Read Tessa's Touch for Free Online Page B

him. They'd scented a fox! Excitement rippled through the fifty or
sixty gathered horsemen. Then, "Tally-ho!" came the cry of one of the
whippers-in as the fox was spotted breaking cover.
    It was bad form to override the hounds, so all
held back until the pack was free of the covert and well in pursuit of the
fleeing quarry. Then, with shouts of "Yoicks!" and "Hark!"
by the younger, more excitable sportsmen, the field leapt into action.
    Anthony felt the familiar thrill sweep through
him. Oh, how he missed this, when hunting wasn't in season! He set Faro's head
toward the center of the pack; those hounds had their heads down and were
clearly hot on the scent, and would stick once the fox disappeared from sight.
    So swept up in the hunt was he that for a
moment he forgot to keep an eye on Miss Seaton as he instinctively moved toward
the front of the field. They neared the first hedge, still tall and shaggy this
early in the season, as the field hands had not had time since harvest to layer
it properly.
    He thought to glance back then, and saw that
Miss Seaton had passed most of the others as well, though Mr. Emery had fallen
back. Eyes alight, face into the wind, she was flying along with the best of
them. She was magnificent, as he'd known she'd be.
    Angling toward her, he was able to watch her
clear the hedge just ahead of him and she did so superbly, with none of the
hesitation that might be expected of a lady riding sidesaddle. It was as though
she and her mount were one.
    The hounds grew quieter, and glancing ahead he
saw that the fox had disappeared into the stubble of a harvested wheat field.
The huntsman and whippers-in cast the hounds and soon a clear baying told them
that the scent had been recovered. Leaping a ditch and a low stone wall, the
mounted sportsmen galloped in pursuit.
    Anthony spared a quick look over his shoulder
to see Mr. Emery's mount refuse the wall. Backing off, he set the mare at the
wall again, and this time she cleared it, though now Emery was among the
stragglers bringing up the rear of the field.
    The wheat stubble gave way to a rougher fallow
field, the transition marked by a three-railed fence. The hounds went under, as
the fox had presumably done, and the Master and whips over. The rest of the
field spread out, some to jump the fence and others, less intrepid, to find a
gate. Anthony set Faro at the fence as he always did, and saw that Miss Seaton
was doing the same.
    He couldn't deny a knot of alarm in his chest
as he watched her charge the fence at full speed, but his concern was needless.
The bay cleared the three rails as easily as he'd done hedge and wall,
continuing on at a gallop on the other side.
    Partway through the fallow field, the hounds
lost the scent, allowing the rest of the hunting field to catch up to the
leaders while the hounds cast about to find it again. Anthony took the
opportunity to ride close to Miss Seaton.
    "First check," he said cheerfully.
"What think you of your first hunt so far?"
    Her shining eyes and brilliant smile answered
him before her words did. "It's exhilarating." He couldn't help
thinking the word applied equally to herself. "What a shame that more
ladies don't get to experience this."
    "Perhaps you will start a trend," he
suggested, admiring the color the wind had put into her cheeks, and the
honey-colored curls that had escaped her tall, jaunty hat.
    "That is certainly my hope. I fear most
gentlemen do not share it, however." She glanced over at a small knot of
older sportsmen who were glaring in her direction.
    Anthony chuckled. "Their pride is pricked,
that is all. They don't like to feel that they can be bested on the field by a
lady. Those more secure in their own abilities will not feel so
threatened."
    As though to support his statement, Rush,
Stormy and Killer rode up just then. "My compliments, ma'am. Excellent run
so far, eh?" Stormy said.
    "Aye," Killer agreed, "even if
this nag did refuse that last fence. That's a splendid beast you