Lady Vivian Defies a Duke - By Samantha Grace Page 0,93
a gallop and Thor obliged, tearing up the ground in a matter of seconds. From the corner of Luke’s eye, he spotted his brother’s mount keeping pace. Perhaps even Richard believed there were times when risking one’s neck was appropriate.
When they topped the hill, a figure in the distance caught Luke’s eye. It appeared to be a child, perhaps a village girl who had wandered too far from home. As they drew closer, he could see he had misjudged her height. It was a woman hobbling down the lane. A well-dressed lady with her bonnet askew and hair partially tumbling around her shoulders.
Vivian. He pulled back on the reins to slow Thor. Richard followed suit with his steed.
“Is that her?” his brother asked. “Good God! Is she armed?”
A flash of sunlight glinted off the barrel of a pistol in her hand. Luke tamped down the urge to laugh hysterically, because that’s exactly what it would be. A hysterical response. Never in his life had he been frightened out of his wits.
He had explored the crags around Northumberland, hunted wild boar in the Black Forest, dove from the highest cliffs he could find, and stared down the barrels of pistols on several occasions when an opponent was unhappy with how the cards had played out. None of those things had ever scared him. Yet, the tiniest hint of danger to his little spitfire and he turned into a petrified nursemaid.
“Luke!” The tremor in her voice tore at him. He dismounted the moment he reached her, barely waiting for Thor to come to a halt.
Her hair was a mess, her gown was soiled at the hem, and she had lost a shoe.
“Have you been injured?” he asked.
“I’m fine.”
He ran his hands over her head in search of bumps. There were no visible bruises or cuts.
She pulled free of his grasp with a harassed scowl. “I swear to you, I haven’t been hurt.”
He held his hand out for the firearm and she passed it to him. He set the flint so it wouldn’t fire, and then lost control. “What the hell did you think you were doing?”
She blinked. “I—I didn’t want to go—”
“God’s blood, Vivian! Whatever possessed you to leave the castle without an escort? Do you have a damned death wish, because it would be easier to ask for my help?” He shoved a hand through his hair, trying to rein in his emotions. “If you ever do anything this harebrained again, I may just wring your neck.”
Vivian’s bottom lip trembled, but she held her ground. “Could we please discuss this at a later time, Your Grace? I have ruined my favorite slippers, torn my stockings, and soiled my gown. Besides, I’m at a decided disadvantage should you decide to strangle me here and now since you have taken my gun.” She finished with a sniffle.
“Hell’s teeth, Viv. You know I wouldn’t harm a hair on your head. But I’ll rip Collier limb from limb. Where is he?”
She pointed in the opposite direction. “He took off like the devil was after him.”
Richard came up beside Luke and held his hand out for the pistol. “Allow me to give chase. He won’t get far in the phaeton.”
Luke surrendered the gun then swept Vivian against him. She squirmed in his hold, but he refused to let her go. She worked her arms free, wrapped them around his waist, and snuggled her cheek against his chest. His heartbeat refused to slow. If he had lost her… “You are fortunate I don’t take you over my knee,” he murmured before kissing the top of her head.
God help him. All he had were empty threats, because he would rather be on the receiving end of a whip than see her harmed in the slightest manner.
“Perhaps you should take Lady Vivian to Shafer Hall,” Richard said. “Phoebe will have something she can wear, and no one must know about this morning’s excursion.”
Luke released her. “Come on. You’ll ride in front of me.”
He tried to cover his weakness with gruff manners, but when she lowered her head and sniffled again, he only wanted to reassure her all was well. At this rate, he would likely exhaust himself rescuing her from scrapes. Of course, she had done a bang-up job of saving herself today.
He mounted Thor then signaled for his brother to offer her a leg up. Vivian climbed into the saddle and sat astride, half on him and half on the horse. He wrapped his arm around her waist