The Seductress' Marriage Ploy

11. The Theater

SHE LANDED WITH a heavy thud on the ground, her eyes snapping close as pain filled her in. Julia lay there, breathing excruciatingly slowly, pain clear on her chest and also on her side. She curled into a ball, willing the pain to go away.

"Julia! Julia!" Someone bellowed. And then the stranger was shaking her gently.

She wanted to smile, but she couldn't manage it. How did the stranger know her name? Surely not someone she was acquainted with. She wanted to open her eyes yet she couldn't. Tears stung at her eyes as she snapped them closed once more.

"Open your eyes! Julia! Look at me."

The stranger was tapping her cheeks repeatedly, and it irritated her. She opened her eyes and tried to glare at the stranger, but somehow all she could manage was a blank look.

Julia waited for her eyes to focus so she could see the person in front of her, but stared into the eyes of Lord Hanton.

"Cole?" She whispered. Already used to calling him Cole behind closed door while discussing with Victoria. It easily slipped out her mouth now she wasn't on guard.

"Are you hurt? Do you feel pain?" He asked, concern etched all over his face.

"I think I am quite better now."

He moved to help her up. Drawing her so she was seated on the ground. He waited as she dusted off traces of leaves on her cloth and on her hair before he opened his mouth and said. "Why were you riding at such speed?"

Julia was surprised it took him this long to satisfy his curiosity. He must be a very patient man.

She spoke weakly. "I wanted to feel free. I wanted the wind on my face as it pushed my hair from its coiffure." she paused, "I wanted it all, the excitement."

He managed a nod, his eyes gleaming in a way that said he understood her.

"why were you chasing me?"

"I was not chasing you," he supplied.

"Yes, you were. I saw you."

Cole raised and brow and shrugged. "Well, if you must know, I was heading to the serpentine. I wanted to take a dip. Then I saw you, of course, I didn't know it was you at that time. You were riding at a quick pace, and I thought perhaps you couldn't handle the mare. I was so sure you would fall and break your neck, or perhaps your skirt would tangle on the saddle and you would fall. I meant to help."

"I wasn't even riding with a saddle!" Julia cried.

"Yes, that I noticed," he said as he turned around to eye her mare which was already resting by one of the trees chewing grass.

"Come on, I think you need to leave," he said as he hauled her up. "Before someone finds you. I think it's best if you take a walk before attempting to ride again." Julia managed a nod to show that she agreed and followed leisurely behind him.

"Why are you up when most of the gentlemen are still abed?"

"I am not most of the gentlemen, besides I like to ride in the morning." He shrugged, "I can't say that I don't enjoy every minute of it."

"You don't like to attend social functions, yet you are here in London, why? Julia asked.

He shrugged, "I am here on business. I am training one of my latest Arabian thoroughbred, hafza for a race. One lord had a mind to buy one. He had been pestering me. But hafza was not yet tame enough. Last month he even tossed me."

"He tossed you," Julia echoed.

"Yes."

Julia frowned. "Isn't that how your father died?"