Page 21 of A Lady Igniting Wicked Passions
“I did not realize how hot it was, Mama,” Arabella protested.
Arabella’s blood turned to ice as she remembered the sharp nip which Aaron, in his passion, had given her. She had lifted her teacup halfway to her mouth when her mother spoke. Lady Eversden shaded her eyes against the sun with her bonnet as she leaned forward. Arabella put the cup to her lips and took a long draught of tea.
It was too hot and made her drop the cup as the pain hit her. It spilled onto the saucer and the white tablecloth that covered the wrought iron table. Arabella put her hand to her mouth with a yelp of pain which drew the eyes of Isabella and her circle.
“Arabella! What a mess you have made! Please be more careful!” Lady Eversden scolded.
Arabella’s face was scarlet but she kept her eyes down, dabbing at her lips with a napkin.
“It was far hotter than I had expected, Mama. I am sorry,” she said.
As she dabbed at her lips, she prayed that she would not be asked any further questions about a bruise. Lady Eversden sniffed but said no more about it, seeming to forget that she had noticed the bruise before her daughter burned her mouth. Lord Eversden didn’t seem to have noticed.
He was watching a race between carriages which was taking place in the Ring, that fenced off area used for racing and riding that would otherwise be dangerous among the walkers of the park. Arabella noticed that Edgeworth was regarding the races with interest too.
Both men had produced looking glasses, holding them to their eyes to see across the distance.
“Anything interesting there today, Papa?” Arabella asked.
“Looks like young Harlton has a rather promising looking pair of fillies,” Eversden said, distracted. “I believe he’s won twice already today. Shame we didn’t bring down Achilles. I could have showed him off.”
“You, Papa?” Arabella said, teasingly. “I’ll wager I could get a better speed out of Achilles than you.”
She was serious, and enjoyed bantering with her father over horsemanship, proud of her skill and his knowledge of it. Eversden chuckled.
“Arabella, are you bragging again? And about horses of all things,” Helena drawled, rejoining her family, and taking a seat at the table.
Isabella had also stepped away from the court and stood before the table. Once again Eversden and Edgeworth rose politely.
“It is not a brag, Helena,” Arabella replied.
“What have you done to yourself now?” Helena said with mock incredulity. “Lord Edgeworth, you really must do your best to keep her under a tighter rein. I am sure that, like her precious horses, she will respond to a firm hand.”
Lady Eversden beamed at her eldest daughter as though she had uttered a delightful witticism.
“I must say that I do not know how any woman could match a man in horsemanship,” Lady Isabella said.
“I would tend to agree,” Eversden said. “But carriage riding is different. Not so much brute force needed. More skill. And Arabella has that in abundance.”
Arabella was glaring at Helena. She knew that she was being baited but did not care.
“I would prove it if we had brought horses with us. And I had an opponent to challenge,” she said.
“Oh, I have horses here. They are currently stabled in the park,” Isabella said brightly. “I’m sure I could provide you with a loan for the purposes of this rather exciting wager!”
“Against whom?” Arabella asked.
“How about your handsome fiancée, dear Helena?” Isabella asked.
“Done!” Eversden said, earning a glare from his wife and a startled glance from Arabella.
Helena and Isabella smiled.
“Are we going over to the Ring?” Edgeworth said, lowering his glasses and sounding hopeful.
“Yes, we are. Finally, a bit of excitement to breathe some life into this day,” Eversden said, throwing down his napkin and rising from table.
Arabella forced a smile of her own and rose with her father. Helena looked smug as she stood, and Isabella looked as serene as a swan. Arabella trusted neither of them.
