Page 5 of Adoringly, Edward
He nodded, hatching a plan in his head. Clara didn’t leave the estate often enough. Today was his only chance at escape. “I’d like to go on a walk.” When his servant started to protest, Edward quickly cut in. “Just a short walk. I think getting fresh air might do me good over being cooped up in this tower.”
Despite his dizziness and heavy chest, he climbed down the stairs of his tower with Cedric following only a few steps behind. When they exited the estate, he inhaled a deep breath of fresh air, taking in his surroundings.
Pine trees lined most of the property, giving it an isolated, woodsy feel. A dirt path led to a private lake where he liked to enjoy the quiet solitude of fishing—or rather, Cedric’s quiet companionship. Another dirt path led around the property large enough for a carriage to traverse for a leisurely drive.
Although the main city of Edilann was close, he felt snug in his little nook near the mountainside.
The transition of warm air to cold brushed along his face, signaling the turn of the next season. Autumn splashed a variety of colors from red to yellow to orange across the beautiful mountain canvas before him.
This place…
It brought him peace in an otherwise confusing world filled with loneliness and heartache. But perhaps he wouldn’t be so lonely if…if he could findher.
With Cedric at his side, they traversed a small dirt path leading to the stables, and a wave of relief washed over him when the scents of horse and hay greeted him as he entered. His horse, Walnut, snorted upon seeing him, prancing back and forth in her stall as he approached with an apple in his hand. In only twobites, the mare gobbled it up and stuck her face through a gap in the wood, sniffing him in search of more food.
“I’ll give you more later,” he promised as he stroked the gentle creature’s velvety nose.
He glanced over his shoulder to find Cedric tending to his own horse—a gift given to him as per the agreement of his work contract with the family. And thankfully, the horse occupied his attention long enough for Edmund to quietly ask the stable boy to saddle his horse, as he hadn’t the strength to do so on his own today.
But the moment Cedric glanced in his direction, he frowned, following him out of the stable as he led Walnut by the reins.
“Where are you going?” the other man asked, following close at his heels as Edward led the mare away from the barn.
“I have to go find her, Cedric.”
“You cannot leave the estate. Don’t you remember what happened when you journeyed to Avorstead?”
He frowned as he recalled the time months ago when he and his friends took the week-long trip to Avorstead in the kingdom of Leonia and back to locate another mutual friend named Barnaby. The man had lost his memories and had been staying with a family of sisters, at least until they’d retrieved him and brought him back home. Barnaby had ended up marrying one of those women and was now living happily in Edilann, his memories intact, with his wife, Ivette.
“I was with my friends. I was fine.”
“Was,” Cedric emphasized, now falling into step beside him. “You were bedridden for two weeks after the fact.”
He released a disgruntled huff and turned his shoulder toward the man. Unfortunately, Cedric wasn’t done speaking.
“And where do you suppose you’ll start looking? Hmm?” He ticked off on his fingers. “You don’t even know her name. Where she lives. Who her family is. The places she frequents.” The mansighed when Edward continued forward as if he hadn’t spoken at all. “At least take a carriage.”
“My sister would never allow it.”
Oh, he loved his sister. But after the death of their parents on a voyage across the sea years ago, she was far too protective for her own good.
Placing his foot into the stirrup, he swung his leg up and over the saddle. The quick movement caused his head to spin, and he focused on taking deep breaths until his surroundings stilled once more.
“Just…wait.” Cedric sighed again and gestured toward the stables. “I’ll escort you into town.”
Edward scoffed. “I’m not so fragile as that.”
In fact, the thought irked him that his sister forced someone to remain in his company at all times.
Without waiting for the other man to mount up, Edward turned his horse toward the dirt path leading over the ground of the estate and kicked the creature’s flanks.
The horse started into a trot, and then its gait smoothed into a gallop. Wind tore at his black hair, the strands flitting over his forehead and eyes. He brushed it out of his face before holding on tighter to the reins.
The crisp yellow and orange terrain flew past in a whir of motion. Fallen leaves crunched beneath the horse’s hooves. The scent of death and decay wafted past his nose, making drawing air difficult.
His head spun. His heart squeezed and jumped, flipped and flopped. He felt his pulse ricocheting within his veins, spurting faster and faster until it stole the breath from him entirely.
No!he internally shouted at himself.I am strong enough to do this simple task.
