that should not be a problem. After all, my godmother claims that every day with me borders between exciting discoveries and occasional bouts of regret. She has told me several times that I keep her on her toes. I will certainly ensure that you do not feel bored,” Aiden assured with a cheeky grin.
“I would appreciate that. Preferably without the bouts of regret,” Prudence stated with a smile, laughing a little when he vehemently shook his head.
“I am not sure I can deliver one without the other. I believe it is necessary to experience all the charms I have to offer so that you can appreciate the good in light of the bad.”
“Well, you certainly have a charming way of offering your services.”
Agnes watched her sister banter with the Duke of Serpenhood, her lips curling into a small smile when their conversation turned slightly flirtatious, delighting in the smile on her sister’s face. She had been worried about Prudence getting along with Aiden due to her shy, quiet nature, but it appeared that her concerns were misplaced, as her sister seemed to be doing a fantastic job of remaining on par with her suitor.
It was such a relief to see her so… free. Agnes silently prayed that things would continue to go as well as they had begun.
They finally arrived at the race course, and with Aiden as their guide, they began to roam around the field, taking in the views, before the race started. A few stalls sold refreshments, and vendors were hawking pamphlets, books, and little trinkets. People walked around them, caught up in excited conversations, filling the air with chatter, laughter, and anticipation.
“Are you doing all right? We can go and find our seats if you do not wish to walk anymore, Prudence,” Aiden whispered, leaning in close so he would not have to yell to be heard above the bustle surrounding them.
“I am fine. So far, things are as I expected them to be. You look like you can barely contain your excitement. Do you attend these races often?” Prudence queried as they moved past a particularly loud group, ignoring the stares they were receiving.
“Not often,” Aiden admitted, no longer whispering, since they were now in a slightly quieter part of the field. “Once or twice a year, if I can. I like horses.”
It sounded as though there was more to his story than he was letting on, but before she could question him further, it was announced that the race was about to start.
They all moved to their seats, and once they were settled in comfortably, Agnes subtly pointed in the direction of the stalls and said, “All the horses look very capable. Even from here, I can tell that many of them have been well-bred and highly trained—enough to make this a close race.”
“Perhaps not as close as one would expect. You see that one?” Silas spoke up, pointing at a horse with a white and red banner beneath its saddle being led by a stable hand. “He appears to be the toughest horse on this field. While strength is not everything, I have heard that he has won several races in the recently held competitions.”
“Oh, Chestnut. Yes, he is certainly a force of a beast. However, he is far too heavy to make it through this course. The grounds are much softer than those in the races he has won in the past. A big boy like him will likely power through the first half of the race and lose his edge in the middle, then end up falling behind,” Aiden casually commented.
The others stared at him in mild surprise for a moment, as this was the most they had heard him say since they had made his acquaintance.
Silas grinned good-naturedly and then enquired, “Which horse would you pick as the most likely to emerge victorious, then?”
Aiden did not even hesitate before pointing at a black horse with a white and blue banner beneath its saddle being led by a jockey. “Misty. He is a strong horse but slightly leaner than Chestnut, so he has more control over his speed. He is a lot more likely to hold out steadily throughout the race and end up in the lead, eventually winning.”
Agnes and Silas nodded thoughtfully while Prudence glanced between the three of them, feeling only slightly clueless but having no reason to feel bothered by that fact. Hence the motivation for her to speak up.
“May the best horse win.”
They all turned to her and smiled, Agnes reaching for her hand and squeezing it gently in appreciation.
“Exactly. Let’s hope the race goes smoothly and no horse gets hurt.” Aiden winked at her, then looked back at the race track.
Prudence also averted her gaze toward the start of the track, where all the horses were lined up, ready and waiting for the race to start. A bell was rung, and a man at the starting line, sitting on a horse meters away from the others, waved a white flag. The horses set off, speeding down the tracks.
She tried to keep track of the horses Silas and Aiden had bet on, noting that Chestnut had taken the lead and was staying strong as the race carried on. But halfway through the course, he began to slow down significantly, enough for another horse to overtake him, steadily making its way down to the finish line.
The race ended exactly as Aiden had predicted, with Misty as the winner and Chestnut in second place. They were all surprised and impressed by his insight, and Silas immediately congratulated him on the success of his choice. Prudence waited until they had left the stands before she addressed what they had witnessed.
“That was a remarkable display of knowledge. I had no idea you were so interested in horses. My sister and brother-in-law make it obvious that they would rather be off riding than doing anything else. Most of the stories Agnes has told me of their life back at their home centers around their stables. But you… you never mentioned that you like horses. Not before today.”
Aiden glanced down at her nervously, then tilted his head in thought.“If I am being honest… I like animals in general. I have always had a difficult time forming emotional bonds with people, whereas I have been able to find solace in the company of animals. Horses, especially. I own a few of my own, actually, and I ride as often as I can.”
