Page 14 of A Sense of Injustice
She gave up on sleep before it got light. Pushing back the covers, she dressed in her bronze velvet habit, thinking that if she intended to ride she might as well stop trying to second guess Luke’s reasons for presenting her with Amethyst and simply enjoy the experience.
She let herself out of the house without encountering a soul and reached the stables early, but Luke was there ahead of her.
‘You came,’ he said softly, smiling at her.
‘I am not forgoing the pleasure of riding this glorious creature, proprieties be damned,’ she replied, glancing up at Amethyst. He was already saddled, as was Luke’s black stallion, Onyx. In the half-light of dawn Amethyst was even more magnificent than she had previously appreciated. Relatively small but stocky and with superb confirmation, she suspected that the sturdy gelding would have a real turn of speed. She stroked his neck, shy suddenly and reluctant to look directly at Luke, even though she could sense his gaze resting upon her.
She fed Amethyst the carrot she had appropriated from the tackroom, then led him into the yard. Before she could position the gelding beside the mounting block a strong pair of hands grasped her waist from behind and lifted her into the side-saddle. She breathlessly looked down at Luke as she gathered up the reins and arranged the length of the single stirrup to her satisfaction.
‘I could have mounted without your help,’ she said, trying to sound severe and pretending that the simple gesture had not made her heart gallop at twice its regular rate. ‘You are mistaking me for Miss Gregory, which is insulting. I am not thatfeeble.’
Luke laughed as he swung effortlessly into Onyx’s saddle and Romulus ran circles around the two horses, barking with excitement at the prospect of running alongside.
‘That would be an impossible mistake to make,’ he said. ‘She would not have complained. But then again, it’s not a service I would have offered to her.’
‘How reassuring. She’s an empty-headed ninny and you could do a great deal better.’
‘Thank you for considering my wellbeing.’
‘You are entirely welcome. A pretty face is all very well, but one must have something to talk to one’s spouse about for the next forty years.’
‘A sobering thought.’
‘And one that most men don’t take into consideration, I suspect.’
‘Comfortable?’ he asked, watching her as she settled into her saddle.
‘Perfectly.’ She patted Amethyst’s neck. ‘Shall we go?’
They didn’t discuss their route but instinctively turned in the direction that would take them along the towpath beside the canal, leading ultimately to the reservoir—a place where their paths had crossed once or twice before.
‘How does he feel?’ Luke asked as they broke into a sedate trot. Onyx was fresh and Flora could see that Luke was having trouble holding him in check. The stallion kept prancing sideways, pawing at the ground and generally showing off.
‘He’s a very comfortable and lively ride, but he doesn’t feel the need to make a show of himself like some I could name.’ She beamed with pleasure. ‘I love him.’
Luke smiled. ‘I thought you would.’
‘Shall we give them their heads?’ she asked when they reached a flat gallop. ‘It might help Onyx to remember his manners.’
Luke pulled a dubious face. ‘It’s worth a try, I suppose. But then again, I shouldn’t complain about my horse too vociferously. I wanted a challenge and he’s certainly that.’
‘I don’t blame him for misbehaving; not really. He’s far too handsome to have a man on his back telling him what to do and when to do it.’
Luke laughed. ‘We both know that more often than not, he’s the one that makes the decisions.’
Flora grinned. ‘True enough.’
Onyx was built for speed and could have easily outstripped Amethyst, but Luke held him back and the two horses chased along side by side, eating up the ground with their long strides. Slow by Onyx’s standards, Amethyst was still faster than any horse Flora had ridden before. Onyx put in a massive buck that almost unseated Luke. The curses that slipped past his lips as he fought for control were probably supposed to be eaten up by the sound of thundering hooves and the wind whistling past their ears. Flora heard them clearly, cocked a brow and then laughed across the space that separated them.
‘Sorry about that,’ Luke said as they drew rein at the end of the gallop. ‘Onyx still enjoys our battles of will.’
‘You didn’t use any words that I haven’t heard your grandmother employ from time to time. And I would hardly be shocked into giving notice even if you had.’
‘Grandmamma is a law unto herself. Always has been. But you don’t need me to tell you that.’
Flora patted Amethyst’s sweaty neck, smiling as Romulus came gambolling up to them, tongue lolling from the side of his mouth. He’d probably ran off somewhere to chase rabbits, but never allowed Luke to be far from his sight. Sensible dog that he was, he knew when he was well off and wasn’t about to risk abandonment for a second time.
‘It’s rather liberating, not having a strict moral code by which to live anymore. Oh goodness, I didn’t mean that the way it sounded, so you can stop grinning this instant, Luke Beranger. I was referring to my father’s idea of the only suitable behaviour for a young woman. I still sometimes get eaten up by guilt because I am so relieved to have been liberated. It’s still possible to believe in God and enjoy life, but Papa would never see things that way.’ She flashed a rueful smile. ‘Christians thrive on inducing guilt.’
