Page 51 of A Tenuous Betrothal
“There is still a great deal of danger for me and my team.” He played with her fingers, seemingly absentmindedly, but every touch sent a wave through her. Whether he did it on purpose or not, he was... flirting. They were on a romantic picnic. Her heart leaped with wonder at where this might be going.
His eyes met hers, but instead of anything romantic in them, they widened in sadness. “That is why I do not feel prepared to marry at this time.”
She started to nod and then stopped. “Oh.” Much of her anticipation fizzled away. Was he warning her off?
The sound of a stick cracking registered in the back of her mind. “Hold that thought. I’m not finished.” Prince Marc leaped to his feet, pulling her with him. He studied the dark area of trees in front of them. “Rhianna, run! Now!” He pushed her toward the horses.
She stumbled forward, trying to catch her balance.
The sound of a gun going off behind her echoed in her ears. She called out and nearly tripped again.
Marc ran away from her into the woods, shouting at her, “Keep running!”
She grabbed the horses and swung up onto the nearest. She kicked into his flanks. “Hiyah!”
The horse leaped forward, but instead of racing down the road, Rhi headed toward the forest, the reins of the other horse in her hands. “Marc!” she screamed while riding toward the dark of the trees.
Before she could enter the forest, her horse turned, nearly unseating her, and ran along the edge of the trees and then back out onto the road.
“No! Go back!” She tugged on the reins and dug in her heels, but the horse did what it wanted, completely ignoring her.
And then Marc ran out onto the road, waving his hands in the air. She slowed down as he swung up onto the back of the other horse, and then they both galloped back toward London.
At first, all she could do was hold on. The horses were going faster than she usually ever rode. The air whipped all the pins from her hair. But after they’d been clipping along at that pace for ten minutes, the prince slowed his horse down just a little, and she did the same. The air had chilled considerably. Clouds blocked their sunny day.
She watched him. His face was stern, his eyes set on the road in front of them. He did not look in her direction until she shouted, “What happened?”
He shook his head. “Later.”
She pressed her lips together. She deserved to know, but the effects of the exhilaration of running away began to wear off, and her hands started to shake. Cold seeped in through her clothes and she shivered. But she held on, gripped the reins like they would keep her upright, and raced along the open roads until they were once again within the city.
They both slowed their horses to a walk, and at last Marc turned to look at her. “You cannot be seen thus. We cannot ride in together like this.”
She imagined she was a sight, her hair everywhere, her clothes rumpled. She shook with the cold. “Um... I...”
His mouth dropped. “And you’re freezing.” He shook his head. “Rhianna—Miss Davies—I’m so sorry about this.”
She shook her head, words not forming as well as she’d like. She didn’t want to embarrass herself again by attempting speech.
He turned down a back street, and they carefully moved through much smaller hemmed-in spaces. They were walking at the back of people’s homes. Some had modest stables behind them, others small bits of green. There were also places they dumped their old food and unmentionables. Rhi held a handkerchief up to her face.
Marc glanced at her, his face hardening further.
She wasn’t sure what she’d done, but he was supremely displeased with her.
Her limbs gradually relaxed and the shaking subsided. After a time, she dared speak. “I’m sorry.”
His gaze was sharp, immediate. And then his eyes softened. “Oh no. No, Miss Davies. You have nothing to apologize for. You have been amazing, strong.” He shook his head. “Please do not feel you are to blame.”
“But you seem so displeased...” She looked away, her mouth started to tremble. Now was not the time for her to say vulnerable things.
“Here. No.” He pulled his horse to a stop and hopped down, then came around to reach up for her. “Come here a moment. Please.”
She nodded and felt his hands on her hips as he lowered her slowly, gently to the ground in front of him.
“I want you to know something very important and remember it at all times. You are a strong, good woman who is remarkably helpful in a crisis. Look what you did back there. You kept your head. You ran along the edge of the forest, leading the horse. You were the very distraction I needed so I might subdue our would-be attackers and escape myself. I would want you at my side for all of it, anything that might come...”
She sucked in her breath. What was he saying?
