Page 35 of A Duke's Lustful Riddle
He hoped a good ride would provide temporary relief from his turbulent thoughts. What could it hurt, after all? The exercise would do him good.
As he climbed up into the saddle, about to embark on the path ahead, Hugh appeared before him most unexpectedly.
Gabriel and Hugh had started to bond, but Hugh was his solicitor above everything else, which meant he was here for business. Gabriel regarded his solicitor carefully.
Eager for a diversion, Gabriel invited him to join.
“I was about to go for a ride, would you like to join me?” Gabriel asked, and smiled. “You will enjoy the outing; I can assure you.”
“Of course, Your Grace, but I have no riding attire here.” Hugh shrugged. “I should look the part, no?”
“We are similar in stature, you can borrow one of mine.” Gabriel dismounted and led Hugh back toward the house, hoping to find him riding pants, boots and a jacket that would fit.
As they exited the stables, they saw two ladies walking in the distance. It could only be Gemma and Felicity.
“Shall we invite the ladies?” Hugh asked.
Gabriel shrugged, unsure. His mind began to race away from him yet again. He was hoping for a break from his thoughts of Gemma. Half of him was eager to spend more time with his ward, the beautiful Lady Gemma, but the other half was fearful of their last encounter. The kiss was life changing but what man wouldn’t question himself after the woman in question ran off in a rush?
Gabriel feared the worst, but he knew he would have to engage with her eventually. There was no real goal to be accomplished by avoiding Gemma. In fact, he had missed her presence.
“Why not?” Gabriel responded, forcing a smile onto his lips.
Hugh nodded before rushing ahead and calling out, “Lady Gemma. Lady Felicity.”
The two ladies turned around.
Felicity wore a huge smile on her face as Gemma grimaced at the sight of the two gentlemen approaching. Her eyes flashed briefly with an emotion that Gabriel could not entirely decipher.
“Lord Anderson, I didn’t think I’d see you today,” Felicity said breathlessly.
Hugh’s smile grew, if that was possible. It lit up his visage as if he were lit from within.
“Well, I am glad that we have run into each other,” Hugh responded with a tilt of his blond head.
Gabriel was picking up on something between them, but he could not put his finger on it. He knew that they had danced together at Lady Alice’s soiree but other than that he didn’t know they had been in contact. Perhaps he had missed something?
Maybe they were courting one another, and Gabriel had been too self-involved to notice. He would have to ask Hugh later. Something was surely afoot between the two.
“We were about to go riding and saw you two. Would you like to go on a ride with us?”
Felicity looked at Gemma, and Gemma looked at Felicity.
“Perhaps we could go for a picnic as well?” Hugh sweetened the offer.
Felicity nodded eagerly. She was filled with enthusiasm at the suggestion. A picnic sounded delightful.
“How about you, Lady Gemma? Care for a ride and picnic?”
Gemma avoided eye contact with Gabriel which made his blood run cold. He had clearly made a mistake, and now, Gemma was running cold with him.
Was she about to say no? It had certainly looked that way to him.
Had he overstepped when he kissed her? His mind raced off before he could reel it back in.
Had he ruined things between them?
“Certainly,” Gemma finally spoke, calming Gabriel’s rising nerves. “It is a nice day, and a picnic sounds pleasant.”
