Free The Rake's Arranged Marriage by Ruth Regan Page B

Strong and tawny, with a white patch on her nose in the shape of a star, the horse was unmistakable. The other horse was smaller, but no less impressive. She was a young, pure black mare with the shiniest coat Cara had ever seen. And now Lord Eliot held out the reins to her.
    "For Lady Boyle. On her wedding day."
    Another gift. She could hardly believe it.
    "What's her name?"
    "Shadow," he said. His features were serious now. "She's a bit spirited, but I thought that fitting."
    "Shadow," she repeated reverently, stepping forward to take the reins. The mare stamped and whinnied as her new mistress approached. But she calmed as soon as Cara moved to her side and began to stroke her nose.
    "Come on," Lord Eliot said, approvingly. Then he swung himself easily up onto Lodestar's back.
    Cara followed suit. Shadow accepted her weight without complaint, and Cara felt as though she and the black mare were old friends already. She was doubly glad that her fiancé didn't raise an eyebrow at her choice of riding style. She had always been more comfortable going straddled, instead of in the acceptable, ladylike sidesaddle fashion – much to her father's chagrin.
    "Where are we going?"
    "You'll see," Eliot said as he spurred Lodestar forward. Soon, they were passing through the gate at the edge of the yard and onto Hedgeton's open grounds beyond.

Chapter Seven
    Lord Eliot didn't ride slowly on Cara's account. In fact, as soon as they had trotted out of the yard, he spurred Lodestar into a gallop with nary a glance over his shoulder. Cara didn't mind in the least. In fact, she appreciated his trust that she would be right behind. They'd never discussed riding, but obviously he'd guessed that she wouldn't be timid in the saddle.
    They rode hard for a good quarter of an hour, during which time she came to know Shadow well. The feeling that she and the dark mare had been a pair for years only continued to grow. Never had she been so comfortable with a new animal. Her attention was so engrossed by the delicious feel of Shadow's muscles moving beneath her that she neglected to pay attention to exactly where they were going. She knew they never encountered the road, though, just the gently rolling heather of the moors and an occasional tree. The mist partially obscured Cara's view, but she could tell by the position of the moon and stars above that they were traveling in somewhat of a northerly direction.
    "Whose land is this?" she asked out breathlessly.
    "Mine!" Lord Eliot called over his shoulder.
    She might have guessed. Hedgeton was a very large estate, and its hunting grounds were known for their vastness. Still, to ride hard for fifteen solid minutes and meet no border meant that Lord Eliot's holdings were even bigger than she'd known.
    Suddenly, she thought she spied a faint glow up ahead. It would appear and then wink out, as though obscured by a wall or a tree as they shifted slightly their direction of approach. They seemed to be in the middle of nowhere, so the sight was more than a little curious. She was tempted to call out questions, but held her tongue. The light was becoming brighter with each beat of Shadow's hooves, and she knew she'd soon have her answers.
    In another minute, Lord Eliot was pulling back on Lodestar's reins. Cara started to do so as well, but Shadow was quick – the mare seemed to know what to do before being shown. It made Cara smile.
    Soon, they were walking through an opening in a rough stone wall. As the mists thinned out up ahead, Cara could see their destination, the source of the glow.
    It was a small, ancient-looking chapel. Its stained glass windows were lit from within by flickering candles. The dancing light of the candles made the flowers and saints depicted in the glass seem to move magically. Moss sprouted from the stone façade of the small building. It looked like it belonged in a fairy tale. She blinked several times to see if the vision would disappear, but it stayed. It was real.
    Just