Page 18 of An Unforeseen Kiss (Captivating Kisses #4)

M iss Snow came to a halt. “I do not need a special horse, Your Grace,” she said, as haughtily as any duchess might. “Any mount will do. You should spend more time considering those your cousins will ride. They are your chief concern.”

Val liked seeing her ruffled a bit. She always seemed to be in such control. He wanted to wrest that control away from her—and see the woman beneath the staid governess.

“Oh, I have also thought of the horses they should ride but as I said, I would appreciate your advice since you know what skills they hold.” He paused.

“But Andromeda will be for you. I will warn you now. No one has been able to ride her yet except for me, and I prefer to keep to Perseus, my favorite in the stables.”

She sniffed. “You are fond of Greek mythology?”

“Do you know of Perseus and Andromeda?” he asked.

“I am familiar with them. That Perseus slayed the Gorgon Medusa, as well as rescued Andromeda from the sea serpent Cetus.”

He grinned. “You left out the part where Perseus wed Andromeda.”

Miss Snow shrugged. “I suppose she expressed her gratitude toward him by doing so.”

“You do not think gratitude a good reason for two people to wed?”

“My opinions on marriage are no concern of yours, Your Grace.”

She moved away from him, and Val caught up to her, seeing the girls all waited for them.

Immediately, her demeanor changed. “Oh, look at this roan. What a beauty she is.”

The governess lovingly stroked the horse who stuck his head outside his stall, and all Val could think of was having her hands stroke his chest in the same manner. Then she leaned toward the horse and kissed it, causing his manhood to stir.

“That’s Sunset,” said one of his grooms. “He’s even-tempered but a bit spirited.”

Miss Snow smiled at the groom, a friendly smile that Val wished she would bestow upon him.

“How apropos. Sunset is various shades of the actual sunset. A clever name.”

“I thought Justina might like to ride Sunset,” he said.

His cousin moved toward the horse. “Oh, how are you, Sunset?” she cooed, petting the horse. Turning to Val, she asked, “Did you bring the apples?”

He nodded to the groom, who retrieved the basket Val had brought from the house and handed them to the duke. He tossed one to Justina, and she caught it, laughing, then offered it to Sunset.

“Stay here and get to know Sunset better,” Miss Snow urged Justina.

“Where is my horse, Val?” asked Verina.

“This way.”

He led them down the row, stopping at a stall on the left. Clucking his tongue, Val leaned inside and encouraged the mare to come to him. Verina joined him.

“Verina, meet Glory. She is a sister to Sunset and very pleasant.”

“Ah, Glory, my sweet,” his cousin crooned.

Val offered her an apple, too, which Verina held out to Glory.

“Look, Miss Snow! She is taking it with no fuss.”

“That is good,” the governess said. “Go into the stall and brush her some. She will like that.”

“Have Val take you to your horse, Miss Snow,” Verina encouraged as she opened the stall door.

“Shall we?” he asked, continuing down the row, stopping before a stall. He peered inside. “This is Andromeda.”

The governess stepped to the stall, and her shoulder brushed his, causing desire to trickle along his spine.

“It is nice to meet you, Andromeda,” she said, her tone smooth as honey. “I hear you are a bit feisty.”

She opened the gate and moved inside, closing it behind her, all the while speaking gently to the horse. Andromeda snorted as the governess approached.

Laughing, Miss Snow said, “I will pretend that was a sneeze and not you judging me, my pretty one.”

He watched as she worked magic with the horse, talking to it as if they were old friends sharing secrets. He thought how good she would be as a hostess, making her guests feel at ease. And that’s when it hit him. He was truly considering Miss Snow as his duchess.

Lord Almighty, what would Mama think? And the ton ?

Val decided he didn’t care for anyone’s opinion but his own. Miss Snow would be ideal as his duchess. She would approach things without nonsense and yet be nurturing at the same time. Watching her smooth her hand against Andromeda’s flank, a surge of jealousy arose within him.

He wanted her touching him. Cooing to him. He wanted her in his bed, naked, his mouth on hers as he thrust inside her. The thought of him inside her had him growing hard.

“Your Grace?”

Looking up, he sensed the back of his neck heat. “Yes, Miss Snow?”

“I asked if you would hand me an apple.”

“Of course.”

He retrieved one from the basket he carried. Instead of tossing it to her, he slipped inside the stall and handed it to her, their fingers brushing, heat filling him.

“There you go, love,” she told the horse. “That’s it. Just for you.”

Val signaled the groom to start saddling the horses and said, “Let us wait outside. The horses will be brought to us when they are ready.”

He stopped on the way, giving apples to Tia and Lia, and then stopped by Perseus’ stall.

“This is for you, courtesy of Miss Snow,” he told the horse, who gobbled up the treat.

The five awaited him and their horses outside, and Verina asked, “What will we see today, Val?”

“Millvale is a vast estate, Cousin. We will only ride a small portion of it this afternoon.”

“Could you take us out each afternoon and show us a different part of it?” Justina asked.

Before he could reply, Miss Snow said, “His Grace is a very busy man, my lady. Let him show us what he can today, but we cannot ask him to devote every afternoon to us. We shall explore on our own, with Lady Tia and Lady Lia’s help, if they are willing to accompany us.”

“We would be happy to do so, Miss Snow,” Tia said, brimming with enthusiasm. “We have spent all our lives at Millbrooke, so we are very familiar with the estate. We do not need Val at all, to be truthful.”

He pretended to stab himself. “Oh, to be so unwanted,” he said dramatically, causing the four girls to giggle.

Miss Snow viewed him with disdain.

“Although I might not be able to accompany you each afternoon, I will do so when I can,” he told the group. “I enjoy riding, and it will be good to be with my sisters and cousins.” He glanced to the governess. “And you, as well, Miss Snow.”

She gave him a tight smile.

Grooms led their mounts out, and he tossed each of them into the saddle, saving Miss Snow for last. He clasped her waist firmly and lifted her with ease.

Stepping back, he looked up as she took the reins. “Be careful, Miss Snow. As I mentioned, Andromeda has not wished for anyone to be on her back. Even I have had difficulty with her.”

She leaned down and said to the horse, “I cannot understand why His Grace is making up stories about you, Andromeda.”

He laughed and went to mount Perseus. “Everyone ready? Then follow me.”

Val began cantering away from the stables, keeping at a steady pace, glancing over his shoulder a few times.

He knew his sisters were at home in the saddle and quickly saw his cousins were cut from the same cloth.

What drew his eyes was how well Miss Snow handled Andromeda.

He had not been fibbing. The horse was a handful, and he had not enjoyed riding her.

She was too spirited, even agitated at times, and he had wondered if Andromeda might be a good fit for his stables or whether he would have to sell her.

Perhaps she could be a wedding present , he mused, chuckling to himself.

By now, Miss Snow had ridden ahead of the others, joining him. “Something is amusing, Your Grace?”

Airily, he said, “I am amused by life. You ride extremely well.”

“Andromeda and I see eye-to-eye on matters,” she replied. “But it is taking everything I have to hold her back. I have promised to give the horse her head soon.”

“Do so now,” he urged. “We are approaching the meadow. Let her run freely.”

Without a word, the governess took off. Val reined in Perseus and merely watched as she flew.

“Look at Miss Snow!” Lia proclaimed. “Why, it is if she and Andromeda are one.”

He couldn’t agree more.

The five of them watched as the horse raced across the meadow, the governess handling her with ease.

They reached the far end and his heart almost stopped as she took the fence, jumping it with little effort.

Horse and rider disappeared from sight for several seconds, and then they appeared again, once more clearing the fence and galloping back across the meadow.

As she neared them, Miss Snow slowed the horse, until Andromeda returned to a walk.

“You were magnificent, Miss Snow!” declared Tia. “I have never seen a woman handle a horse as you do Andromeda.”

She was flushed in the face, happiness in her smile. “Riding a horse of such quality is a thrill,” she admitted. “But I will tell you that she is pushing me, even now. I would not advise any of you to climb atop her. She would run away with you, and you would never gain control of her.”

Miss Snow looked to him. “Andromeda has some of her restlessness remedied with that merry jaunt, Your Grace. I believe she will behave for a good while now. Shall we begin our tour?”

He looked at her with open admiration. “I would be happy to do so.”

For the next two hours, Val led them to various parts of the estate, pride evident in his voice as he told his cousins and their governess about Millvale and its workings.

“We should head back for tea,” he finally said. “Our mamas will be wondering where we are.”

“Can we race?” Tia asked.

“You four girls can,” he agreed, having seen how well Verina and Justina managed their mounts. “I will stay back with Miss Snow for a few minutes, and then the way will be clear for Andromeda.”

They paired up, Tia racing against Verina and Lia going up against Justina. He watched, seeing how happy his sisters looked.

“I must thank Aunt Agnes for asking me to allow my cousins to join us in Kent. My sisters have been fighting off the doldrums ever since our father’s death and their canceled Season.”

“They are lovely young ladies, Your Grace. Although they had to delay their come-outs, they will have a year of maturity on their side. That can only help when the social whirl begins. It is easy for a young girl’s head to be turned.

Fortunately, you will be there to guide them through the experience. ”

“I did that for Ariadne. It was the one thing my father trusted me to do, help her find her husband. Con, my cousin, also looked out for her.” He chuckled. “Ariadne found Lord Aldridge on her own, however. I claim him as a good friend now. He makes my sister very happy.”

“So, it is a love match?” she asked.

“Very much so.”

A wistful look crossed her face. “My parents were a love match.”

“Mine were not, which is why I am finding it hard to believe Mama is taking her husband’s death so hard.”

“They may not have been a love match, but they did have four children that bound them together,” she reminded him. “No one outside a marriage can truly know what goes on inside one.” She sighed. “Though it was easy for me to see just how happy my parents were.”

Curious, he said, “You mentioned your mother’s riding accident. That she was severely injured.”

“Yes. She never left her bed after it. The doctor said there could be no more children. That is why Papa lacked an heir and my spiteful cousin took the title.” She sighed.

“Accident or not, Papa was staunchly committed to Mama and his vows. They were never apart a single day. He was ever steadfast, dedicated to her happiness.”

“Lord Brownley sounds like a remarkable man.”

“He was. Mama was just as remarkable in her own way. She never let bitterness overwhelm her, as I would think so many others in her position might. Mama was cheerful. Optimistic. And just as much in love with her husband as he was with her.”

“I envy you, being raised in love. Seeing such a shining example of marriage.”

“You can be that same kind of man and wonderful role model to your own children, Your Grace. Choose your duchess with care, and the rest will be easy.”

With that, she spurred on Andromeda. The horse responded immediately, dashing down the lane. For a minute, Val watched her, the woman and horse as one, a thing of beauty.

Miss Snow was creeping into his heart without knowing it. Soon, she would possess it.

And him.

“Come on, Perseus. Let us have a bit of fun ourselves.”

The horse sprang into motion, but they could not catch Andromeda and her rider. He arrived back at the stables, seeing his sisters and cousins moving up the hill, headed toward the house. Miss Snow had dismounted and was stroking Andromeda, resting her brow against the horse.

Quickly, he dismounted, tossing his reins to a groom, and strode toward her.

“Shall we return to the house, Miss Snow? I have worked up quite an appetite.”

She seemed to struggle for a moment, and he thought she might try to wriggle out of coming to tea. Then she looked at him, her hazel eyes tinged with a bit of green. He had noticed they tended to go more amber when she was angry, so he was curious as to what the green might mean.

“Go ahead, Your Grace. I will be along shortly.”

“I will wait and escort you back to the house,” he said, digging in his heels.

They stared at one another, two stubborn souls.

Then she burst out laughing. She patted Andromeda. “I will see you again tomorrow, pretty one. Thank you for a lovely afternoon.”

He fell into step beside her, no words necessary. Though he felt there were layers upon layers he wished to explore and learn about her, Val was perfectly content to merely be in her company.

For now, at least.