Chapter 12

A few days go by, and Adrian doesn’t come back. I’m trying not to take it personally and blame myself for all but chasing the man out of his home, but it’s difficult not to.

Grace’s schedule today includes horseback riding lessons. I love horses. I really do. It’s just that I love them from afar. Up close, they terrify me.

I’m already nervous on the ride over, but I do my best to hide it. I’ve already been subjected to Thomas’ look of hopeless exasperation after he told me we would be going to the Whitmore Country Estate and I asked if we weren’t already in the country.

Apparently not, because we drove for half an hour before the driver stopped the car and let us out at the stables of an estate that dwarfed the one, I was currently staying in.

I greeted Grace’s riding instructor who informed me that she would be taking Grace on a ride through the fields today, so I was welcome to wander the grounds.

With nothing left to do, I find a spot I hope is out of the way and settle on a bench. I open a the book I had packed for the day, welcoming the hope of an hour or two of quiet solitude when a haughty voice dashes my plans.

“What are you doing here?” Vanessa approaches, leading a huge horse by the reins. She looks ready to go for a ride.

“I could ask you the same question. You don’t live here either.” I say, dismissing her to go back to my book and hoping she’ll take the hint and leave.

“My family has been riding with the Whitmore’s for years. We’re very close.” She responds as though she expects me to be impressed. I’m not.

“Good for you.” I say half distracted. She doesn’t like that I’m ignoring her.

She steps closer with her horse, and I rise off the bench stepping away from the animal. A cruel light fills her eyes. “You don’t like horses do you? They are temperamental creatures.”

She mounts up and I think she’s going to ride away. Instead, she reaches her riding crop back and smacks her horse’s flank. The horse startles and rushes forward several steps and I jump out of the way to keep from being trampled.

Vanessa laughs and pulls up on the reins just before the horse reaches me. Then she passes me, turns, and repeats the motion. I jump out of the way again and the horse stops just short of where I stand. Too close that time.

I look around for help. There’s no one else around and running would be futile. There’s nowhere to go and I can’t outrun a horse. Vanessa shows no sign of stopping her game and fear lodges in my chest. What if she can’t stop the horse in time, or I can’t get out of the way? I really don’t think she’s concerned about running me over with the huge animal.

I have no idea how I will explain my presence here, but I pick up my phone and call Julian while Vanessa canters a little ways away and turns her horse around again. I’m not sure what Julian can do, but I remember the way Vanessa cowered when he yelled at her.

I dodge another pass by Vanessa, and my call goes to voicemail. She’s laughing hysterically, like this is all a wonderful joke. My heart is pounding, and I know my fear is showing on my face. I want to scream for help, but there’s no one around.

Finally, Vanessa seems to get tired of her game and laughs, “Isn’t Julian coming to save you? I thought you were so close.” She pouts her lips, mocking me. “I guess I was wrong.”

She dismounts and surveys me, tapping a finger on her chin. “I suppose you are a little pretty. But you have nothing to offer Julian. He needs a woman of his caliber and you’re just not it. Count yourself lucky to have been with him for a while and move on. He doesn’t care about you, and he never will.”

This is pathetic. I mirror Vanessa’s faux pity look. “You know Vanessa, jealousy isn’t a good color on you.”

Her jaw clenches and an ugly sneer distorts her face. “How could I possibly be jealous of you? You know I learned something today. My driver is a friend of the Whitmore family butler. The news is that you’re the new maid.”

I’m panicking again. My heart races and blood rushes to my head. I turn to walk away, then stop dead in my tracks when Vanessa cackles. “Dating the son and working for the father. A desperate girl with no money will do anything to get it. Even a father-son threesome.”

Fear turns to rage and all thoughts of the horse go by the wayside as I turn, take three steps and throw my fist into Vanessa’s jaw. She dodges back in surprise, so I don’t hit her very hard, but I instantly feel better when my hand collides with her face.

Her head still snaps to the side, and she stumbles backward. She turns back to look at me like she’s never seen me before. Then steps forward to throw a punch of her own. I catch her hand before it can make contact and push her backward. Her horse steps out of the way as she staggers back a few steps and falls to land in the dirt.

She looks frustrated, confused, and infuriated as she clambers to her feet, takes her horse’s reins and mounts back up again.

By how red her face is and the fury in her eyes, she has no intention of pulling her horse back again as she whips the poor thing forward and stampedes toward me. She’s not just threatening me now. This woman wants to hit me.

I turn to run but only make it a few steps before panic makes me clumsy and I trip, falling to the ground. My knees and palms sting with pain as the gravel cuts into my skin.

Vanessa is bearing down on me, and there’s no time to get away. The horse tries to go around, but she whips it again. I curl into a ball, arms over my head, waiting for the pain I know is sure to come, when strong hands grab onto my forearms and yank me out of the way.

Sharp pain stings across my arms and shoulders as I’m dragged across the gravel and hoisted up and against a strong sturdy chest. A loud neigh, a woman’s shriek, and a thud sound in my ears. Arms wrap around me, clutching me tight and I open my eyes.

Adrian is there, breathing hard, kneeling on the ground, and holding me tightly to his chest. I’m clutching his shirt and struggling to catch my breath. His arms around me are like a vice, shielding me against the danger and I realize, I’m not afraid anymore.

Adrian loosens his grip just enough to look down at me, and I don’t understand what I see. He doesn’t look angry, and though there’s concern in his eyes, he looks more shocked than anything. Not about the situation, which would be appropriate, but at me. Like like he’s just witnessed something miraculous.

Vanessa, struggles to her feet from where she was thrown from her horse. A stable hand darts out to lead it back inside, hushing the creature with soothing tones. Vanessa pays him no mind. She just stares at Adrian with a look of sheer terror across her pale face.

“Mr. Whitmore.” She stutters. “Please, I’m so sorry.” She starts uttering apologies, fear lacing every word. I fixate on that fear. There’s something more about it. More than just scared he will be angry, but a genuine panicked fear. What did she think he was going to do?

Adrian ignores her entirely, his eyes never leave my face. I meet those dark eyes, surprise and shock still present there. And then he speaks, just one word, so quiet I barely hear it and when I do, I swear I must be mistaken.

“Mate.”