Free A Ravishing Redhead by Jillian Eaton Page B

Grace and scurried off. 
    Her smile fading, Catherine watched her friend walk briskly away. “Do you think she will ever be happy?” she asked her husband sadly.
    “She seems happy enough,” said Marcus, a bit surprised by the question.
    “No,” said Catherine, shaking her head. “She cannot be happy until she finds true love.”
    “Isn’t she married?” he asked.
    “Yes, to Lord Gates. It was an arranged marriage, though. I do not believe either of them wanted it.”
    Marcus’ eyebrows drew together. “Lord Gates… The Earl of Farley? I have been on a few hunts with him. He is hopeless on a horse, but seems like a pleasant enough chap. I had no idea they were married. If that is the case then why is Josephine always with other –”
    Catherine pressed her finger to his lips, effectively cutting him off. “Not another word,” she ordered sternly. Even though it was well known by everyone in the Ton that Josephine had slept outside her marriage bed on more then one occasion, Catherine would not allow her husband to spread such gossip. She did not approve of her friend’s well publicized affairs, although she certainly understood the reason behind them, having once been accused of such lascivious behavior herself. Years of loneliness would drive a person to almost anything, she imagined. It was simply bad luck that the person happened to be Josephine.
    “I believe they are doing the toast,” said Marcus, eager to change the subject.
    “Oh dear, have you seen Grace? Josephine and I were looking for her earlier. I know she wouldn’t want to miss this,” said Catherine worriedly.
    “Lord Melbourne took her to the stables half an hour ago to show her a horse Margaret said she could ride without falling off. Pretty or Poppy or something of that nature.” Marcus’ lips curved wickedly as he winked at his wife. “I simply cannot imagine what they might be doing.”
    “Oh!” Catherine exclaimed, her cheeks turning pink. “Is that all you think about?”
    “Most of the time,” he admitted. “Go on, go find her. I will stall the toast until you get back.”
    “Did you see what direction Josephine went?” she asked over her shoulder.
    “That way,” he said, gesturing vaguely towards the left. 
    Following her husband’s direction, Catherine found Josephine at the desserts table, sampling an array of bright red strawberries. “Marcus said he saw Grace go to the stables. Will you come with me to get her?”
    “Of course,” said Josephine. Popping an entire strawberry in her mouth she followed Catherine out of the tent and down the stone drive that led to the barn. Slipping inside the double doors, the two women came up short at the sight that greeted them.
    There, in the middle of the aisle, with her skirts hiked up to her knees and her white drawers on full display, sat Grace atop the largest horse Catherine had ever seen.
    “Oh my goodness!” she gasped.
    “Grace, what in the world are you doing?” Josephine cried. Marching forward she went to snatch the reins out of Lord Melbourne’s hand, but he swept them behind his back before she could grab them, his expression formidable.
    “I am quite all right,” Grace chirped, unfazed by her friend’s strong reactions. “Stephen was simply teaching me how to ride on Poppy. Isn’t she marvelous? And so sweet tempered. Why, I hardly feel at all like I am going to fall.”
    “Get down this minute,” Josephine demanded.
    “You look lovely dear, but the toast is about to begin and you have missed the ceremony,” said Catherine gently.
    “Oh rats,” Grace exclaimed. “It seems like I just got on. Was the wedding beautiful?”
    “Quite beautiful,” said Catherine.
    “Did you cry?”
    “No, I did not cry. Best to hurry, dear. Everyone will be waiting for us.”
    Without a thought to her own safety, Grace swung her right leg over Poppy’s ample backside and launched herself towards the ground. Catherine shrieked. Josephine darted forward with