Shewsbury saw her stumble. He took her arm and assisted her over a rocky patch. As if she were a poor, helpless female who could never help herself. Well, she must show him she wasn’t one.
Nellie’s initial panic subsided. It was most unlikely he would come across the article, for it appeared in a lesser-known periodical and under a male pseudonym, but still, she couldn’t agree with Marian. Married couples should be honest with each other. She steeled herself.
“I don’t intend to ride to hounds.”
He raised his strong black eyebrows. “Did you have a bad experience?”
“I have never hunted foxes. I don’t approve of killing animals for sport, and furthermore, I have…”
Shewsbury had raised a hand to shush her. “Shall we leave that discussion for another day?”
According to the newspaper, Shewsbury shook a man so hard he’d fallen to his knees in the street. Must she be wary of his temper? Better, perhaps, if she became more familiar with him before mentioning her article. Might they one day discuss it reasonably, and in a kinder light? Somehow, she doubted one who hailed from the shires would agree with her.
They walked on. Despite her concerns, she was curious about this tall man at her side who matched his stride to hers as they crossed the ground toward a copse of willows, the branches trailing in the stream.
The smell of mud and mold and the sound of rushing water rose up to greet them. He stopped beneath the delicate tracery of leaves and pulled a leafy stalk from a branch to wave away an inquisitive bluebottle buzzing near her hat. “I believe you’ll approve of Shewsbury Park.”
Aware of his closeness, and unsure of his intentions, she stepped back, swiping at the persistent insect. “I’m sure I will.”
“My mother plans to move into the dower house after we wed. She has requested that you come to Leicestershire to meet her before the wedding. Parish affairs keep her engaged, and she seldom visits London.”
“I can’t wait to meet her.” Did any potential daughter-in-law really mean that? Mother-in-laws could be so difficult. She thought of Marian’s, who gave her no end of concern. Nellie wanted to like her mama-in-law and hoped they might become fond of each other, but she was aware that in a mother’s eyes, no woman ever measured up to their sons.
“My brother, Jason, and his wife are to come to London for the wedding.”
“How delightful. You will be seated next to my elder sister, Marian, Lady Belfries, at dinner. Marian is an amusing conversationalist.”
Nellie was suddenly quite eager to find out what her sister thought of him.
“Indeed? One always hopes for a lively dinner companion and so seldom gets one.”
How arrogant. She would love to take him down a peg or two. “Perhaps they don’t put you next to the right people.”
“That could well be so. They are obviously of the view that I’m a sober-minded fellow.”
“Perhaps they expect it from dukes,” Nellie said.
He cocked an eyebrow. “Shall we return to the horses? Anywhere we can gallop?”
She pointed. “There’s a straight run through the trees.” It was extremely doubtful that she could beat him on Clover, but she would like to. She often galloped her mare here and knew every inch of the ground.
“Right. I want to see what Thor can do.”
They mounted and trotted their horses over to a long stretch of grass bordered by trees. Nellie nudged Clover into a canter while Charles urged Thor forward. The stallion took off like the wind. Clover was a lazy horse but stirred up by the stallion, was soon not far behind him.
Ahead of them, a raven rose from the grass with a sharp cry. Thor suddenly began to sidle and buck. As Charles fought him, Nellie urged her horse on. Clover reached Charles and galloped past him. Nellie was unable to resist casting a mischievous grin in his direction.
Charles settled the thoroughbred down and came thundering after her.
Nellie leaned forward. “Go, Clover!” She reached the end of the gallop where a thick copse of trees blocked the way and reined in, beating Charles by a whisker.
Charles pulled Thor up. “Enjoy your good fortune, Nellie. It will be the last time you beat me on this horse,” he said, amusement in his eyes.
She lifted an eyebrow. “Can you be so sure?”
He chuckled. “He’s a bit flighty, but a splendid animal.” He edged Thor alongside her mare. “We have some fine mounts at Shewsbury Park. You can have your pick.”
Nellie murmured a thank you. She repressed a shudder. They would ride to hounds there.
“Tell me Thor’s history while we ride,” he said. “If he’s not ridden often, your father might agree to sell him to me.”
Trotting their horses through the trees, Nellie told him all she knew about the stallion, which wasn’t a great deal. He listened without comment. She couldn’t deny Charles looked good in the saddle. In fact, he made most of the men she’d met seem less virile. Of course, it was his self-assured manner. A duke would have his wishes fulfilled with no more than a look. No one would ever dare refuse him. He’d been confident she wouldn’t either. Uneasy, she caught her lip between her teeth. If she allowed him to bend her to his will, she would be miserable. Her spine tingled. While it would never be a love match, it might not be the dull marriage she had feared.
*
Charles drew in behind Nellie’s mare when the bushes narrowed the path. She was a woman of strong opinions. She’d flashed those beguiling eyes at him as if daring him to disagree with her. Her aversion to foxhunting posed a few problems, which he would deal with later. He approved of the teasing laughter in her eyes when
