Page 25 of Tempting a Lonely Lord (The Rakes of Mayhem #6)

“Do you want to walk a little before we ride?” William asked, hoping Bella felt as he did and would opt for time to talk. He hadn’t had a chance to speak with her that morning, and there was so much in his head after speaking with Stephen that he wanted a chance to comb through it.

“I’d like that. Besides, Winterborne appreciates going for a walk beyond the stable yard for the first time in too many months. I can tell he’s enjoying snacking on dandelions and other vegetation he fancies.”

“If I didn’t know better, I would say your horse is grinning. Winterborne seems to agree with you,” William said.

“He’s much happier, I think.” She reached up and kissed the horse on the nose. “Winterborne, you’re enjoying yourself, aren’t you?” she asked.

The horse answered with a whinny.

“I have a question I must ask. And since we are alone, this is the first time I’ve had a chance to ask, but I’ve noticed the tension between Lacey and your butler, Garrett. What’s that about?” William asked, a wide grin on his face.

“Oh, that,” Bella said, holding a hand over her mouth to hide her smile.

“Lacey stole food for Winterborne, and he stopped her the last time he caught her in the kitchen. Apples and carrots kept disappearing, and Mrs. Bisque, our cook, mentioned the missing food and teased him about taking it. Garrett is very proper and didn’t appreciate being accused, even if it was in jest. He took it upon himself to find the culprit and hid in the pantry, only to discover it was Lacey. ”

William guffawed. “That’s funny. She’s holding a grudge! Did he scold her? Is that why she’s being so huffy around him?”

“Yes, I’m afraid so. Garrett, who is the soul of patience, lost his temper at her, and Lacey hasn’t forgiven him.

She is a very clever dog, and very loving, but I believe she feels insulted by the scolding, and it seems she has a long memory,” Bella said, her smile wide.

“I’m hoping it resolves itself. They used to be such chums.”

“If it continues, perhaps we can explore some ideas.” William cleared his throat.

“Speaking of exploring, there’s an area I haven’t explored yet,” he said, pointing to a field of lavender in an area near the edge of the property.

“There’s a big, flat rock I spotted a few days ago, perfect for a picnic.

And it just so happens I’ve brought a picnic.

” He smiled, tapping the basket attached to the back of his horse.

“But we can’t eat in front of Franklin,” Bella said. “It wouldn’t be fair.”

“Don’t worry. He has a basket, too.” William felt his heart do a series of backflips.

Bella was not only the prettiest lass he’d ever met, but she was also the sweetest. Her concern was always for others.

He’d be hard-pressed to find many young ladies in the ton who were so considerate and attuned to other people’s needs.

Suddenly, Winterborne reared up, yanking Bella backward. She cried out and stumbled, her balance faltering as the horse lunged, grabbing her cape with his teeth and trying to drag her away.

In a flash, William shot forward, reaching for Bella’s hand to keep her from falling as he caught the horse’s reins and assessed what was going on.

Winterborne’s behavior was wild, but not aggressive—urgent, almost desperate.

His muscles were taut, his ears pinned back, his nostrils flaring as he tossed his head.

Something was wrong.

After William made certain that Bella was steady on her feet, he turned toward the still-agitated horse. And that was when he saw it.

The steel jaws of an animal trap, half buried in the underbrush, glinted in the morning light.

A chill ran through him. Winterborne had been trying to save Bella.

His breath tightened as he turned back to Bella. Her face was pale, her eyes wide with lingering fear. Without thinking, he pulled her close, feeling the frantic rhythm of her heart against his chest.

Tilting her chin up, he kissed her—firm yet gentle, grounding them both in the warmth of the moment. The scent of her—wildflowers and something purely Bella—wrapped around him, pushing back the icy grip of fear.

“I’ve got you, Bella,” he soothed, pressing a kiss to her cheek, holding her close.

She sagged slightly against him, her heartbeat slowing, her body softening in his arms. He didn’t want to let her go. Not yet. Maybe not ever.

Franklin caught up to them, reaching for Winterborne’s reins.

“Stay behind me,” William said to Bella before turning to help steady the horse. Together, he and Franklin worked to soothe him, stroking his neck and murmuring reassurances.

Just as Bella started to walk back toward them, Winterborne snorted and pawed the ground again, his head thrashing, his agitation flaring once more.

William tensed, watching the horse, and then—he saw it. Another trap.

“Wait. Bella, don’t move. Nobody moves,” he said sharply, his chest tightening with realization. “We’ve misjudged Winterborne.”

Bella froze, color draining from her face. “What do you mean?”

William ran a hand down the horse’s neck. “My God… I see it too, boy.” He looked around, spotting what he needed. “Stay here, both of you. Don’t move a hair.”

He strode purposefully but carefully to the nearest tree and picked up a fallen branch. Returning to the spot just ahead of Winterborne, he extended the thicker end of the branch and pressed it down into the undergrowth.

A sharp snap cracked the air as the steel jaws of the second animal trap slammed shut around the wood. Then he walked to the first trap and sprang it. I thought we had gotten all of these, he thought. Now… two so close together .

William exhaled heavily. “Winterborne sensed the traps before we did. He was protecting you, Bella. If either of you had stepped on one…” He didn’t finish. He didn’t have to.

Winterborne lifted his head, his ears twitching, then gently pawed the ground—calmer now, as if confirming his success.

Bella turned to her horse, her eyes brimming with tears. Reaching up, she cradled his face in her hands, pressing a kiss between his eyes. “I am so sorry, sweet Winterborne. Thank you for saving me… I love you.”

The horse nickered softly, nudging her, as if to say he already knew.

William fought to keep emotion from his face, hearing the words he suddenly longed to hear from Bella—but they were for the horse, not him. How could he be jealous of a horse? A horse who had just saved Bella from serious injury, he reminded himself.

Suddenly, things clicked in his mind. “I’m no farrier, and it’s hard to understand people at times, let alone animals, but I think what Winterborne did—saving you—he would have done for your father.”

“He would’ve done anything for Papa. He would have given his life, I’m certain of it,” Bella said, looking into the horse’s eyes. “Winterborne, forgive me for the way I’ve treated you—not riding you, leaving you in the stable,” she said, her eyes filling with tears.

The horse replied by softly whinnying and nuzzling her ear, making her chuckle through her tears.

“Think about how much Winterborne must have loved your father,” William said, his voice low, steady—though his pulse was anything but. “Just now, he dragged you back to save you from a trap, right in your path. If you’d stepped on either one of them, it would have surely been sprung.”

A shudder ran through him. My God, a trap could have severed her foot.

The image—Bella crying out in pain, the jagged steel clamping down—flashed through his mind, swift and brutal.

He could barely stomach it.

It was too horrible to even consider, and yet, for one terrible moment, it had nearly been a reality.

“It’s incredible that he saw it. But I’ve seen this before, my lord—on the battlefield. Some of the horses that belonged to the officers, they trusted them with their lives,” Franklin said.

William nodded. “Incredibly, he spotted the traps—whether by sight, scent, or both—and stopped you. He would have done the same for your father. But in his case, it wasn’t a trap. Something made him throw your father…”

His mind reeled at the possibilities.

“A gunshot…” Bella’s voice was barely above a whisper, her eyes widening as a long-buried memory surfaced.

“I heard a gunshot that day.” She drew in a shaky breath, her face pale with the weight of realization.

“I was in the parlor with Grandmère. We were reading when it happened. It was so loud that I put down my book. Grandmère commented on the hunters being too close and said she would speak to my father when he returned…” Her mouth began to tremble, and her eyes glistened with unshed tears.

William exhaled sharply, cupping her face.

“A gunshot could have spooked his horse…” His mind worked quickly, connecting the pieces.

“Between that and the glass shards I found in the saddle, we have to consider the possibility that your father’s death wasn’t an accident.

But we don’t know anything for certain. Not yet. ”

He glanced over his shoulder toward the horizon. “We’re close to my manor house,” he said. “Let’s stop there and get some lunch.”

Bella sniffled, blinking back emotion. “But what about our picnic?”

William reached for her hand. “We’ll have our picnic in my study—the doors open to a scenic view of a small, enclosed rose garden,” he said gently. “But I can’t risk your getting hurt out here.”

He gave her fingers a soft squeeze before turning to Franklin.

“We need another sweep of the grounds. I thought the men had done a thorough job, but clearly, there are still traps. I won’t risk the safety of my household—or Bella’s.

This time, I want more men. I want every inch of grass combed through—and then combed through again. ”

Franklin nodded sharply. “Yes, milord. I’ll organize it as soon as we return.”