Chapter One
“Willow! What on earth do you think you are doing?”
When Wilomena Worthington heard the sound of her brother's voice, she halted outside the stables. She held onto the horse's bridle and turned around slowly. A scolding was imminent, but what did she care? She just needed to get it over with so she could enjoy her afternoon on horseback.
“I'm going for a ride. What does it look like I'm doing?”
“Dressed like that?!” Her brother raked his disapproving gaze over her body. She was clad in breeches, a gentleman's shirt, and a fashionable lady's riding jacket. Her odd assortment of attire was bound to attract unwanted attention.
Willow turned her attention to her horse, who was a far more agreeable companion. “And what is wrong with the way I am dressed?”
“Need I even say it?! If someone sees you like this, they'll think you're some sort of hoyden!”
“Arthur...” As she stroked her horse's mane, Willow rolled her eyes at her brother. “Why should I care if I am perceived as such? I care little for the opinions of others. Besides, if any gentlemen should happen to see me like this, I am sure they will think I look fetching!”
Arthur raked a grieved hand down the length of his face. “What would mother think if she was alive today? What would your husband think?!”
A crease appeared between her eyes as she scowled at her brother. It was true: Willow did not fret about the opinions of others, least of all, her late husband's. She was married at the age of seventeen, and her husband was nearly fifty. Owing to the gap in their ages, their marriage wasn't a happy one. He shunned her, scolded her, and treated her as if she were a child. She was widowed at the age of two and twenty, having lost her husband to apoplexy.
Now, at six and twenty, Willow had taken it upon herself to enjoy her freedom. Unfortunately, her brother's censure often made freedom impossible.
“Have you finished chiding me? I have some scenery to enjoy, if you don't mind...”
When she started to mount her horse, Arthur seized her arm. “There will be some gentlemen coming for cards today. These men are my closest companions, and if you have any sense at all, you will change out of those clothes before they arrive!”
“And if you have any sense at all...” Willow tugged her arm away from his grip, “you will leave me to enjoy my ride!”
Willow mounted the horse, with one leg on either side of the animal. In her opinion, there was nothing worse than riding sidesaddle. Her brother had called her a hoyden, but it wasn't as if she never wore lady's gowns. She embraced her femininity, but she preferred breeches when she was on horseback.
Willow rode fast, much faster than most ladies would dare. She sped away from her brother's estate and headed toward the lush green fields. The wind ripped through her raven tresses, which billowed behind her like a silken cape. She enjoyed the rural landscape: the grassy plains and rolling hillsides. She sped past a field of wildflowers, and took a rest by a peaceful brook. Willow was thoroughly enjoying the quiet solitude of her afternoon ride.
She tied her horse to a tree and lay in the grass. The warm sunlight poured onto her ivory skin, which was prickled by the breeze. She closed her tawny eyes as she listened to the sounds of the gurgling brook and the birds chirping in the trees. It was truly a beautiful day. Thank goodness she did not let her brother ruin it for her!
Nearly an hour later, when she had her fill of the scenery, Willow leapt to her feet. A few errant blades of grass were clinging to her backside, so she dusted herself off. Willow untied her horse, mounted up, and headed back to her brother's abode.
She deposited her horse in the stables and headed to her room. As she ventured down the hall, she thought she heard voices, male voices—a few she did not recognize. Willow followed the sounds as she tiptoed through the hallway. Her exploration led her to the
“Willow! What on earth do you think you are doing?”
When Wilomena Worthington heard the sound of her brother's voice, she halted outside the stables. She held onto the horse's bridle and turned around slowly. A scolding was imminent, but what did she care? She just needed to get it over with so she could enjoy her afternoon on horseback.
“I'm going for a ride. What does it look like I'm doing?”
“Dressed like that?!” Her brother raked his disapproving gaze over her body. She was clad in breeches, a gentleman's shirt, and a fashionable lady's riding jacket. Her odd assortment of attire was bound to attract unwanted attention.
Willow turned her attention to her horse, who was a far more agreeable companion. “And what is wrong with the way I am dressed?”
“Need I even say it?! If someone sees you like this, they'll think you're some sort of hoyden!”
“Arthur...” As she stroked her horse's mane, Willow rolled her eyes at her brother. “Why should I care if I am perceived as such? I care little for the opinions of others. Besides, if any gentlemen should happen to see me like this, I am sure they will think I look fetching!”
Arthur raked a grieved hand down the length of his face. “What would mother think if she was alive today? What would your husband think?!”
A crease appeared between her eyes as she scowled at her brother. It was true: Willow did not fret about the opinions of others, least of all, her late husband's. She was married at the age of seventeen, and her husband was nearly fifty. Owing to the gap in their ages, their marriage wasn't a happy one. He shunned her, scolded her, and treated her as if she were a child. She was widowed at the age of two and twenty, having lost her husband to apoplexy.
Now, at six and twenty, Willow had taken it upon herself to enjoy her freedom. Unfortunately, her brother's censure often made freedom impossible.
“Have you finished chiding me? I have some scenery to enjoy, if you don't mind...”
When she started to mount her horse, Arthur seized her arm. “There will be some gentlemen coming for cards today. These men are my closest companions, and if you have any sense at all, you will change out of those clothes before they arrive!”
“And if you have any sense at all...” Willow tugged her arm away from his grip, “you will leave me to enjoy my ride!”
Willow mounted the horse, with one leg on either side of the animal. In her opinion, there was nothing worse than riding sidesaddle. Her brother had called her a hoyden, but it wasn't as if she never wore lady's gowns. She embraced her femininity, but she preferred breeches when she was on horseback.
Willow rode fast, much faster than most ladies would dare. She sped away from her brother's estate and headed toward the lush green fields. The wind ripped through her raven tresses, which billowed behind her like a silken cape. She enjoyed the rural landscape: the grassy plains and rolling hillsides. She sped past a field of wildflowers, and took a rest by a peaceful brook. Willow was thoroughly enjoying the quiet solitude of her afternoon ride.
She tied her horse to a tree and lay in the grass. The warm sunlight poured onto her ivory skin, which was prickled by the breeze. She closed her tawny eyes as she listened to the sounds of the gurgling brook and the birds chirping in the trees. It was truly a beautiful day. Thank goodness she did not let her brother ruin it for her!
Nearly an hour later, when she had her fill of the scenery, Willow leapt to her feet. A few errant blades of grass were clinging to her backside, so she dusted herself off. Willow untied her horse, mounted up, and headed back to her brother's abode.
She deposited her horse in the stables and headed to her room. As she ventured down the hall, she thought she heard voices, male voices—a few she did not recognize. Willow followed the sounds as she tiptoed through the hallway. Her exploration led her to the
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