Read The Love Match (Entangled Scandalous) for Free Online

Lady Sarah and Miss Ashworth. “They can tell if you don’t like them,” he offered, unhelpfully.
    “I like horses,” she said. Or at least she tried to tell herself she did, since she was already mounted on one, and it was too late to feel otherwise.
    Lady Sarah’s cool blue eyes narrowed, and she sought to regain William’s attention. “I’ve been riding since I was four. My mother always tells me I’m a natural.”
    He turned back to her with a smile. “Indeed, you look like you were born to it.”
    Olivia stared down at her gloved hands clasping the pommel, wishing this whole excursion done with.
    Miss Ashworth fronted the group, with Lady Sarah, Lord Ashworth, Mr. Cross, and Olivia following. The sunlight slanted across Mr. Cross’s head, bringing out hints of color she hadn’t noticed before, ranging from pale blond to gold to nearly brown. She was tempted to count them and name them, but she turned her head and focused on the reds and oranges of the fall leaves instead.
    In another week or two, a cold wind would leave the branches bare. She would have to enjoy the leaves now or miss her chance.
    But it was difficult to enjoy nature when the mare veered alarming close to one of the surrounding trees, as if she wanted to scrape the cumbersome human off her back. Olivia watched the toe of her ankle boot miss the trunk by a mere inch and gulped. She tugged at the reins, but her gentle attempt to move the creature passed unnoticed.
    The horse knew who was in charge, and it wasn’t Olivia.
    She lasted for all of five minutes between mounting the horse and giving up. But it wasn’t due to lack of effort. The mare must have noticed something in the grass, unseen to Olivia, or maybe the mare was just tired of carrying her around. It whinnied and reared back, not enough to throw her off, but enough to make her scream and grab the pommel.
    Mr. Cross was at her side in an instant.
    “What is it?”
    “I’m not certain,” she said. The horse was still nervous. It snorted and pranced, and her hands hurt from the tightness of her grip. Her heart thudded against her ribcage. “Let me down,” she said.
    He didn’t mock her, or condescend, or try to talk her into continuing. He was silent as he got down from his horse gracefully and placed his hands on her waist to lower her. Her own hands fluttered to his shoulders when her feet touched the ground, and she looked up at him. His eyes were dazzling in bright daylight—subtle flecks of gold, unapparent in darker lighting, appeared near the inner edge of the iris. For a second they just stood together, nearly in an embrace but not quite, like two dancers who didn’t know which direction to move.
    “Mr. Cross?”
    They both stepped back, hands falling, at Lady Sarah’s voice.
    “We’ve decided to walk the horses back,” he said. “Miss Middleton’s mount is a bit jumpy.”
    “A nervous rider can make a nervous horse,” Lady Sarah replied, looking cool and resplendent on her own black mount.
    She really was a natural. Olivia hated both her and her horse.
    “Possibly,” Mr. Cross said, remaining neutral. “Or it might have spied something in the grass.”
    The woman’s lips thinned.
    Lord Ashworth cut in. “We can continue. It won’t be a problem.”
    “It’s not proper for them to walk alone,” Lady Sarah said waspishly. Olivia was certain the woman didn’t give a fig about what was and wasn’t proper.
    “We can turn toward the rise,” Miss Ashworth said, “and we’ll be able to see them until they reach the house. There shouldn’t be any impropriety in that.”
    “Very well,” Lord Ashworth said happily. “My sister and I shall continue with Lady Sarah, and Mr. Cross will escort Miss Middleton back. Is that agreeable?”
    Lady Sarah hesitated. She glanced between the two men and her chest rose with a deep inhalation. “Very well.” She shot Olivia a nasty look before turning her horse and continuing.
    “Enjoy the ride,” Mr. Cross said