I’m going to win!
But she couldn’t resister one last taunt to her opponent. “Is that all you’ve got to show for yourself, Lord Alder?”
“Hardly, but if it’s a fair race you’re after…” He dug in his heels to his horse’s side and then shot ahead by a length.
“Well, damn.” Isobel smothered a curse beneath her breath. She slapped the reins against her horse’s sides. “Just a little bit longer, girl.”
The exuberant barking of a dog penetrated the concentration in her brain, and she frowned. When the noise became more annoying and louder, she glanced to one side of the path. A white and brown beagle had broken away from its owner. It bolted like blur toward the rushing horses, trailing its lead behind. Isobel sat down hard in the saddle and tugged on the reins in an effort to halt the inevitable collision. And still the dog barked, in excitement or warning she couldn’t say.
“Watch out, you fluff for brains nodcock,” she called to the dog, but neither he nor her opponent paid her any mind.
Then he was on the path, barking at them both. Her horse neighed and reared up on her hind legs, pawing the air with her forelegs. The whites of her eyes were clearly visible, for she’d been startled by the sudden appearance and noise of the dog.
“Easy, girl. It’s all right.” Isobel tried to soothe the equine as best she could while Lord Alder rocketed ahead of her on the path. Gasps and cries from the gathering crowds on the sides of the path further worked to disorient her horse, but she finally gained control. Aisha resettled all for legs on the ground, but the damned dog decided to apparently challenge the horse. The beagle barked and growled, darting at the horse’s hooves, nipping and dancing.
Aisha was having none of it, and her patience had clearly evaporated. She bucked while Isobel held onto her mount’s neck as best she could while trying to keep her seat. Just when she thought the horse had settled, Aisha darted to one side to avoid the dog. By increments, Isobel relaxed, thinking the worse was over.
Lord Alder had turned about to return and render aid, presumably, but the beagle rushed at his horse. Her mount had no doubt tired of the whole proceeding. She bucked again and this time succeeded in unseating Isobel.
“Aaaargh!” She was ejected from the saddle and for the space of a couple of heartbeats, she was airborne, flying. Then a stand of stout oak trees rushed into her view. Her head smacked against one of the gnarled trunks. Pain exploded through her brain and her vision went fuzzy. As a moan escaped her, she hit the ground, landing on her side, with her heart in her throat and her stomach wishing to expel what little she’d managed to eat at luncheon.
“Miss Storme!” Vaguely, and from what sounded like a long distance, she heard Lord Alder call her name.
Isobel tried to maneuver into a sitting position, but she retched and didn’t turn her head fast enough. Vomit splattered on her arm and legs. The pain in her head increased. When she looked in Lord Alder’s direction, he appeared quite fuzzy.
“Isobel!” The voice held the same tenor as Royce’s. It was followed by the sound of running footsteps.
She squinted, but the images were now doubled. A man with red hair shot toward her, and her heart fluttered as she sank to the ground and rested her cheek on the muddy grass. “Royce…” Drat. Why was he here? He’d be so angry at what she’d done…
“Damn it, Isobel, don’t move.” The man with red hair threw himself to his knees at her side. His gloved hand went to her forehead, preventing movement, while he peered into her face. “I’m going to take you home and then summon my brother.”
The words echoed weirdly in her head, and the pain shook them all together until they didn’t make sense. “I don’t think you should tell him… about the race,” she finally managed to whisper. The more she tried to focus on the man’s face, the dizzier she felt. Her stomach muscles bunched in preparation of retching. “Oh, no.”
“Please, don’t move. You’re bleeding and your head’s been given a right proper smack.”
“Royce will be angry. This wasn’t proper…” Then the pain came up and sucked her under. Around and around, she went into a spiral that was both black but filled with spinning lights. There was no chance the doctor would forgive her now. Tears welled in her eyes and fell to her cheeks. Every heartbeat was tinged with hurt. “He’s beyond my reach.” But then, there wasn’t any chance she’d ever be with him because he didn’t want her anymore.
And she didn’t want a title…
Her chest tightened while her heart broke all over again. That pain blended with the one in her head, and she couldn’t form further thoughts because the words kept becoming jumbled and jarred.
“It’s all mucked up.” With a tiny sigh, she let the deafening silence have at her.