Jessica did not know where she was going or what she was doing. The darkness ate her up, shrouding both her and her horse in its dark folds. The horse, completely disorientated, refused to ride any further and came to a rather sudden stop.

“No,” Jessica pleaded, her heart pounding frantically in her chest. “No, you silly thing, you can’t just stop here. I need to keep going! He’s going to catch me!”

The creature must have heard the pain her voice for, after a moment of stamping and shaking its mane, it began to move again, simply walking forward in a very straight line. The moon began to come out from behind the clouds, lighting up the fields around Jessica with a silvery light, allowing her to see a great deal more clearly.

“Thank you,” she whispered, patting the horse’s flank and breathing a sigh of relief. She allowed the horse to go where it wished, her mind filled with a hundred different questions that flowed through her all at once.

So Major Ridding had been orchestrating the whole thing behind her back – behind Lord Warwick’s back also. She could hardly believe it, for she had never considered that the man could be so cruel and so callous, especially when he had served in the army with Lord Warwick for such a long time. Even Lord Warwick himself had spoken very highly of him and had not even criticised him for his lack of consideration to his responsibilities as regarded his title. No, he had simply stated that a man must do what they each feel is right for them, right in their own eyes, and that he himself had chosen a rather different path from that of Major Ridding.

So what had possessed Major Ridding to turn his back on his friend and treat him in so deceitful a manner? Jessica shuddered as the horse continued to ride further into the fields, recalling how he had grasped her arm so painfully. There had been something in his eyes that had made her shiver, something that spoke of a touch of madness. It was as though he could not bear to have her refuse him, could not accept that she might choose to be with another. He had planned to force himself on her so that she would have no choice but to wed him! Jessica could not imagine what life would be like married to a man she hated, for that was how she now viewed Major Ridding – as a man she could never trust, never respect, never have anything but disgust for.

“Oh, Warwick,” she murmured, her head hanging low as she sat in the saddle. “What is to become of us?”

She had hoped he would come to the ball but, if he was there now, he would not find her. Nor would he find Major Ridding. Would he believe that they had left together, that they were already betrothed? If only she could go to him, explain to him all that had happened and beg him to forgive her for her foolishness, then there might still be a chance for them both to find the happy future she had once dreamed of…but she had no idea where to start looking. He might still be in London, or he might have returned home. Worse, he might refuse to read her letters, should she send them, or entirely ignore her presence if she came calling. Major Ridding’s cruelty had put a great wedge between them, which was just as he had intended. Whilst she had no intention of every marrying Major Ridding, that did not mean that she would be able to wed Lord Warwick. Maybe too much damage had already been done. Maybe too much time had passed. Maybe too much pain had been caused.

“Jessica!”

She froze in the saddle, her hands clinging tightly to the reins. Her horse let out a startled whinny, making her cringe with fright.

“You’re not getting away!” came the loud shout. “This is nonsense, Jessica, riding away like that! You’re only trying to push away the inevitable.” There was a long pause, his voice reaching her from far away. “You’re going to be mine eventually, Jessica.”

Jessica tightened her grip on the reins, swallowing her fear. She was not about to simply give in and let his threats force her into submission. Keeping low in her seat, she nudged the horse with her heels, both grateful for and frustrated with the bright moonlight that lit her path. Glancing up at the sky, she saw that clouds surrounded the moon but not one had crossed its path. It was as if the moon was desperate to help her, shining with all its might as she made her way through the field, not knowing in which direction to go.

She looked all about her, praying that her horse would remain silent. There was very little to see, no matter where she looked. All there was were fields, filled with long waving grasses and only a few trees standing proudly nearby. There was no welcoming lights of a village anywhere, no place where she could beg to be hidden, no-one she could call to for help.

Beginning to panic, Jessica began to ride towards the small copse of trees, hoping that Major Ridding would, somehow, not spot her in the wide open fields as she rode. Her horse protested, and, as she came to a tall wooden fence, shied and only just managing to jump it. Instead of landing gracefully and bolting into a strong gallop, it simply came to a stumbling stop and Jessica, much to her dismay, fell from the saddle.

Her dress sank into the mud, dampness seeping, into her skin. Grasping the reins and looking all about her, Jessica tried her best to climb back into the saddle but found she simply could not do so.

A cloud drifted over the moon, blocking its light and, just as it did so, Jessica saw a shadow move in the distance.

Growing frantic, Jessica tried to speak soothingly to her frightened horse, despite the fear growing steadily in her chest. She had to get back onto her mount if she was to have any chance of escaping from Major Ridding. Her hands slipped as she tried to climb onto the wooden fence, using it as a boost to help her climb onto the horse’s back. Her soft kid slippers were wet through, making it difficult to stand without slipping back, but, eventually, she managed to heave herself back on. Her dress tore with a loud rip, exposing her leg to the wind but Jessica had no time to care. Grasping the reins in her hands and trying to steady her composure just a little, she looked all about her, wondering where Major Ridding might be now.

The sound of thundering hooves startled her horse, making it burst into a gallop. Jessica cried out, unable to stop herself and clung to the horse for dear life, aware that Major Ridding was close to catching her. Her eyes burned as the wind whipped at her hair, tearing the pins from it and blowing it all around her shoulders.

“Jessica!”

Major Ridding was at her horse’s heels, his stallion clearly stronger and faster than her mare. He rode ahead of her before turning his horse to cross her path, forcing the mare to stop dead.

Jessica stared at him, seeing the grin on his face as he slowly began to approach her. Her heart was hammering wildly in her chest, completely at a loss as to what to do. She tried desperately to think of a plan, a way to move past him and out of his reach, but there was nothing but wide open fields on one side and the copse of trees on the other. His horse was faster than hers and he was clearly the better rider. If she tried to run, he would catch her within minutes and Jessica did not want to think what he might do to her should he manage to do so. There was no-one else around, and there was very little likelihood that someone else would find them. He could do as he wished to her, using his strength to hold her down, and she would not be able to do anything to stop him.

Then she would fight him with everything she had until she had no strength left. She would do all she could to escape from him, all she could to prevent him from making her his own by force. Jessica lifted her chin, pushing her fear away. There was more to her than he knew.

“Major Ridding, leave me be,” she demanded, determined not to show even the slightest modicum of fear even though her words fell from her mouth in a jumbled mess. “I will not go with you. Get a hold of yourself!”

He chuckled, riding a little closer to her but she moved her mare at once, dancing just out of reach, moving ever closer to the trees.

“You know I will get you in the end, Lady Jessica. I simply must have you.”

The look in his eyes made her pause, a shiver creeping up her spine. “You do not get to dictate my life, Major Ridding. You may have tried your best to have me fall for your charms, but you have failed.”

He shrugged, his eyes still gleaming with a strange light. “That does not matter now. I will have you as my bride regardless of whether you think me good enough or not.”

Lunging for her, Jessica screamed and managed to dodge out of the way, her heels digging into the mare’s side. The mare charged further towards the trees, startled by Jessica’s scream and it was all Jessica could do to keep her seat.

The stallion came after them in a moment, as Jessica turned her horse back in the direction she had come. Wrapping the reins around her wrists, she held them tightly and tried to direct her horse back towards the estate, thinking it was the only place she might find someone to help her.

But it was too late.

Major Ridding grabbed at her reins, tugging her arm painfully. Too late, she realised just how foolish she had been, her arm pulled towards Major Ridding. A bolt of fear ran straight through her, and she desperately tried to untangle herself only for the reins to tighten, cutting into her arm painfully. Her shoulder screamed in agony as she tried to pull herself away from Major Ridding, feeling as though she was about to come completely apart and forced to stop her struggles.

“Whoa,” he murmured, gently bringing both horses to a stop. “Well, well. It seems I have captured you, Lady Jessica. How about it?”

“I will not go with you,” Jessica whispered, her chin trembling as she lifted it in defiance.

Major Ridding chuckled, his hands tightening on the reins as he pulled her all the closer. “I do not believe you have a choice, Lady Jessica. It now appears that you are entirely at my mercy….which is just how I like it.”