Page 19 of Surrender Your Grace
“Nothing on the breakfast table is so urgent it cannot wait.”
This was true. Despite having next to nothing for supper last night, she had no appetite. She rose and followed him through the long corridor toward the back of the house and out into the morning air.
The scent of lilacs and roses assailed her as she walked through the garden. Any other time, she would have stopped to smell the fragrant blooms and admire the well-tended beds, but she had to hurry to keep pace with her husband who seemed on a mission of some kind.
He paused at a shaded bench by a fountain. When she joined him, he took her hands in his. Gazing up at him, she noted the shadows under his eyes and the vulnerability hidden behind his calm. He hadn’t slept well, either.
“I dislike having no choice over my path in life,” he said quietly. “I felt trapped. We both were. The thought of a marriage lacking warmth and understanding, of living with a stranger under the same roof, leaves me cold. I desire a bond with my wife. I thought to give you time and space to adjust to the idea of marriage to me. And, admittedly, to let it settle into my mind as well. Clearly, that was a mistake, and for that I apologize.”
Something inside her—tight and guarded—unraveled. Until that moment, she hadn’t realized how deeply she’d feared being cast aside.
“Let’s begin anew. Today,” he proposed.
For the first time since they said their vows, her heart lifted, and the knot inside loosened. She looked up at him, smiling. “I should like that, my lord.”
“It’s Andrew,” he reminded her yet again.
“I should like that…Andrew.”
He pulled her closer until she felt the warmth of his body against hers. “Forget breakfast. I had a picnic lunch packed for our ride. We’ll find a quiet meadow and talk.”
“You did?” she asked, surprised by the romantic gesture.
“Yes. We’ll find a quiet meadow where we can talk and enjoy the day.” He brushed her cheek with the back of his finger. “Do I need to coax you?”
He was revealing the man beneath the self-assured viscount’s exterior. A man she wanted to get to know.
“No coaxing is necessary,” Cici assured him.
A slow smile warmed his features. “Go change and meet me in the foyer in thirty minutes.”
Brimming with eagerness, she turned to leave, but he stopped her and pulled her close. His hands framed her face, and he bent his head, claiming a kiss in the privacy of the garden. It was the first time a man’s lips had touched hers—warm, sure, and reverent. It stole her breath and filled her with a strange, giddy ache. Better than she'd imagined, and far more dangerous.
***
Nestled at the base of a hill behind the house, the Arendale stables buzzed with activity; the sweet scent of fresh hay filled the air, as did the whinnies and soft nickers of horses. The moment they arrived, a groom led out a beautiful copper bay mare, her glossy black mane and tail gleaming with each graceful stride.
“She’s beautiful,” Cici whispered, captivated.
“This is Daisy,” Andrew replied, stroking the mare’s neck. “She’s yours. Energetic enough for a good trot and canter, but well-behaved.”
“Truly?” Cici exclaimed.
“Of course, I wouldn’t joke about something as important as horses.”
Approaching carefully, she murmured low to the mare, offering her hand for a sniff before stroking her sleek coat. Having apparently gained acceptance, Cici produced a piece of apple she’d filched from the dining table before leaving the manor.
“Bribery will win the day, my dear,” he declared, as Daisy devoured it. “Now, let’s get you mounted up.”
His hands spanned her waist to lift her onto the horse, frowning with disapproval as his fingers traced the curve of her back and sides. “Is that a corset you’re wearing?”
She glanced at the stable hand, feeling heat rise in her cheeks. “That’s hardly a topic for public discourse, my lord,” she whispered.
“And we’re back to ‘my lord,’” he sighed. “William, walk Daisy for a bit,” he instructed. “And have Robbie hold before saddling Obsidian.”
He took her elbow, guiding her toward the tack room inside the stable. She stumbled once on the uneven threshold, and he steadied her immediately, his grip gentle but firm.
“You’re determined,” she muttered, half breathless, half flustered.
