Chapter Six
The next morning, Giles entered the stables at Hawkins Manor to find Suzanna already there, speaking with the head groom. He could not believe his luck. He had no idea she was also an early morning rider.
“Good morning, Miss Blake.”
She turned, her mouth forming a perfect circle, then her eyes narrowed. “Did you follow me?”
“Hmm. Follow as in, after you in arriving? Yes. Follow as in, watching surreptitiously from behind the window drapes in my assigned bedchamber in the hopes you might be riding this morning? No. I always take an early morning ride—in the country, and even when I’m in London.”
“Very well, then.” Apparently mollified, she turned backed to the groom. “Once again, I do not want some ladylike weak-kneed mount. Please saddle something more vigorous.”
The groom stood, holding the reins of a very meek-appearing horse that Suzanna was not happy with. He had to agree. The poor animal looked as though it should be allowed its last days enjoying peaceful slumber.
“But miss, this is the horse we generally give our lady guests.” He looked around as if hoping someone else would come by and take the decision away from him before one of Hawkins’s guests was thrown and broke her neck.
“My good man, if the young lady wishes to ride something a bit more energetic, please accommodate her. I will be riding along.”
The groom shrugged, but appeared relieved, no doubt because someone else would be blamed if Suzanna took a toss.
She glared after the groom, her hands on her hips. “Honestly, I can’t imagine a groom refusing to supply a male guest with the mount he prefers. Women are simply not given enough credit. Did the man think I would ask for a more serious ride if I couldn’t handle it?”
“Unfortunately, what you say is true. The world we live in doesn’t grant women much freedom to make their own choices or for having common sense, even.”
“Well, then.” She regarded him with raised brows. “Congratulations. I don’t believe I’ve ever heard a man say that.”
Giles grinned. “I will impress you yet.”
Suzanna tossed her head, the curls escaping from her riding hat bouncing alongside her face. “I must admit, that is quite admirable of you.”
The groom returned with a different horse—a beautiful buckskin gelding tugging on the reins, stepping lively, obviously ready for a run. “Will this do, miss?”
Suzanna walked up to the horse and ran her hand down its velvety nose. “Yes. He will do just fine.” She nuzzled the horse. “We will have a wonderful run, won’t we?” She turned to the groom. “What is his name?”
“Demon.”
Giles and Suzanna burst out laughing.
“I hope he lives up to it,” Suzanna said.
“Will you saddle Gallant for me, Edgar?”
“Yes, Mr. Templeton.”
Still petting and nuzzling Demon in a way he wished she was doing to him, Suzanna said, “With Hawkins being such a close friend of yours, I guess you would know the horses in his stables.” She looked in his direction. “Is Gallant the horse you generally ride?”
“No. He is my own horse. The one I rode yesterday.”
Although Giles had agreed with her that she should have a more vigorous horse, he could not help questioning her. “I hope you are capable of handling that horse, after I insisted on Edgar finding a better ride for you.”
She grinned. “Oh, yes, Mr. Templeton. Demon and I will get along just fine. Won’t we, boy?” She patted the horse’s face, and he moved his head to face her, obviously already in love.
It’s easy, isn’t it, Demon?
Edgar emerged from the stable leading Gallant. He was a fine black Welsh Cob, Giles’s pride and joy.
Giles greeted Gallant with a few words, snuck him half an apple, and rubbed his nose, then turned to Suzanna and grasped her around the waist, depositing her on the back of Demon.
“For goodness sakes, Mr. Templeton. You might have given me a warning.” She smoothed out her skirts and shifted in the saddle.
“You’re welcome, Miss Blake.” He swung his leg over Gallant and settled into the saddle.
“Thank you,” Suzanna mumbled.
They walked the horses from the stables, then trotted the animals toward the acreage behind the manor. “Where do you generally ride, Mr. Templeton?”
“Hmm. Still using Mr. Templeton, I see. My very disreputable uncle is Mr. Templeton.”
Ignoring his comment, she moved ahead of him. He couldn’t help but admire how she sat a horse. Indeed, she was no amateur when it came to riding. She controlled her mount with very little effort, which was no easy feat considering she rode sidesaddle.
“I usually ride out toward those woods.” He pointed to his left. “On the other side is a wonderful place to give the horses their head. Also, a few jumps if you feel up to it.”
“Yes, I do. Jumping is one of my favorite things about riding in the country. Unfortunately, my horse, Reginald, remained at our country home, so I don’t ride very much in London, since Lord Montford has only his personal mount and the carriage horses stabled there.”
“Does your cousin not ride?”
“No. Lady Montford took a toss when she was younger and has not ridden since.”
Giles shook his head. “’Tis well known that if you’re thrown from a horse, you should get right back on and ride again.”
“I know. I’ve told her that many times, but she is a bit stubborn.”
He glanced at her sideways. “It appears that trait runs in the family.”
Suzanna broke into a trot and grinned over her shoulder, her eyes flashing. “It might do you well to remember that, Mr. Templeton.”
He picked up his pace, and they trotted side by side until they reached the wooded area, then urged the horses into a canter. The wind blew through his hair, the crisp morning air perfect for a run. From time to time he glanced over at Suzanna, who looked like a goddess.
Her hair had blown free of its confinement and streamed behind her like a fairy princess, her hat long gone. Her cheeks had a rosy glow, and her eyes were wide with excitement as the horses’ hooves pounded the earth as they flew over the ground.
She turned her head and grinned at him, and like a thunderbolt over his head, he fell in love. He wanted this woman, no matter what.
…
Suzanna never felt more alive than when she was racing over the ground on a horse. She missed Reginald, but Demon made a wonderful substitute. The air was fresh, the sun shone from a deep blue sky, and the green of early spring surrounded them as she and Mr. Templeton dashed across the meadows from Hawkins Manor.
She’d been quite surprised to see him when he’d strolled up to the stables as she was requesting a better mount. She hated to think it was Mr. Templeton’s urging that made the groom change his mind. It had always annoyed her that women had to depend upon men to make decisions for them. Another reason to eschew his attentions. She was tired of living under someone else’s dictates, and she was certain Mr. Templeton had a great many of them.
She’d been suspicious when he had arrived. She’d thought for sure he’d seen her head to the stables and followed her, but something in his face told her he was being honest when he’d said he ordinarily rode each morning. Besides, she was a bit nervous about riding alone, since she’d never ridden at Hawkins Manor before and hadn’t wanted to take the groom from his duties to accompany her.
If Mother had known she’d planned to ride without a chaperone, the lecture would go on for hours. She should have had Bessie with her to act as chaperone, since Cousin Eunice did not ride. Additionally, she should not be spending time with a man who had no title. It was all so tiresome.
Once they reached a more confined area, they slowed the horses to a trot and Suzanna turned to Mr. Templeton. “You are an excellent horseman. Do you do everything well, then?”
“I try. One could say I find success more often than failure.” He offered that devilish smile, and her insides tingled. “A third son must be quite adept at any number of things to maintain his position.”
“Tell me about your brothers.”
His face softened, revealing his love for his family more than any words could. “Eric is the heir, the pompous one whom we all dearly love. When the time comes—and I hope not for a very long time—he will be a fine Earl of Wexford. Richard, a year older than me, is a bit of a recluse, spending a great deal of his time with scientific books and journals. He writes volumes of papers and is a lauded member of the Linnean Society.”
“And you are number three.”
“Yes. Far enough away from the title to enjoy my life without worries of being stuck with it.”
Her eyebrows climbed up her forehead. “Stuck? I would think a younger brother would resent those before him.”
“Not at all. The earl has a great deal of responsibility. I have no problem accepting responsibility, but there is much about Eric’s life that I find quite distasteful.”
“Such as?”
“Most men who meet up with him are looking for a favor, and most women are looking for a titled husband.” He glanced at her with a grin, and she blushed.
Wishing to change the uncomfortable subject, she said, “I think the horses are ready for another run.” Without waiting for his response, she nudged Demon with her knees. “Where are the jumps?”
He pointed to his right. “Over that way, behind the woods. Follow me.” He turned his horse, and she smoothly shifted her reins so Demon followed. They circled the wooded area and came upon a wide open field, budding wild flowers growing amid the green grass. Ahead, someone had placed jumps about a quarter of a mile apart.
Mr. Templeton slowed his horse from a canter to a trot. “Are you all right with jumps? This is not a familiar horse to you.”
“Yes. I do it all the time at home.” She patted Demon’s neck. “And this boy will take good care of me, won’t you?”
“You jump sidesaddle?”
“Both.” She smiled as his brows rose. “Yes. I prefer riding astride but, being a lady at a house party of a peer, it would be scandalous to wear the breeches I normally wear at home. Twice, Mother took them from me and burned them, but I was able to obtain another pair, and I have those well hidden in my bedchamber.”
His eyes grew wide at her confession, and something in his slow smile made her blush. Most likely, he was imagining her in trousers. As if to confirm her suspicions, he said, “Now that is something I would like to see. Not the jumping, although I’m sure that is impressive, but you outfitted in breeches.”
Suzanna rolled her eyes. “You will never see me in breeches.” She took a deep breath, patted Demon’s neck, whispered a few words in the general direction of his ears, and snapped her crop against his side. The horse took off, and Suzanna leaned over his body, the familiar pounding of her heart and tightening in her stomach exhilarating. The wind whistled in her ears as she grew closer to the first jump.
She and Demon flew over the barrier with ease. She took the second and third jump, landing as gracefully as a swan. She rode a short distance, then turned the horse, grinning widely. “Your turn,” she shouted in his direction.
Mr. Templeton saluted her, then kicked the sides of his horse and took off. Just as easily as she’d done, he took the three jumps, riding past where she and Demon sat. He turned his horse and returned to her side, both he and the animal breathing hard.
“Well done, sir. I love the competition of riding. When my cousin Patience and I rode at my grandparents’ estate, she never beat me at the jumps we set up. In fact, she never beat me at much of anything. I tend to have a competitive nature.”
He bowed. “And you acquit yourself well, Suzanna.”
She stuck her nose in the air. “Miss Blake.” After a few minutes of allowing the horses to rest, she said, “I find myself quite ready to break my fast.”
“Agreed.” They both moved forward, taking a leisurely trot back to the stables.
“I imagine you have spent quite a bit of time here.” Suzanna looked around at the beautiful gardens and the wild, free area they’d just raced through. “’Tis a glorious place, Hawkins Manor.”
“It is and yes, I have. Campbell, Bedford, Hawkins, and I spent weeks here each summer when we were lads.”
“Did you go to school together?”
“We did. All four of us met our first year at Eton.”
“I spent time at a boarding school, but the girls were quite snobbish, and with me being a ‘miss’ and most of them being ‘ladies’ I didn’t make many friends.”
Mr. Templeton shook his head. “Boys are much less haughty, although there are always one or two who think much more of themselves than they ought.” He studied her for a moment. “Is that why you want to marry a man with a title? To even the score?”
“Of course not.” She huffed.
She held her breath waiting for him to ask why a title was so important to her, but they’d reached the stables, and the groom approached.
He vaulted from his horse and strode over to her, placing his hands around her waist. “This time I’m giving you fair warning.” He lifted her, as if she were made of feathers, and placed her on the ground. “See. Was that so terrible?”
She brushed off her skirts. “No, but unnecessary, since the groom could have assisted me.”
Mr. Templeton leaned in close to her ear, his warm breath teasing her skin. “I will permit no other man to place his hands on you.”
Well, then.
…
After cleaning up from his ride and changing out of his riding clothes, Giles descended the stairs to the breakfast room. Eight guests sat around the table, eating and conversing. The aroma coming from the table along the side wall drew him like a magnet. It held numerous dishes of fish, eggs, potted meat, fruits, ham, kidney pies, muffins, toast, and bacon.
He was ravenous. Suzanna had not yet come down, so he made a plate for himself and took a seat near the end of the dining table, with empty chairs both across and next to him.
“Feeling unsociable today, Templeton?” Giles was just finishing up when Cam entered the room and, tossing him a smile, strode to the food table. After loading his plate, he took the chair across from Giles.
“No, not feeling unsociable, just leaving a place available for Miss Blake when she arrives.” He looked at his empty plate, then eyed the food table, considering whether he wanted another helping of kidney pie.
“She might be one of those who sleep until noon.” Cam cut a piece of ham, closing his eyes in pleasure when he placed the meat in his mouth.
“Not Miss Blake. She and I rode this morning. I expect her to join us shortly.” He hoped she would join them, since usually female guests opted for a tray in their room. On the other hand, from what he’d seen this morning, Suzanna did not necessarily follow all the rules for young ladies.
“Interesting. Most ladies eschew early morning rides.”
“I told you Miss Blake is one of a kind.” Indeed, she was. He had to admire not only how she’d sat a horse, but that she’d taken the jumps with ease. And on a sidesaddle! He’d love to see how a man would handle being so off-balance riding and jumping. So little credit was given to women, whom Society generally viewed weak as kittens, emotional as babies, and unable to think for themselves.
And then, the image of her riding in breeches brought a tightening in his groin. How he’d love to see those lovely legs displayed in that fashion. Except he would not want any other man to witness her attire. Once they married, he would make sure she had an ample supply of breeches on hand to ride in the country. The thought made him smile.
“So, I assume the pursuit continues?” Cam asked.
“Nothing has happened to change my mind. In fact, every time I am with her, my determination strengthens.”
Deciding against another helping, Giles pushed back his empty plate and pulled his coffee cup closer. “Like you and Hawk, I had planned not to marry for years. I never understood the hurry to do so, although m’mother seems to think I will drop in my tracks any day now, without providing her with grandchildren. But after spending time with Miss Blake, marriage seems like the right thing to do.”
Cam studied him over his coffee cup. “Templeton, the girl insists she will marry only a title.”
Giles waved his hand in dismissal. “Have you not ever heard of a woman changing her mind?”
Cam snorted. “They do that all the time, then become huffy if you mention it. My sisters are a prime example. Can’t make up their minds to begin with, then two hours later they’re spouting something entirely different and will happily whack you over the head with their parasol if you dare to mention it. I shall never understand women.”
“There you have it. Right now she thinks she wants only to marry a title, but I am changing her mind.”
“Is it worth it, though? Miss Blake seems like a charming enough young lady, but if she feels you’re not worthy of her attention, and you do convince her, will she not resent you one day?”
A knot formed in his stomach at Cam’s words. It was something he’d thought himself. But over the years, he’d seen a few mismatched couples who’d been besotted with each other. Once love came into the picture, the difference made no difference at all. He would just have to make sure she fell in love with him.
“Good morning, Miss Blake.”
Giles turned from Cam to see Suzanna enter the breakfast room. Even though it had not been directed at him, but at Lord Gulliver, her smile lit up his world.
“You have it bad, my friend.” Cam shook his head and pushed his chair back to stand as Suzanna walked toward them. “You may have my seat, Miss Blake. I was merely keeping it warm for you.”
“Oh, I don’t wish to impose. I can take another seat.”
“Not at all, I am sure Mr. Templeton would much rather stare at your lovely face than mine. Not that my face isn’t lovely, of course, but Templeton’s been staring at it for years now.”
Giles stood as Suzanna approached. “May I fill a plate for you?”
Cam groaned. “You would make a fine footman, Templeton.”
“Didn’t you say you had somewhere to be, Cam?” Giles glared at him.
“Not that I remember but, since it appears I am unwanted, I’m sure there is somewhere else I can be.” He bowed slightly in Suzanna’s direction and left the room.
“That ride certainly worked up my appetite.” Once Suzanna had filled her plate, she took Cam’s vacated place. “Everything looks wonderful.” She placed her serviette on her lap. “I wonder what activities are planned for today? I do hope, with this lovely weather, there will be some outdoor ventures. I would love a stroll in the village, as Hawkins mentioned last evening.”
“I shall prevail upon Hawk to set that up. You are correct, the weather is too fine to waste. I have been to the village a few times myself. There is a Roman wall still standing—in part, of course—that you might find interesting.”
“Yes, I would like to see that. I have a penchant for history.”
“While you finish up your meal, I will find Hawk and see to him making the arrangements.” With a quick bow, he left her to find his host.