Page 24 of Mending the Baron's Sins
Some minutes later, Orla was pulling herself into the saddle of the horse, patting the mare’s neck, who snorted happily and moved her hooves beneath her, clearly eager to get going.
“Enjoy,” George said and inclined his head to her, before returning to the stable and his other duties.
She called her thanks to him and clicked her tongue, encouraging the mare to ride around the paddock.
She reminded herself to thank George again later, for riding the mare was the very thing she had needed without knowing it. She felt light, distracted, distant from the woes of the world, as suddenly all that mattered was that she and the mare were riding together through the paddock. Frequently, the mare threw back her head and neighed, excited. At these moments, Orla would pat the horse in comfort again.
At the far end of the paddock, she had a good view of the house and windows. She looked up, finding with irritation that she had sought out Baron De Rees’ window. The curtains were open. So, at least he was taking her advice in getting some more sunlight, but she could not see him. It struck her that he might be hiding in a dark corner of the room, or perhaps he’d gone to the library and was hiding there instead.
She urged the mare to trot back the other way across the paddock as a door opened in the distance. She angled her head around, looking to see if it was Esther come to talk to George, for she so frequently did during the day, but it was no maid at all. Instead, it was Baron De Rees, supported by Colm’s arm.
Without thinking, Orla flicked the reins harder and encouraged the mare to race toward the end of the paddock that was closest to them. She stopped beside the fence, just as Baron De Rees and Colm stopped on the other side.
Colm looked very wary. His fearful gaze settled on the baron alone. In contrast, the baron looked paler than ever now he was out in the sun, though she expected it was all to do with the light upon skin that hadn’t seen the sun in months, perhaps years.
“My Lord?” she murmured in surprise, somehow forgetting her vow not to talk to him at all today. “You have come outside for some exercise?”
“A little bird told me it would do me some good,” he said, somewhat carefully. He released Colm and placed a hand on the fence between them instead. “I thought I might give it a try.”
She smiled and stepped down from the horse. As she released herself from the saddle, the skirt of her gown became caught on the pommel, and she revealed her stocking-clad legs. Blushing, she snatched the skirt down, covering herself up again.
Colm seemed not to have noticed, for his gaze on the baron was relentless, but in contrast, the baron saw it all.
A pleasant blush covered his cheeks, and she saw with some relief that it was possible for his white cheeks to find some color outside.
“I am worried,” Colm said carefully, now also leaning on the fence. “You urged him to exercise, Orla?”
“You know as well as I that exercise is good for a man in recuperation.”
“I cannot argue with that.” Yet Colm grimaced at the same time.
She sensed another one of their debates about what warranted a good medicine and was about to proceed when the baron nodded at the mare.
“She’s a beauty,” he said, all eyes on the horse. “You ride well, Miss Byrne.”
She flinched, noting he had returned to her full name rather than her Christian name, which he had used before when they were alone in his bedchamber together. She decided not to ask him why there was the change. He was maintaining some distance between them and avoiding her gaze.
Is he embarrassed after last night? Was he awake for hours as I was thinking of it?
“Thank you,” she managed to find her voice when she saw Colm staring at her, in wonder as to why she hadn’t yet replied. “I am fond of horses.” She patted the mare’s nose. “You ride yourself?”
“I did.”
“Then you should ride again.”
“Orla.” Colm’s voice was a little sharp this time.
“When he is stronger,” Orla hurried to explain. “One must build up their strength for such things.” Colm sighed with some relief, but she could have sworn as she looked at the baron that she saw longing in his eyes as he stared at the horse.
All thought of longing made her think of other desires though. When she remembered how she had touched herself the night before, trying to free herself from her desire for him, she bit her lip, finding it rather hard to look away from him.
“How are you feeling?” she asked, moving closer to the fence once again.
His hand now rested on one of the struts beside her own, though they did not touch.
“I am not bad today,” he said, though he looked weak in spite of his words. “The dizziness is not so great.”
Orla wished to tell him it would be because she had not given him laudanum last night, but with Colm beside her, she didn’t want to seem as if she was contradicting his methods too much, so she stayed silent.
