the other side of the village. This entrance would work in Sophia’s favor. Now she could skirt the village, cross the Frichett’s land and reach her own boundaries in a few miles, all with less risk of being seen. Or, she thought as she turned off the lane and let Thunder pick his way along the ill-marked track, be caught. Once there, surely she could fabricate some reason for her visit?
Within a few hundred yards, the old driveway twisted around trees, and she could no longer see the track or the village. It was peaceful under the trees, the leaves underfoot muffling Thunder’s hooves, the early morning sunlight filtering through the branches. Sophia could smell wild garlic, and some other plant she could not put a name to. If she hadn’t so much to think about, she could have sat back and enjoyed the early morning ride. As it was, her brain was overactive, and her thoughts chaotic. She had enjoyed herself with the twins; there was no denying it. Even—and she felt her skin heat as she remembered it—the spanking. The caress of Jasper’s hand on her, the way the sharp shiver of pain spread and became the sweet sting of pleasure, had amazed her. Deep in thought she rode on. Her body tingled, with the memory of both of them inside her, of filling her and encouraging her to come. That sensation had been more than she ever thought possible, and she admitted there was nothing she would like more than to do everything all over again, many times.
However, she accepted the enormity of what she would perhaps be agreeing to was spine-tingling in a different way. There was a lot to think about, and she was determined to take the time to herself to do so. Once—and if—she agreed to their demands, Sophia accepted she would be committed to a three-way relationship for as long as they decreed. She knew she would never be the one to leave. The mechanics of the ménage, should it happen, would be left up to her lovers.
A movement in the trees ahead brought her out of her reverie. A fox ran across the track, followed by another. Thunder stood still, and waited for her order. His powerful body quivered beneath her, and Sophia gave him a consolation pat. There would be no thrill of the chase for him that day. Or her. Where were her lovers now? Had they made up their minds not to follow her, to leave her to her own devices, and cut their losses? That scenario did not fit either of them. Would they enquire of her at her own home? All of a sudden Sophia wasn’t sure that Midwood was the place she should be headed for. The memory of the so-called factor’s ill-written note made her stiffen. She had commented on the handwriting, she should have been suspicious even then. Of course now she realized it hadn’t been from Lodden; it had been a ploy to get her where they wanted her. The Thorne twins had waylaid her on her way to Midwood, just where they wanted to, and it seemed, taken her only a short distance. She retraced that morning’s ride in her mind.
The old hunting lodge near Tanners. Damned, why had it only just come to me? I heard it had been sold, now I know to whom.
Not that it made any difference, except to give her the satisfaction of knowing where she had been, and the fact she had, even by default, chosen the shortest way to her estate. Clicking her tongue, she urged Thunder forward.
They changed tracks as Sophia skirted the formal gardens and shrubberies, keeping to little used areas of the park, until she came to a thick blackthorn hedge. It had grown more impenetrable than she recalled, and Sophia could only hope the old gateway she thought she remembered was where she hoped it was.
It was, and to her joy, not completely overgrown. The tangle of nettles and brambles around the hasp showed it hadn’t been opened for many a year, and that day would be no exception.
“Ah, Thunder my lad, now we will see if I’m as good a rider as I believe and you as excellent as I’m certain you are. The expression ‘you will
Within a few hundred yards, the old driveway twisted around trees, and she could no longer see the track or the village. It was peaceful under the trees, the leaves underfoot muffling Thunder’s hooves, the early morning sunlight filtering through the branches. Sophia could smell wild garlic, and some other plant she could not put a name to. If she hadn’t so much to think about, she could have sat back and enjoyed the early morning ride. As it was, her brain was overactive, and her thoughts chaotic. She had enjoyed herself with the twins; there was no denying it. Even—and she felt her skin heat as she remembered it—the spanking. The caress of Jasper’s hand on her, the way the sharp shiver of pain spread and became the sweet sting of pleasure, had amazed her. Deep in thought she rode on. Her body tingled, with the memory of both of them inside her, of filling her and encouraging her to come. That sensation had been more than she ever thought possible, and she admitted there was nothing she would like more than to do everything all over again, many times.
However, she accepted the enormity of what she would perhaps be agreeing to was spine-tingling in a different way. There was a lot to think about, and she was determined to take the time to herself to do so. Once—and if—she agreed to their demands, Sophia accepted she would be committed to a three-way relationship for as long as they decreed. She knew she would never be the one to leave. The mechanics of the ménage, should it happen, would be left up to her lovers.
A movement in the trees ahead brought her out of her reverie. A fox ran across the track, followed by another. Thunder stood still, and waited for her order. His powerful body quivered beneath her, and Sophia gave him a consolation pat. There would be no thrill of the chase for him that day. Or her. Where were her lovers now? Had they made up their minds not to follow her, to leave her to her own devices, and cut their losses? That scenario did not fit either of them. Would they enquire of her at her own home? All of a sudden Sophia wasn’t sure that Midwood was the place she should be headed for. The memory of the so-called factor’s ill-written note made her stiffen. She had commented on the handwriting, she should have been suspicious even then. Of course now she realized it hadn’t been from Lodden; it had been a ploy to get her where they wanted her. The Thorne twins had waylaid her on her way to Midwood, just where they wanted to, and it seemed, taken her only a short distance. She retraced that morning’s ride in her mind.
The old hunting lodge near Tanners. Damned, why had it only just come to me? I heard it had been sold, now I know to whom.
Not that it made any difference, except to give her the satisfaction of knowing where she had been, and the fact she had, even by default, chosen the shortest way to her estate. Clicking her tongue, she urged Thunder forward.
They changed tracks as Sophia skirted the formal gardens and shrubberies, keeping to little used areas of the park, until she came to a thick blackthorn hedge. It had grown more impenetrable than she recalled, and Sophia could only hope the old gateway she thought she remembered was where she hoped it was.
It was, and to her joy, not completely overgrown. The tangle of nettles and brambles around the hasp showed it hadn’t been opened for many a year, and that day would be no exception.
“Ah, Thunder my lad, now we will see if I’m as good a rider as I believe and you as excellent as I’m certain you are. The expression ‘you will
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