Chapter 10
The following morning, Poppy rose from her restless slumber, eager to visit the stables and ride for the day. She was naughtily clad in breeches that revealed every curve of her body and a shirt that thankfully covered her rump. Daphne had choked on her tea when she spied Poppy, but Aunt Marielle had only harrumphed. Meeting James by the stables, admiration lit in his eyes when he spied her. Poppy hid her grin when she noted the flush on his sharply defined cheekbones.
“Let’s get to riding,” James called.
Her mare was led out by Fernley, who winked at her. Poppy smiled, and with the aid of James and the mounting block, seated her horse astride. It felt different. Oddly more intimidating. She gently gathered the reins and relaxed under James’s instructions, following the back-and-forth movement of the horse. Poppy rocked with her mare’s stride, easing into the familiarity of riding astride. She could feel the bunch of muscles and the power of the horse beneath her. Leaning forward slightly, she ran her gloved hand through the coarse hair of the horse’s mane. Her mare’s ears were pricked, telling Poppy she was ready, but waiting.
“Lean forward slightly,” James said from beside her.
Poppy complied, and immediately her horse nudged forward into a steady lope. The urge to go faster beat in her heart, but she restrained the need bubbling inside her, desperate to spew out. They trotted gently along the lanes, and Poppy stared into the distance, a peculiar sadness upon her.
“James,” she said, glancing over at him, “Do you ever feel this frantic longing inside for something…more. You do not know what it is really, but the shadows of the feelings are there inside you, straining and reaching. And it is so frustrating because you do not understand fully what you so desperately want.”
“Yes,” he said gruffly, careful in not looking at her.
“What do you do then when such sensations play havoc with your peace of mind?”
For a long time, he did not answer. Then he turned and held her eyes fiercely with his.
“What do you want, Poppy?”
His intensity shook her. You. More kisses with you. More laughter. More dancing. More of everything. But she did not say that. “I wish I could go faster, feel the wind on my face.”
“You are several lessons away from that, I am afraid. I have no wish for you to fall and break your pretty neck.” Yet, he indicated for her to draw the horse to a stop. James dismounted, helped Poppy from her horse and placed her atop his. Then to Poppy’s shocked delight, he mounted behind her.
The feel of his body behind her was nerve-wracking.
“Hold the reins as well, loosely, and lean forward slightly. We are going to go fast.”
Her heart in her throat, Poppy nodded.
At James’s urging, each stride of his stallion gained momentum until the horse flattened his ears and hurtled onward. The ground rushed past at astonishing speed, and Poppy laughed, feeling breathless. As if the stallion picked up on her delight, Poppy felt the shift of the stallion beneath her, the great muscles working beneath him as his strides lengthened. The ground raced by alarmingly fast, but Poppy’s eyes were on the endless meadows before, the blue of the sky, the feel of James behind her.
The hoofbeats fill her ears, blocking all noise except the wind, the glorious rushing wind. The power and speed were exhilarating and even terrifying.
James slowed them and eased the horse until he stepped. Laughing shakily, Poppy turned and glanced up at his face. He was grinning, his air windswept.
“Now how was that?” he murmured.
“I felt like I would have taken flight. James, that was glorious, thank you!” Then Poppy leaned in and brushed a kiss against his mouth.
James faltered into stillness as if this were the first they were kissing. Poppy drew back embarrassed, for she had not thought about it; only her exuberance and impetuosity had pushed her to kiss him. “James I…”
Her words petered out at the look in his eyes—such burning hunger and also caution. He shook his head as if dazed. Then his chest lifted on a harsh breath. With her own dazed sense of awe, she noted one of the gloved hands on his thigh shook before he clenched it into a tight fist. It occurred to Poppy then that whenever James kissed her, he felt extraordinary things, and he had to be careful, or he feared he would seduce her.
Poppy smiled, wanting to hug and squeeze him. That a man as handsome and sought after could want her so much was remarkable. She turned around because she did not want him to see the wide smile curving her mouth. He did not mention her enthusiastic and very chaste kiss. They only rode back to collect her mare and then headed to the manor in silence, an odd sort of tension-filled with so many unspoken questions and longing brewing between them.
Poppy woke early the next day, knowing James would already be gone. After quickly finishing her morning ablutions with the assistance of Daphne’s lady maid, Poppy made her way to the breakfast room, scanning the room for his presence. Only Aunt Marielle was there, and she was the one to inform Poppy James had departed for town at the crack of dawn.
Poppy went to the sideboard laden with food and filled her plate with succulent ham, eggs, kippers, and toast. There was also porridge and cold meats, but she ignored those, selecting a few pieces of toast.
Daphne entered the breakfast room just as Poppy sat and started eating. They grinned at each other, and Daphne hurriedly filled her plate before sitting in front of Poppy.
“I received a letter from Mama. She says we are to return to town for Lady Bloomfield’s ball, which is in a few days,” Daphne said. “The countess’s ball is immensely popular, and mama believes it a great opportunity for you. Mama however will not be in town when we arrive. She is to visit Cousin Euphemia in Derbyshire, who is about to give birth to her first child, and so will stay for a few weeks.”
A thrill of excitement went through Poppy at the thought of seeing James again so soon. With a frown, she mentally stomped on the sensation until it died. “Then we are to leave this afternoon?”
Daphne grinned. “Yes. I daresay we will pack and depart right after breakfast. Are you to accompany us to town, Aunt Marielle, since mama will be gone?”
“I will be returning to Bath. Perhaps tomorrow, my dears. I am exceedingly tired of town life. Too much excitement. But I might be persuaded to visit for a few days.”
They laughed and hurriedly finished their breakfast to start their packing.
The Poppy Ashford who drove back to town with Lady Daphne was much more confident in her demeanor and felt the veneer of sophistication she had acquired would stand her in good stead against the vagaries of society. Instead of returning to her stepmother’s townhouse, they arrived at Lady Daphne’s much grander one. Aunt Marielle accompanied them, and a second carriage followed with the servants and luggage.
James awaited their arrival and greeted them as they entered the elegant townhouse in Russel Square.
“Welcome back, Daphne, Aunt and Miss Ashford,” he said, smiling. “Were there any problems with the journey?”
He kissed his sister and aunt but merely bowed to Poppy. Yet his eyes lingered discreetly on her, sweeping from her head to toes. Then the dratted man winked. A sweet feeling brushed against her heart. Poppy grinned and swept him an elegant curtsy in return.