“Oh… I believe Lady Agnes is quite fine. I overheard her telling Simon that bruises are often a sign of one’s hard work, and she was thankful to have proof that she was putting in as much effort as Scar was. Strange, true, but she seemed hearty and satisfied when she returned to the house after today’s training session – a little tired too, but that is to be expected.”
This woman was proving to be more trouble than he needed. What on earth did she meanby a sign of one’s hard work?
Silas had never heard of anything more ridiculous. He felt sorry for himself for his thoughts of concern, as his betrothed was clearly not right in the head.Perhaps the side effect of one too many tumbles and falls as a child,he wondered as he waved Lukas away. It should have been enough for him to hear that she was fine, but his mind kept bringing up the memory of her fall.
The next morning, he awoke early and took a horse from the stables, riding away from his mansion into town. It had taken him a moment to find the house he was looking for, as he had not had to do this himself before, but eventually, he was directed to the dwelling of whom he had been searching for.
The man inside was surprised to receive such an early call that was not for a dire situation. Still, once Silas explained what he required, he accepted the Duke’s offer and gave his word that he would be at the Forestwood mansion at the appointed time.
When Agnes came outside that day to begin Scar’s training, there was a man she had not seen before lingering next to the stable. He carried a bag, and his bespectacled face harbored a kind expression she was all too familiar with, and she stopped in front of him, confused.
“Good morning,” she greeted cautiously.
He smiled kindly and bowed. “Good morning, my lady. I am Mr. Peter Bennett, at your service.”
“At my… I’m sorry, I did not call for a physician. So –”
“No, my lady, you did not. I was hired to stay close by in case of emergencies. I heard you have been taking quite a few falls while you train your horse. Although your dedication is something to be marveled at, sometimes, you could sustain injuries that are more serious than they look. My job is to ensure your well-being and attend to any injuries you might incur at the end of the day.”
Agnes frowned in thought. It made sense to have a physician close by, but who would go to such lengths over a few little falls? It was honestly a thoughtful action, and though it was an appreciated gesture, she could not help but feel as though it was a little unnecessary. Still, she smiled softly and nodded to the physician.
“In that case, I am in your care, Mr. Bennett. I hope you will not grow bored of watching me work.”
He shook his head with a hearty chuckle. “I doubt that would be the case, my lady. But thank you for your warm consideration.”
Silas watched them talk, sighing in relief when Agnes accepted the physician’s presence, thankful that she had chosen to be agreeable this time, as opposed to her usual desire to go against his wishes. The physician moved to sit at a spot that had been provided for him, his alertness reflected in his gaze as he watched Agnes work. Thankfully, the day ended with no more than a few scrapes, which he took care of before he left.
The Duke found that he was unable to give his thoughts to much else other than her well-being while she worked with Scar, and when he was not watching her ride his horse, he was thinking about the feel of her, caged between his body and the door to his study. He could not forget how hot her skin was beneath his hands, how their breaths mingled, and how sweet she tasted.
He found himself wanting more, curious about what she would sound like as he ravaged her –
The sound of ripping paper pulled him out of his thoughts, and he looked down to find that he had ruined a document he had been crafting, his grip tight on his pen as it dug into the paper. With a groan of frustration, he tossed the pen aside and ran his hand through his hair.
That woman would be his undoing.
Chapter Ten
Agnes guided Scar to turn around and made him face the single bale of hay sitting ahead.
“Are you ready?” she questioned softly, humming when he snorted and patted between his ears.
Then she led him into a trot, tensing her legs to urge him into a canter a few moments later, praying that they would succeed this time as they got closer and closer to the bale. Just before they reached it, she let him have control, allowing him to dictate the rest of the process, disappointed but ultimately not really surprised when he turned away at the last moment and walked elsewhere.
“Aw,” she heard Simon exclaim, also not happy with what had happened.
With a tired sigh, she dismounted and walked to Scar’s front, scratching at his jaw as she muttered softly.
“It’s all right. You’ve done so well today already. We’ll try again later.”
The horse snorted and looked away, and she pursed her lips, patting his mane gently before moving to undo his saddle. Simon came to collect it from her as Scar wandered off to find a warm patch of grass to rest on, looking up at her as he said.
“I thought he would get it this time. He’s been doing so well lately. Why did he not go for the jump?”
“He’s not ready yet. Yes, he has been excelling at jumping over the poles, but I think he does not feel confident to try jumping over higher heights than that. It is all right; we shall just have to go over the basics again until he is much more comfortable and can make the jumps more freely,” she explained, walking back to the stable with him.
“Is there enough time? We have only two weeks left before the competition,” he frowned, worry etched onto his youthful, boyish features.
“He’s been doing quite well so far. He has even exceeded my expectations if I am to be honest, and it is impressive just how quickly he learns. I believe we will be able to get him properly prepared in time. We just need to trust him more. We cannot dictate the entire process – he also needs to be interested in carrying out certain tasks, or else he will begin to resist and dismiss instructions.”