The Lord of Lost Causes by Kate Pearce

Author:Kate Pearce [Pearce, Kate]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Historical Romance
Publisher: Kate Pearce
Published: 2018-03-18T04:00:00+00:00

Chapter 9

“Good morning, Mrs. Harding.”

Caroline stared up at Captain Grafton who was mounted on his horse and led a second one. She felt slightly feverish, but not enough to stop her accompanying Captain Grafton on his excursion to his family home. It was a bright clear morning of fractured sunlight and hard frost that made even the industrial buildings sparkle with crystal light.

“How do you expect me to ride?” Caroline asked. “How do you even know that I can ride?”

He raised an eyebrow. “All ladies learn to ride.”

“But I don’t have any suitable clothing.”

“I’m sure you’ll be able to borrow something from the shop.” He pointed at the door. “Hurry up. I don’t want to keep the horses standing around in this weather.”

Caroline ran back inside calling for her mother. To her immense relief Marie found an old riding habit that had been brought in to be taken apart and the velvet fabric reused. Caroline put it on with some help, borrowed her mother’s green hat, and reemerged to find Captain Grafton walking the horses up and down the street, his expression one of impatience.

He came over, dismounted, and tied his horse up. He wrinkled his nose. “You smell like mothballs.”

Caroline smoothed a hand over the worn velvet. “It’s the best I can do unless you would prefer me to ride naked?”

“Like Lady Godiva?” He studied her. “I might enjoy that.”

Ignoring his lascivious leer, she placed her hand on the pommel of the sidesaddle, only to have him reach both hands around her waist and boost her up into the saddle. She scrabbled to find her balance and gather up her reins.

“I haven’t ridden for years,” she confessed. “I hope I remember what to do.”

“I’m sure it will come back to you. We’re not going far.”

She glanced across at him as he mounted up. “I didn’t realize your family seat was so close to Millcastle.”

“It’s not something I advertise. I left home at eighteen before Millcastle became an industrial center so not many people know of the connection.” He led the way along the narrow-cobbled streets toward the west side of the town. “In truth, I haven’t been there since I returned to England.”

“Why ever not?”

“Because my family chose to disown me, and I decided to repay the favor when I came back.”

“They disowned you because of your dishonorable discharge from the army in India?”

“Yes.”

“I suspect most families would have done the same thing.”

“Without even listening to an explanation of the events surrounding said dismissal?”

“You are suggesting there were extenuating circumstances attached to the event?” Caroline asked as she bent her head to avoid an overhanging branch.

“I know what happened, Mrs. Harding. That’s enough for me.” He stood up in his stirrups and looked past the smoke and grime to the green hills beyond. “As soon as we clear the town, we can increase our pace.”

Caroline held on tightly to the reins and followed the captain out of the town, and into the hedge-lined fields beyond its borders. It was so pleasant to simply breathe in air that didn’t make her cough.

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