Page 49 of Slippers and Thorns
She heard Michael chase after her once he recovered from his surprise at her unexpected flight, but they were already in the royal wing. It was a short distance to her door, and she was through and had it closed behind her before he could catch up. She leaned against the door while she caught her breath. His footsteps stopped by her door, but after a few minutes, they started off again in the direction of his rooms.
Ella let out a sigh of relief. After the way he’d been acting in the hall, she had been sure he was going to pound on her door, demanding she come out or let him in, despite the scene it would have made. Thankfully, he’d apparently thought better of it.
Tomorrow, she would have to face him again. Tomorrow, she would have to endure the whole day with him. But at least tonight she would be free from his presence. And after her realizations that afternoon, that was what she wanted.
At least, that’s what she told herself. And she even believed it.
Mostly.
CHAPTER 21
Michael
T
he weather turned during the night. While the previous day had been a perfect example of a beautiful fall day, the morning of their departure saw them bundled in long-sleeved clothing and wrapped in cloaks as a brisk wind bit the bare skin on their faces.
Michael scowled to himself. If conditions didn’t improve, the dratted weather was likely to mess up his plans. Although knowing Arabella, it might not.
He let his eyes wander over to where she trotted along the city road on Shadow’s back. One of her maids was riding next to her this morning. The maid was huddled over the horse, hood up and cloak held tightly together by a gloved hand peeking out between the flaps, shivering. Arabella’s hood was thrown back, her face lifted to the sky as she inhaled the cold morning air and exhaled white puffs. Her cheeks were red, but she was smiling, reveling in the small slice of sunshine filtering through the thick clouds.
Yes, perhaps the weather wouldn’t matter, after all.
Their procession continued through Hartford to the eastern gate. Technically, Arabella should have been riding in the carriage rumbling along behind them, but while they kept up appearances at inns along the road and in other kingdoms, she almost always rode Shadow or walked on her own two feet inside the capital. The people of the city were too accustomed to her riding about to think twice about her leaving on a journey or returning from one in any other fashion.
Once they were a few miles into the countryside, they pulled off to the side of the road so that Arabella could switch from sidesaddle to her preferred method of riding astride. Michael caught the slight frown she gave him when he approached to help her down, but she hid it quickly. Relishing the light weight of her hands on his shoulders as she hopped down and the feel of her waist between his gloved hands, he was slow to release her.
She raised an eyebrow at him. He dropped his hands, but gripped her arm lightly through her dark blue cloak when she moved to remount. “Wait a moment,” he said. The chatter of their traveling companions and the stomping of the horses’ hooves covered his quiet words. “Would you like to ride Shadow the entire way instead of switching to the carriage at the inns?”
Arabella had been watching him with something akin to annoyance, but at his words, she perked up. “Do you mean it?”
“Our destination is off the normal path to the capital,” he replied. “While some of the people where we stop might know our faces, I doubt most of them would actually recognize us without our entourage, the royal carriage, and the royal trappings on Shadow and Chief. We could keep the clothes we need in our saddlebags with some basic provisions, spread the guard to where they can keep an eye on us without obviously being with us, and send the carriage and other servants on ahead. If the people at the inns don’t know who we are, it won’t matter if you ride in and out on horseback.”
Arabella smiled – the first one he’d seen since lunch yesterday – and her blue eyes shone. “That sounds wonderful. Can we really do it?”
“I already talked to Oliver,” Michael smiled back. “He approved the plan and promised to fill in the members of your guard if you want to do it.”
“Yes, definitely!” Arabella exclaimed. “I have never liked riding by myself in that carriage.”
“Are you sure? It’s rather cold, and it might get colder before we reach the castle,” Michael pointed out, adjusting his hood to better block the wind. “If we send the carriage ahead, you won’t be able to switch to it tomorrow if the temperature drops further. It’s possible we could get snow, even.”
Arabella shook her head, dismissing his concern. “I don’t mind. I’d rather take on a blizzard with Shadow than be a passenger. It’s not like the carriage is that much warmer, anyway.” She reached out and stroked Shadow’s neck affectionately.
“True,” Michael acknowledged with a small grin of his own. “It’s my duty to point it out, though.” He paused before adding in a joking tone, “Of course, this plan will also put you with nobody but Shadow, Chief, and me the whole way. Are you sure you can handle that?”
To his frustration, Arabella hesitated. The concept of a blizzard was brushed aside without a thought, but she had to stop and think about whether or not she wanted to be alone with her husband for a three-day journey.
Helena wouldn’t have hesitated, he pouted in his head. Helena would have plunged just as readily towards the potential adventure of a blizzard but without worrying about being alone with him. In fact, being with him would have been the icing on the cake that sealed the deal!
He would have thought it would be for Arabella, too, two days ago. Even the Arabella of one day ago, he was sure, would have leaped at the opportunity. But maybe he was wrong about that. After all, he still didn’t understand what had changed at the end of their lunch, so maybe she would have hesitated before lunch, too.
“Of course,” Arabella finally replied. Slowly, and without looking him straight in the eyes. “Why would that be a problem?”
Forcing his smile to stay in place, Michael patted her shoulder. “I’ll go talk to Oliver, then.”
“Are you sureyouwant to do this?” Arabella asked as he turned to leave.
“What do you mean?”
