Cinderella and the Duke by Lydia Drake

Author:Lydia Drake
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Cinderella retelling;England;London;Europe;duke;duchess;rake;scandal;stepfamily;stepmother;stepsister;orphan;spinster;marriage of convenience;adoption;governess;womens rights;Cinderella retelling;England;London;Europe;duke;duchess;rake;scandal;stepfamily;stepmother;stepsister;orphan;spinster;marriage of convenience;adoption;governess;womens rights;Historical Romances;Regency Historical Romance;Women's Historical Fiction;Historical European Fiction;Cinderella and the Duke by Lydia Drake;Historical Romance book;Regency romance book;Entangled Publishing;Amara;Mass Market Paperback romance;single title romance;stand alone romance;series romance book;Matchmaker romance;duke romance;Royalty Romance;Women’s Fiction romance;Lydia Drake;Modern Historical romance;Funny Historical romance books;Books like Bridgerton;Scandalous historical romance;Rogue historical hero;Cinderella and the Duke;dukes
Publisher: Entangled Publishing, LLC
Published: 2022-09-05T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Sixteen

Julia didn’t care that she was soaked to the skin as she galloped across the field. Her bonnet had gone flying a mile back, and her shoes were sodden, but she felt no cold or fear as she charged ahead. All she wanted was to put as much distance between herself and her husband as she possibly could.

During all the time she believed they’d been getting to know one another, Gregory had been merely impatient to press his rights as a husband. He was probably weary of her presence, tired of trying again and again to have her and then depart. Well let him depart, then. She’d risk the threat of annulment rather than submit herself to a bastard like him.

The rain pattered against her face, her tears melding with the drops. Another man had left her crying in the rain. She should have guessed this was how it would turn out.

Julia screamed when lightning streaked across the heavens and her horse reared up in terror. She was a capable horsewoman, but riding sidesaddle was not the easiest way to keep a seat, and she went flying as her mount bucked her off its back. Julia landed, crying out when her ankle twisted to the left. Breathless, she lay upon her side in the tall grass and watched her horse toss its head and gallop in the direction of the stables.

“Come back!” she shouted, obviously to no effect. How could she be such a damn fool? When Julia became too angry, she allowed common sense to run away from her. No sane person would have ridden a horse farther into a storm, away from shelter.

“Well. Gregory can return to the house and have a nice hot bath and meal by himself. Then he’ll be sorry,” she grumbled, getting to her feet and limping toward a wide-branched tree. “Indeed. He’s the one who’ll truly suffer.”

If she’d been in the mood to laugh, she’d have laughed at herself. Julia collapsed beneath the tree, where she pulled off a shoe and rolled down a muddy stocking. She wasn’t much of a physician, but she didn’t think she’d broken the bone. It didn’t even hurt that much now; all she needed was to sit here and wait for the rain to die down. Perhaps Gregory would send a search party. After all, allowing his new bride to perish in a storm would look like criminal carelessness to the ton.

“Or they’d think him the cleverest man in England.” Julia sighed. “Why am I talking to myself?”

Her head lifted as she heard the thud of cantering hoofbeats coming her way. Had the horse turned back for her? She got unsteadily to her feet and discovered another rider on another horse.

Even though he was still far away, she recognized the wild tangle of dark hair and the incensed expression. So. Her husband had come looking for her after all.

Julia merely sat down and continued massaging her ankle as Gregory pulled up on his horse. The animal snorted, its breath steaming in the rain as Gregory climbed down.

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