A Scandalous Entanglement

XIV

He could tell she still felt the trauma up until this day, sat with it between his arms, the only thing however was that she had managed to bottle everything up as best as she could with preferring to opt for a hand that wouldn't judge her on her riding skills than an actual trained personnel.

"We all make mistakes you know." And that was all he had to say on the matter, he couldn't console her because if truth be told, he didn't know how to do just that, console her. He was a rider of good sport and had never developed a fear that caused him not to ride. "I am starting to feel an ache, perhaps I should get down." She wiggled on the horse trying to pull at her skirts here and there which then caused an uncomfortable ruckus for it.

"Emilia you are going to throw us down if you keep doing that." The movement of her body against his thighs had awakened him and the image of her perfect figure came to his memory playing within his inner eyes.

He didn't mind her little squams on him.

"Sorry."

She felt so small in front of him, fragile, capable of breaking with just the twist of his fingers and her fragrance was something he knew he wanted even though it was mixed with her sweat and bathing soaps. He halted the horse and got down and with just as little effort helped her to the ground just in time to catch the rest of the horses being brought out for a stroll but this time by another hand other than Hams Smith. He tapped the back of his brown stallion sending it to a running stage and he watched as it rejoined the rest of the herd that got ready for a run on his vast estates.

And odd silence settled itself between them and he didn't miss the few curious glances she sent him or the number of times she bit her lip, catching it between her teeth.

"Stop that."

"What?"

"The biting."

It crossed his mind more than once as to what she could be thinking about.

"I am not biting anything." She defended. The wind blew and her skirts were pushed to the back. The perfect outline of her shape was before his vision and he couldn't help himself to the slow hunger that built up in him settling down in his groin.

Control, he warned himself.

Again, the question popped up in his head, who was Emilia?

"You did." Her eyes searched his as he got hold of her lower lip. He could feel her rapid breathing sync with his. The fast pounding of her heart and it was like the moment in her chambers, the moment he had kissed her, only this time he wasn't going to take her by surprise, rather he wanted her to know his intentions, which she did and welcomed with opening.

"My lord. My lady. A visitor has come calling."

"Shit!" He cursed and she jumped back from him like as if she had been just burned. Pink hue coloured her cheeks from embarrassment.

"Callam so help me you better have a good enough reason for the interruption." But before Devyn could ask who the visitor was, a figure approached from the drawing room holding the biggest bouquet of flowers he had ever seen, almost similar to the ones he had seen earlier on in the drawing hall.

"I heard her ladyship was a lover of flowers. These my lady are for you." Surprisingly lord Abbington bowed then kissed the back of Emilias gloved hand with a hint of a devilish smile. "My lady, may I beg for your forgiveness. My manners were utterly rude, undisciplined and totally uncalled for the other day upon our meeting."

"Lord Abbington, I believe you meant no harm." The man straightened after handing a passing servant the flowers. "Indeed, not I didn't. But with a man of Devyn's reputation I couldnt help but voice my thoughts on what I saw. Surely you are too perfect a wife for him and yet he finds his pleasure-"