Page 31 of A Duke to Undo her
“St. Joseph’s first and then follow me to the first jump!” cried Benedict a few minutes later and the steeplechasers were off across the fields.
The lake ride group walked in a leisurely fashion towards the start of the easy bridle path they would take, the Duke of Ashbourne and his mother at the front, and Jeavons bringing up the rear.
Cassius’ eyes remained fixed on the steeplechase riders, especially the two black horses presently out in front, vying neck and neck for first place, with their riders bent low over the reins.
“Lady Josephine is certainly a strong rider,” Nerissa observed, following her son’s gaze. “Absolutely fearless, it seems.”
“They’re both damned fools, she and Benedict both,” cursed the duke. “I told him to look after her and he only incites her into more dangerous behavior. Look at that!”
His mother reached out and touched his shoulder, ignoring his language.
“They’re young, and foolhardy as the young generally are, except you. That is all, Cassius. I am sure Benedict and Lady Josephine will be fine and will have many stories to tell of their ride at luncheon.”
“I hope so,” Cassius muttered and turned his eyes towards the lake path.
“Ha - what a ride!” Benedict pronounced as he galloped onto the shore where the picnic was being assembled and slid down from his horse. “Lady Josephine took the first steeple, I bagged the last and Lord Carbury fell off into a muddy ditch. There he is, look at the state of him!”
Lord Carbury was indeed a state, but seemed to be taking his fall in good humor. At another guest’s suggestion, he went to the lake edge to wash off the worst of the mud.
“I’m glad you all enjoyed yourselves, Benedict,” said the dowager duchess smiling. “There’s champagne already out in the buckets and the picnic should be ready within the hour. Do make sure your party are well refreshed after their exertions. Lady Josephine will be pleased to hear that Lady Madeline has already arrived at the house.”
“Where is Lady Josephine?” demanded Cassius, who had been looking around the group, checking faces and counting heads while vaguely listening to his mother and brother.
“Oh, I thought she was already back. Isn’t she here? She lost interest after the last steeple and I think her horse was tiring. Apollo does run out of steam quicker than some although he is always a beast at the start of a race. I told her there was a short cut across to the lake through the woods, if she wanted to take it.”
Benedict’s blitheness in making these statements enraged his brother although he tried to control his temper.
“A short cut across the huge forest she doesn’t know and has no map for? On an unfamiliar animal that struggles with distance? For Christ’s sake!”
“Lady Josephine was absolutely fine,” Benedict protested. “You’re likely making a fuss over nothing.”
“She might have got lost,” noted the dowager duchess with a sigh. “Someone should go back and look for her.”
The Duke of Ashbourne had already strode across to his own horse and swung himself back into the saddle.
“I’ll do it. My horse will still be fresh after our easy ride. Tell me where you last saw her.”
In ill-temper, he rode away in the direction that that his brother gave. That terrible image of Lady Josephine thrown from her horse intruded itself in Cassius' imagination once more and he ignored Benedict’s shouts behind him that he would look for Lady Josephine too.
Chapter Fifteen
“Come along, Apollo, just a little further,” Josephine tried to coax the unhappy horse. “I’m sure we must find the path again soon.”
The horse was limping slightly, one of his front hooves clearly bothering him, and Josephine had not attempted to remount after her earlier fall. It had not been a serious accident, at least for her. She had laughed as she rose from the mossy hillock where she had tumbled after the horse shied and then balked at the brief appearance of a badger.
Then, however, it became apparent that Apollo had hurt one of his feet, and more seriously, that they had lost the path they had been following. Josephine had tried to retrace their steps and find it but everything looked the same. Identical trees, patches of sun dappled grass and scatterings of forest flowers lay in every direction.
It now felt as though they had been walking for hours and she had the horrible suspicion that they might only have come in one big circle. The only sounds were birdsong and the snuffling of small animals. With some foreboding, Josephine remembered how big this forest had seemed when she first saw it from the coach and cold began to creep into her heart. Could she be lost here forever..?
At least she had a water bottle in her saddle bag and the small silver flask of brandy in her pocket, a drink which still made her pull a face when she she tasted it but always made her feel adventurous to carry.
In books, horses always knew their way home and often led the lost hero or heroine to safety. Apollo however, seemed as baffled as Josephine, and far more nervous, constantly starting or snuffling against her shoulder for comfort. When he raised his head and neighed, she only sighed and stopped to pat him on the shoulder.
“Don’t take on so, Apollo. At least you have been in these woods before, unlike me.”
Then her ears heard an answering neigh from another horse and her ears pricked up.
“Help! We’re over here! My horse has gone lame. Help!”
