Page 14 of A Seaside Scandal (Change of Heart #2)

Chapter Nine

JONATHAN

The tension in my shoulders had just begun to release when Miss Kellaway turned her playful blue eyes in my direction. At least her eyes weren’t as coy and overly seductive as Miss Lyons’s. In fact, they did strange things to my stomach.

I shifted on my horse, intent to ignore how lovely she looked with the rising sun on her features.

My anxiousness toward her hadn’t lessened since the ball—it had multiplied.

I was more aware than ever of the measures ladies took to secure a fortune once they caught the scent of one.

Miss Kellaway’s mother, the attentive captain, strolled nearby while her two soldiers took aim and fired.

Even Mr. Edmund Kellaway could have been involved in this scheme.

Why else would he voluntarily lead Miss Lyons away on a solitary ride? He had meant to leave me alone with his sister, I was certain of it.

“What do you usually ride at your home in the countryside?” Miss Kellaway asked with a glance at my horse. Her gaze lifted to mine.

I drew a deep breath, forcing myself to remain polite.

I took too long to answer, my voice lodged somewhere deep in my throat.

Did she even like horses? Or was she pretending?

A young lady who was willing to throw a glass of punch on her friend at a public assembly was capable of any form of disagreeable behavior.

I pushed aside my suspicions. We were stuck together now, stranded on this corner of the grass without any other companions.

I could at least try to have a pleasant conversation.

“An Arabian with a white coat. Dark nose and ears.” I gave a small smile. “His name is Edmund, actually, but please do not tell your brother.”

Miss Kellaway covered her mouth with one hand, but her laugh still burst out, muffled by her glove. “You cannot be serious.” Her expression smoothed over. “I’m afraid I must tell him.”

“No.” I gave her a scolding look. “Men do not enjoy sharing their Christian names with a horse.”

Her hand dropped, revealing her wide smile. “Nor do women. You don’t happen to have a mare named Alice, do you?”

“If I did, I wouldn’t tell you.”

Her features collapsed into a stern look, but it was underscored by a suppressed grin.

“But if you did, I imagine she would be the fastest of all your horses. Also the most well-behaved, elegant, and intelligent, of course. If you ever should acquire such an animal, I fully expect her to be named Alice.” The teasing tone of her voice made me forget my reservations about her.

I was suddenly fully inclined to believe that she possessed all of those qualities.

“I shall bear that in mind,” I said, leaning toward her. I corrected my posture, but a few seconds too late. Why was I so drawn to her? It was incredibly vexing.

My horse tossed its head restlessly, inching closer to Miss Kellaway’s mount.

I led my horse in a circle, but Miss Kellaway followed.

She sat comfortably on her side saddle, as if she had spent countless hours in the position.

Perhaps she had. Her back was straight, her attention on me without a hint of reservation.

She held the reins lightly, with a casual confidence that I found far more attractive than I should have.

She seemed less persistent today than her friend, Miss Lyons, which was probably far more dangerous.

Miss Kellaway could make herself appear genuine.

Even when it was clear that she and her brother had been scheming for this private conversation, I was still unable to stop myself from enjoying it.

“And you?” I asked. “What horse do you ride back in Hampshire?”

She eyed me carefully, but I saw her gaze flicker across the grass. Her brother and Miss Lyons had created a great deal of distance between us, but Miss Lyons was still watching our conversation from afar.

“Millie, my thoroughbred,” Miss Kellaway replied. “I believe…she was mentioned at the ball.” Her eyes lowered, and I thought I saw a hint of color on her cheeks.

The dispute about who that horse belonged to had surely been the cause of the fight between the two women.

Looking at Miss Kellaway now, it was difficult to believe that she would have lied.

She seemed afraid to meet my gaze. Before I could examine her expression further, a laugh erased the uncertainty in her features.

“There is another horse I take out occasion, though—a stallion. He has a dark coat with a healthy shine, but he is unbearably slow. He’s rather ungainly too… unfit for proper racing.”

I frowned. “Is he old?”

“Not particularly, just rather weak.”

“Poor creature. And what is his name?”

The edges of her lips smirked. “Perhaps I should not tell you.”

I raised my eyebrows with a laugh. “No, please. Enlighten me.”

She stopped her horse beside mine, facing out toward the grass. The wind took hold of a few strands of her hair, and they shone copper in the sunlight. Her smile spread wide, eyes glinting with amusement. “Jonathan.”

I groaned, and a burst of laughter escaped my chest. I should have seen that coming, but I had been too distracted by her face.

Her smile. Devil take it, I was far too easily manipulated.

But perhaps I had been wrong about her intentions.

I wanted to be wrong. It was daring of her to say my Christian name, but I liked it.

The sound of my name on her voice made me feel strangely close to her for a moment, even if she had used it to tease me so mercilessly.

“First you assume I’m a novice painter, and now a weak rider?” I asked. “Is that your implication?”

She grinned but didn’t answer. Instead, she loosened her reins with a nudge to her horse and burst off across the Steine.

Instinctively, I followed suit, setting my horse into a gallop across the neatly trimmed grass.

I couldn’t help it. A surge of competitiveness swarmed over my mind, banishing every last concern about the lure of Miss Kellaway’s charms. I would worry about that later. For now, I had to win.

My muscles tensed as I covered the ground between us.

I had almost caught up to her. I leaned forward, urging my horse to pick up speed until we mirrored Miss Kellaway’s horse.

I slid up beside her, and then passed, throwing her a triumphant smile as I did.

There was no clear finish line, but at least I was proving the point I had wanted to make.

Our horses were well-matched, and Miss Kellaway was a skilled rider, but my horse had a slight edge on hers.

By the time we had cut across the entire width of the Steine, we were both laughing.

Miss Kellaway brought her horse to a stop behind mine. She struggled to catch her breath. I hadn’t heard her laugh so heartily before, and I wouldn’t soon forget the sound. It was musical and inviting—not at all as threatening as I would have hoped.

“Perhaps you should change the name of your stallion,” I said with a grin. “Jonathan is unsuitable for such a weak, ungainly horse, I would think.”

Her nose wrinkled, but a smile still tugged on her lips. “I will not change his name simply because your pride demands it.”

“It’s not a matter of pride. It’s honor.” I straightened my posture in an exaggerated fashion. “If I am to share a name with a horse, I should at least like it to be a talented one.”

She seemed far too amused with my response. “Yes, he lacks skill, but he is perfectly cherished at Kellaway Manor. Is it not enough that he is happy?”

I pretended to contemplate her words. “No.”

She laughed, her eyes meeting mine with a persuasive look. “He eats well. He munches on oats and sugar cubes all the day long.”

I fought against my own smile. “I don’t like oats.”

She gave an exasperated sigh. I had no idea if this horse actually existed, but I refused to surrender. Miss Kellaway did not seem to realize how competitive I could be.

She shrugged. “Well, despite his shortcomings, he is mine. And I love him.”

I studied the curve of her smile, and the glint of sunlight on her skin. If I was not careful, I would have something to envy of that horse after all.

I shook myself of my admiration. If I didn’t keep a clear head, I would forget all that had transpired at the ball. Miss Kellaway only wanted my fortune—I couldn’t ignore that.

“Shall we all switch partners now?”

The demure voice of Miss Lyons came from my left.

She and Edmund approached our makeshift finish line on their horses, with Miss Lyons leading the way.

“I daresay the Steine will soon be positively overrun with the morning promenade,” she said.

“But we may have time for another turn or two before it becomes overcrowded.”

Miss Kellaway agreed with a curt nod, but I caught a glimpse of sharpness behind her gaze as she observed her friend.

The tension between the two women created an involuntary tightness in my chest.

Miss Kellaway kept her eyes fixed on her friend. “You and I might ride together now, Charlotte.”

Miss Lyons laughed. “We ride together all the time, dearest. I should like to test my skill against Mr. Croft. I am quite competitive, you know.”

“I know.” Miss Kellaway flashed a smile, but it seemed false.

Miss Lyons didn’t seem to notice, her gaze sliding toward me.

She led her horse up beside mine, and I had little choice but to set off at a slow pace, leading the way across the grass.

Thankfully, Miss Kellaway and her brother followed behind us.

It didn’t seem likely that I would be left alone with Miss Lyons, which was a relief.