Page 62 of His Scarred Duchess
Edmund smiled up at her. “You’re doing wonderfully. Now, let’s take a slow walk around the yard to get you accustomed to the movement.”
He took Apple’s reins, leading her in a gentle circle. Adeline gripped the pommel tightly at first, but as they continued, he saw her slowly begin to relax.
“That’s it,” he encouraged. “Feel how she moves. Try to let your hips move with her gait.”
After a few circuits of the yard, Edmund looked up at Adeline. “How would you feel about venturing out onto the grounds? We’ll keep to a walk, and I’ll lead Apple the whole time.”
Adeline bit her lip, considering. “I… I think I’d like to try,” she said finally.
“Excellent.” Edmund beamed.
He mounted his own horse, a steady bay gelding, and they set off at a sedate pace.
As they rode side by side through the lush grounds of Holbrook, Edmund found his gaze continually drawn to Adeline.
With each passing minute, he saw her confidence grow. The tension in her shoulders eased, and a small smile played at the corners of her mouth.
“It’s beautiful,” Adeline said softly, her eyes taking in the rolling hills and verdant forests. “I had no idea the estate was so vast.”
Edmund nodded, pride swelling in his chest. “It’s been in my family for generations. Every tree, every stream has a story.”
“Will you tell me some of them?” Adeline asked, her eyes bright with interest.
Edmund smiled, touched by her genuine curiosity. “Of course. See that old oak tree over there?” He pointed to a massive, gnarled tree standing sentinel at the edge of a meadow.
Adeline nodded, shading her eyes against the sun to get a better look.
“That tree has been there longer than Holbrook itself,” Edmund continued, his voice taking on a storyteller’s cadence. “My grandfather used to tell me how, when he was a young man, he would often come to sit beneath its branches and read. One summer afternoon, he was distracted from his book by the sound of laughter. He looked up to see a young woman who had wandered onto the property while picking wildflowers.”
“Who was she?” Adeline asked.
Edmund’s eyes took on a faraway look. “None other than my grandmother, of course. Grandfather always said it was love at first sight. They talked for hours that day, under the watchful eye of my grandmother’s maiden aunt, who had accompanied her on her flower-picking expedition.”
He chuckled softly. “In the days that followed, they would often meet there—always with Grandmother’s aunt in tow, of course. When Grandfather finally worked up the courage to propose, he insisted that it be under that very oak.”
His smile widened. “The way he told it, he was so nervous—both from the magnitude of the question and Grandmother’s aunt’s disapproving gaze—that he stammered through the entire speech he’d prepared. He was certain he’d made a fool of himself, but Grandmother said that his nervousness was endearing. She claimed that any man willing to face down her formidable aunt for her hand was worth keeping.”
Adeline laughed, the sound bright and clear in the summer air. “Oh, I can just picture it! Your poor grandfather, trying to be romantic with a stern chaperone breathing down his neck. Your grandparents must have been quite the pair.”
Edmund nodded, a fond smile playing on his lips. “They were. Their love for each other and Holbrook shaped this place in so many ways. I hope… well, I hope we can add our own stories to these grounds.”
He glanced at her, a hint of vulnerability in his eyes. She met his gaze, her cheeks flushing slightly as she squeezed his hand.
“I’d like that very much,” she said softly.
As the sun climbed higher in the sky, Edmund noticed Adeline beginning to tire.
“Shall we head back?” he suggested gently. “You’ve done remarkably well for your first ride.”
Adeline nodded, both relief and accomplishment on her face. “Thank you, Edmund, for being so patient with me.”
“It’s my pleasure,” he replied, surprised by how much he meant it. “I’m proud of you, Adeline. Facing your fears like this… it takes real courage.”
As they made their way back to the stables, Edmund found himself marveling at the woman beside him. Her strength, her determination, her quiet grace—all of it combined to create a picture of beauty that went far beyond the physical.
Chapter Twenty-Four
“Are you certain you want to join the hunt, Adeline? There’s no shame in preferring to stay behind,” Edmund said, his brow furrowed with concern as he adjusted the saddle on his mount.
