Betrothed to the wrong gentleman: Historical Fiction

CHAPTER 5

‘Mr Rochester, good afternoon,’ Sarah replied breathlessly.  ‘How delightful to see you again.’

‘It most certainly is not!’ Madison huffed.  ‘That was irresponsible Mr. Rochester,’ Madison decried. 
She was so angry, her entire body was shaking.  ‘We thought your horse was out of control.  We thought you were going to run us over.’

‘Indeed?’  The mocking voice teased.

‘Oh come now Madison,’ Sarah pleaded.  ‘It was not that bad.  I am sure Mr. Rochester was in total control of his stallion.  Sarah lifted her eyes admiringly up into Chadwick’s face.  Where you not Mr. Rochester?’

‘You were pretty reckless Mr. Rochester!  I dare say you should not be allowed into the park.  There are young children about the park,’ she continued. 

Chadwick wondered where these undetectable children could be.  As he looked over his shoulder, he could not see a single child anywhere in the park.   Not that there was any truth in Madison’s accusations.  He was a skilled horseman, never reckless or irresponsible as his accuser claimed.  There had not been a single occasion when a horse of his did not heed his authorative command, but he was not going to defend himself to the chit.  Chadwick casually dropped one leg off his horse, then elaborately slid the other muscular leg down. 

Madison watched in fascination, her eyes glued to his theatrical movements.  When she realized she was staring, she quickly looked away and pretended to adjust her bonnet.  Taking his time, Chadwick loosely tied his stallion under the shade of a tree and walked back to the ladies.  Madison swallowed convulsively as he made his way to them.  She wanted to instruct Sarah that they should leave, but speech failed her.  She tried to give voice to her thoughts, but she could not.  She held her breath as Chadwick stopped in front of them.  His huge hand lifted to shade his eyes from the direct rays of the sun.  His silhouette was picture perfect, the sun directly on him.  The unruly hair, the long dark lashes almost fanning his cheeks, the attractive face, the extremely broad shoulders, and the perfect V from the elegant shoulders to the narrow waist put the man in a league of his own as far as physical beauty went.  Madison exhaled slowly when she realized she needed more oxygen.

‘Lady Sarah, would you care to walk with me?’ Chadwick offered her his arm, ignoring Madison who instinctively felt a forlorn spirit of loneliness.  She lowered her head so he could not see the hurt in her eyes.  Why it hurt, she did not know for he was a loathsome man.  She really did not care who he walked with, or that he did not prefer her company.

‘It would be my pleasure Mr. Rochester,’ Sarah tucked her arm into Chadwick’s.  ‘Come on Madison,’ Sarah beamed over her shoulder.  Madison followed, ensuring she was at least four steps behind them.  She did not want to hear or make any contributions to their conversations.  Instead, feeling sorry for herself, she looked around watching all the other couples strolling about.  Some gentlemen were exercising their horses.  A young lady and her companion were walking a dog and smiling at each other.  Today she could not appreciate the beautiful seasonal and colourful foliage that normally always caught her breath when she walked the park.  Madison reduced her steps, increasing the gap between herself, her cousin and the maddening gentleman.

‘It’s a lovely day is it not Lady Sarah?’

‘I am so glad the rain has abated,’ she sighed.  I love being outdoors, so does Madison,’ Sarah turned back to see Madison quite a distance away now.  ‘Madison do walk more briskly,’ Sarah called out. 

Ignoring her cousin’s instruction, Madison waved her hand to Sarah to continue, and continued at her snail’s pace.

‘I do not know what is with Madison today.  Her countenance is as the dreary weather of yesterday.’