Free Rapture in His Arms by Lynette Vinet Page B

would be an accidental death. Her untimely death must happen soon—before Edwin died. Then no one would wonder at the coincidence; no one would ever suspect that her death was anything but a tragic accident or point a finger at him.
    Just seeing Jillian, standing there on the porch with her lovely face turned to the river, the high swell of her breasts and the small waist which he longed to embrace, was enough to cause the wheels in his mind to start spinning.
    Benjamin’s childish voice diverted Tyler’s thoughts for the moment. “Come down to the water with me, Mama!” cried Benjamin, who had taken off his boots and now excitedly ran barefoot through the grass. “I want to go wading.”
    “Oh, no, Benjie, mama can’t. You know the water frightens mama,” Dorcas protested. “What if I fall? I can’t swim, sweetheart.”
    “I’ll take him,” Jillian volunteered, and in an instant she’d pulled off her own shoes and stockings and ran after the small boy, both of them giggling and shouting in their play.
    Edwin and Dorcas were laughing merrily when Tyler joined them on the porch. He felt light of heart suddenly, so wonderful that he even placed an arm around his wife’s slim shoulders. Dorcas gasped in surprise and Tyler smiled at her. “Benjamin and Jillian make a lovely picture, as if they belong together. Don’t you agree, Mrs. Addison?”
    “Er, yes, they do,” replied Dorcas, who stiffened beneath her husband’s arm. Tyler laughed, almost as if he hadn’t a care in the world, and if truth be known, he had only one thing to dwell upon. Finally, he knew how to end Dorcas’s life. He wondered why he hadn’t thought of it before.
    “So, lad, what do you think of Goldenrod?” Edwin rubbed a gentle hand over the mane of the butternut-colored stallion and spoke to Donovan. “His sire was the best piece of horseflesh to be bred in the colony. ’Tis lucky happenstance that Governor Berkeley wished to sell him and thought that I might be interested. I’d like to race Goldenrod in one of the local races. ’Twould give me great pleasure to finally beat Tyler Addison.”
    Donovan critically examined Edwin’s newest purchase and could find no flaw. He saw the stallion was approximately eighteen hands tall, strong of limb, and alert of eye. He’d spent a number of years working with Mortimer’s horses and knew superb horseflesh when he saw it. Goldenrod was clearly superb, every powerfully muscled inch of him. Donovan didn’t know anything about Tyler Addison’s horses, but he sensed that Goldenrod would be an extremely difficult horse to beat in a race, though looks could be deceiving. “Aye, ’tis a fine horse, sir, but ye’ll have to try him out on the course.”
    “Most definitely, lad. Would you care to put him through his paces for me?”
    Donovan was taken aback by Edwin’s suggestion. He’d expected one of Edwin’s grooms to break in the horse, but he found he couldn’t resist the offer. Nodding his agreement, Donovan nimbly climbed onto Goldenrod’s broad back. Beneath his thighs, he felt the horse flex and, for just a moment, he wondered if the animal might balk. But the horse easily accepted him, an indication to Donovan that the stallion had been excellently trained.
    He led the horse to the small race track which had been laid out a short distance behind the main house. Goldenrod cantered around the track for a few minutes. Donovan sensed that the horse was getting the feel of the ground and the man who controlled the reins before breaking out into a swift gallop at Donovan’s gentle urging. The horse easily accepted all of Donovan’s commands. Truly, this was a magnificent horse. Donovan envied whomever Edwin chose to groom and train him.
    “I made a good bargain,” Edwin exclaimed, when Donovan halted beside the man and lowered himself from the horse minutes later.
    “Aye, sir, he handles the bit well. Ye will have little trouble with him.” Donovan held out the reins to