Page 41 of Duke of Bronze
This is a test for us both, is it not?
She had dared him to meet her on equal footing, and he had done so without hesitation; but the true challenge was hers alone, and she must pass it. Shemustcontain and extinguish these foreign emotions he so effortlessly stirred within her. Because there was no other choice.
"How, pray, is your reckless departure a fair game?" Colin's voice rang out behind her, laced with both indignation and amusement.
Anna barely spared him a glance, too preoccupied with the sheer exhilaration of the wind rushing past her. But her laughter nearly faltered when she heard a chorus of frantic barks erupt behind them.
Glancing over her shoulder, she spied Titan straining against the coachman's grasp, the small gray pug wriggling with the determination of a creature three times his size. And then—disaster. With one final, spirited leap, Titan broke free, his stubby legs moving at an impressive speed as he bounded after her.
"Titan, no!" Anna called, though her plea was utterly ignored.
Plato, not one to be outdone, let out a great, joyous bark and promptly followed suit, his massive dark frame charging forward like an overgrown bear.
The coachman, to his credit, attempted to give chase. But his efforts were laughable against the boundless enthusiasm of Anna's unruly canines. He made it a few determined strides before, with a beleaguered sigh, he skidded to a stop, throwing up his hands in surrender. "Confounded beasts!" he bellowed after them. "Come back at once, you unholy menaces!"
Anna could scarcely contain her mirth, her shoulders shaking with laughter as she urged her horse faster. Behind her, Colin was similarly besieged, dodging Titan's darting form and Plato's heavy-footed gallop with a mixture of alarm and begrudging amusement.
By the time they reached the copse of trees, Anna was breathless, her heart pounding—not from exertion but from the unrestrained joy coursing through her veins. With practiced ease, she swung off her mount, boots hitting the ground lightly before she turned just in time to see Colin arriving in a flurry of movement—Titan and Plato tumbling after him like a pair of victorious hounds who had successfully hunted their quarry.
Anna crouched, arms outstretched, as the frenzied pair all but collided into her. She let out a delighted squeal as Titan's small paws scrambled onto her lap, licking her hands and face with unrepentant fervor. Plato, less agile but no less enthusiastic, buried his massive head against her shoulder, his tail wagging with a force that sent dust swirling around them.
Colin, still astride his horse, regarded the chaos with a smirk. "Your riding skills, I daresay, are almost as remarkable as your dogs' manners, Anna."
She tipped her head up at him, her eyes gleaming with challenge. "Is that why you struggled to keep pace, Your Grace?"
Colin swung down from his mount, his laughter rich and full. "Struggled? I would hardly call it a struggle."
Before Anna could retort, the sound of rattling wheels drew her attention. The carriage was now rumbling its way toward them, and she spotted the coachman hunched in his seat, his expression one of pure determination.
The moment the vehicle rolled to a stop, he leapt down with the fervor of a man facing his greatest adversaries. Without preamble, he seized the dogs, coiling and recoiling their leashes around his fists as though securing a pair of notorious criminals.
His grip was white-knuckled, his face a most remarkable shade of pink, glistening with beads of sweat. "You," he puffed, staring at the canines with a mixture of wariness and weary resolve, "are not escaping again."
Anna bit her lip to keep from laughing outright, though the twinkle in her gaze was unmistakable. She turned to Colin, who was watching the scene unfold with open amusement.
"Well," she mused, dusting off her skirts, "I suppose now would be the appropriate time to thank the poor man."
Colin inclined his head in mock solemnity. "Indeed. Perhaps he ought to be granted a handsome bonus for enduring such an ordeal."
Anna followed as Colin led her deeper into the copse of trees. After they had walked for several minutes, her curiosity could no longer be contained. "Are you ever going to tell me where we are going, or must I remain in suspense indefinitely?"
Colin did not so much as glance back at her. "Patience, Anna. You might try acquiring some."
She huffed. "I possess patience in abundance, I assure you. But I also appreciate knowing whether I am being led to a picnic or my untimely demise."
A chuckle rumbled low in his throat. "If it were your demise, I should think you would have noticed my villainous tendencies by now."
Anna narrowed her eyes at his broad back. "That is hardly reassuring."
They wove through the dense greenery until, quite suddenly, the trees parted to reveal a breathtaking expanse of water stretching before them. The lake shimmered beneath the afternoon sun, its surface glassy and serene, interrupted only by the gentle ripple of a breeze. The sight of it stole the breath from her lungs.
"Colin…" she murmured, momentarily forgetting her vexation.
He said nothing, and Anna tore her gaze from the water, still marveling at the unexpected beauty of their destination. She found him watching her with an expression that suggested he had anticipated this very reaction.
I cannot allow him to be impressed with his success. Shelooked away, only for her eyes to land on yet another surprise. A small, elegantly crafted boat tethered at the shore.
"A boat?" Anna gasped.
