The Duke of Defiance (The Untouchables #5)(60)

He jumped up and pulled her into him, his hands clasping her waist. “They won’t. We’ll be more careful. I’ll be more careful.”

It was so much more than that. This was a temporary thing. But she couldn’t seem to form the words to push him away, as she surely must.

He caressed her face and kissed her softly. “Don’t worry yourself. It will be all right. I promise.” He smiled. “There is no reason we should deny ourselves this gift. This joy.”

Her throat suddenly burned. It was a gift. And a joy she’d never known. It would end someday—sooner or later—but for now it was enough. It had to be. She wasn’t willing to let him go.





Chapter 14





“Where are we going, Papa?” Evie peered up at Bran as he guided her across the street toward Hyde Park.

“I told you it’s a surprise.”

“It looks like we’re going to the park. But why?”

“It’s a surprise.”

Bran grinned as they entered the park, barely able to contain his excitement. It was early—barely midmorning—but there were a handful of people milling about. He strode toward where he’d instructed the groom to wait. Ah, there he was.

Evie tugged on his hand. “Papa, you’re going too fast.”

“My apologies.” He’d quickened his gait when he’d seen the groom—and the surprise.

As they drew near, Evie sucked in a breath. “Papa, that’s Miller.” The groom. “And that’s a horse with a child-sized saddle.”

Bran tipped his head to the side. “I think you may be right. Shall we investigate?”

“That’s my surprise!” She pulled her hand from his and started to run, stopping herself almost immediately. Knowing better than to race straight for an animal, she adopted a more sedate pace and approached the horse.

Bran caught up and squatted down beside her. “This is Artemis. Would you like to meet her?”

Evie nodded. She slowly approached the beast and held her hand to the horse’s nose. “It’s nice to meet you, Artemis. I’m Evie. Shall we be friends?” Artemis nuzzled her hand, and Evie giggled. “She likes me, Papa.”

“Of course she does.” He joined her and stroked Artemis’s muzzle. “Would you like to ride her?”

“Now?”

Bran smiled. “Of course. That’s why we’re here. If I’d just wanted to introduce you, I’d have simply done that at the mews.”

“Oh yes, Papa. Will you help me up?”

He lifted her into his arms and set her onto the back of Artemis. Evie perched on the saddle then swung one leg to the other side so that she was situated astride. She tucked her dress under her legs as she always did at home. Rather, in Barbados. Someday he’d stop thinking that. Wouldn’t he? “Now, walk for a few minutes to learn each other. And then nothing over a trot.”

“Yes, Papa.” Evie picked up the reins. “Come on, then, Artemis.” She guided the horse into a gentle walk.

Bran walked abreast of them along the path.

“Oh, she’s magnificent, Papa. Thank you!”

Bran’s heart swelled. It wasn’t home but it was the closest he’d felt yet.

Evie threw him a glance. “I’m going to trot over to that tree, all right?”

He nodded, stopping as he watched her take off, expertly guiding the animal. She had an excellent seat.

“I say, is that your child?”

Bran turned at the query and vaguely recognized the man. “Have we met?”

The man’s lips tipped up, but it wasn’t really a smile. “Yes, at Brooks’s. I’m Talbot. Friend of your brothers.”

That’s right. Annoying chap. “Yes, that’s my daughter.”

“This isn’t an appropriate time to have her riding in the park. In fact, I’m not sure there is an appropriate time. She’s terribly young. Should she even be on a horse?”

Bran’s muscles tensed, and his ire rose. He focused on Evie, who’d turned and was now riding back toward them.

“Good heavens, is she riding astride?”

Evie waved at them, then performed an expert turn to ride back to the tree. She went a bit faster than a trot, but she was so brilliant, he didn’t care.

“Ghastly!” Talbot declared.

Outraged, Bran spun about. “Did you just refer to my daughter as ghastly?”

“Not her, but her activity. Perhaps you simply don’t know better, since you’ve been in the middle of nowhere for—”

Bran advanced on the man with what he hoped was a menacing stare. “We were not in the middle of nowhere, and I know very well how to raise my own child. If I want to allow her to ride her horse astride in Hyde Park on a fair Wednesday morning, I shall.”

Talbot’s eyes widened, but he didn’t retreat. “You can’t talk to me like that.”

“The hell I can’t. You spoke ill of my daughter. Rather, her activity.” He narrowed his eyes. “It’s the same to me.”

Talbot sputtered. “I was merely trying to help.”

“I’d say you need to work on honing that skill. If not, you may end up insulting someone to your own detriment.”