Page 84 of An Affair with a Notorious Heiress
She didn’t want him romancing her. The lie sat heavy on her heart. If she were a debutante, in her first Season, she would want all he offered. But she wasn’t. She was used goods. A man in his position had to consider his place in Society, his legacy, and the respect given to him by his peers. She might be a foreigner, but she had learned in short order that marrying into the aristocracy came with exacting expectations. Exhausting ones because its members were always on display, their actions scrutinized and gossiped over.
Gina wanted it. Tillie did not.
Rex closed his hand over her shoulder and gently gave her a nudge. “Sweetheart, it’s time to awaken. We’re almost there.”
She loved the endearment, the gentleness of it, the warmth it carried. Slowly, she opened her eyes, forced herself to move away from him, and stretched as best she could within the confines of the conveyance. “Where are we?”
“Kingsbrook Park.”
“You brought me to a park?” she asked, leaning toward the window and gazing out. She saw rolling fields, occasional trees, green.
“Not exactly,” he said. “It’s my personal estate.”
She glanced back over her shoulder at him. “Personal?”
“Not entailed. I have my own income from investments and such. I bought this place a couple of years ago.”
Turning her attention back to the window, she spied the manor, simple in its design. Rectangular, brick, three stories. Then the enormous stables and numerous paddocks came into view. The excitement thrummed through her, and she couldn’t keep it from echoing in her voice. Not that she would have tried. She wanted him to know how much this moment meant to her. “It’s where you keep your horses.”
As Rexton helped Tillie out of the coach, he felt like a young lad sharing a new discovery. Her smile was incredibly bright, larger than he’d ever seen it, and her eyes glowed with enthusiasm. She was fairly bouncing with anticipation as he led her toward the largest paddock where a dark bay munched on flowers. He’d known the outing would please her. He should have made a wager on it. He could think of a thousand things he wanted with her, things she might be reluctant to give.
He nodded toward the trainer and a couple of the stable boys who were at work nearby. When he and Tillie reached the enclosure, Rexton whistled and the horse trotted over, making quick work of snatching up the carrot he’d removed from his pocket and extended toward her. He patted the mare fondly. “Lady Landsdowne, meet Fair Vixen.”
“Hello, beautiful,” she said with affection, rubbing her hand beneath the forelock. “I’ve seen her race. Up close, she’s gorgeous.”
“Would you like to ride her?”
Tillie’s eyes widened, her jaw dropped. He knew it was a sight he’d never forget.
“Are you serious?” she asked in a near whisper. “Or am I asleep, still dreaming?”
“Why do you think I asked that you dress in something simple?”
“You should have told me to wear my riding habit.”
“I feared that might give away the surprise.” Leaning in, he brushed his lips over hers. “I do so like it when you’re surprised.”
Tears quickly welled in her eyes, were blinked back. “You’re dangerous.”
He didn’t take offense because he suspected she’d just delivered a compliment. At least, he was hoping so. “Not so much so that you won’t accept the offer to go for a jaunt on my finest mare.”
Laughing, she shook her head. “No, not that dangerous.”
He called to the head groomer to ready Fair Vixen and Naughty Boy, his favorite stallion. Tillie had burst out with laughter when she heard the name. He’d not yet raced the beast so it wasn’t known. Because Grace sometimes visited, they had a sidesaddle, although Rexton wouldn’t have minded if Tillie had sat astride. He didn’t think she could do anything with which he’d be offended.
Before long, they were galloping over the hills. He let her take the lead, enjoyed watching her graceful movements. Her affection for horses matched his own. He had a wild thought that he could spend an eternity racing with her, enjoying the movement of the horse beneath him.
When Tillie brought her horse to a halt at the top of a rise, she was breathless and glowing, and he wanted to do all in his power to keep her looking that joyous, that happy.
“She runs like a dream,” Tillie said, patting the horse as he neared. “You will certainly get a winner off her with Black Diamond.”
“That’s my hope.”
He dismounted, walked over to her, and brought her to the ground. By now, he should be immune to the pleasure it brought him to touch her, to curve his palms against her sides, to have her hands curling over his shoulders. As Tillie walked away, he tethered the horses to some low-lying shrubbery. He joined her, put his arms around her, and brought her back against his chest. She folded her arms over his.
“It’s lovely here.”
He pressed a kiss to the nape of her neck. “We’ll let the horses rest for a while, then we’ll head back to the manor for luncheon.”
