Chapter 19

Chapter Nineteen

OBSTACLES AND OBSTINANCE

D ominic woke with a start. His heart was racing. His sheets were damp with sweat, and his breathing felt heavy. He shook his head, willing his heart to stop whatever it was doing.

Not now. Not here. Not like this. With a shaking hand, he grabbed his drink by the nightstand and took a sip. His heart thundered around in his chest, tumbling over and over. He felt sick.

There was a knock at the door, and a moment later, Charlotte's voice said, "Dominic? Dominic, are you decent? We are going to be late!"

"Just a moment!" Dominic tried to call back, but his voice would not obey him.

All he managed to produce was a strange gargling sound followed by a cough and a splutter. The door opened, and Charlotte appeared with Beatrice and Mr. Harris, Dominic's valet, close behind her.

When Charlotte's eyes fell on him, they widened in alarm, and a moment later, she was beside him. He tried to wave her away, to tell her that he was fine, but his heart was still thundering in his chest.

She surveyed him, and a moment later, she gripped his hand. "Dominic, look at me."

He forced himself to look into her eyes, a wild, animalistic feeling clawing at his chest. He wanted to run. Something was wrong; he knew it.

"I need you to do exactly what I say, do you understand?" Charlotte's voice seemed far away, but there was a strength to it that tugged at Dominic.

He nodded.

"Breathe in. No, not like that, slower. Breath to my count. One, two, three; yes that's it, good." Charlotte nodded encouragingly. "Now out: one, two, three, four."

Dominic did as he was instructed, breathing in and out to Charlotte's counting. His breathing calmed, and his heart began to slow. Charlotte surveyed him, still guiding his breathing.

"That should suffice," Charlotte murmured. "How do you feel?"

"Better," Dominic admitted, relief and embarrassment warring within him. "I am sorry you had to see that."

"Think nothing of it." Charlotte waved her free hand dismissively.

Silence spread out between them, and for a moment, Dominic knew Charlotte was going to ask him about what was happening to him.

Before she could say anything, he asked, "What were you saying about us being late?"

Charlotte started, seemingly caught off guard by his words. She let go of his hand, and Dominic felt the loss of her warmth keenly. He gently ran his thumb over the place her hand had been moments before, not really realising what he was doing.

She blushed and said, "Oh, yes, your grandmother announced the next event. It is due to start at nine."

"Nine?" Dominic glanced at the clock in his room. "That is in fifteen minutes!"

He leapt out of his bed, forgetting that he was still in his bed clothes. Hastily, he grabbed his nearby dressing gown and gestured to the door.

"Where did she say it would begin? Did she say what it was?" Dominic asked, his cheeks flushing.

"She said, it would begin near the stables. And that it would be an obstacle course of sorts." Charlotte's cheeks were a deep shade of scarlet as she looked anywhere but at him.

Dominic groaned. "Riding clothes it is then. Mr. Harris, if you would be so kind…"

"Of course, Your Grace."

"I will wait outside," Charlotte said, making her retreat.

Dominic nodded. He pulled on his riding clothes as quickly as he could and emerged into the hall a moment later. Charlotte was waiting beside the door.

"I know a shortcut." Dominic took a hold of Charlotte's hand without thinking, pulling her gently with him. "If we go this way, we should get there in time for the start of the event."

"Do you know what obstacles we are likely to encounter?" Charlotte asked as they hurtled towards the stables.

"Something my grandmother would find amusing, which is to say they will be anything but predictable." Dominic ducked around a passing servant, mumbling an apology as he nearly collided with her.

Charlotte did not reply, but he suspected that was more to do with the pace at which they were moving. By the time they emerged at the stables, most of the guests had gathered in a circle around his grandmother, who looked up at their approach.

"Well, now that the love birds have arrived, I think we are ready to start the next event," the Dowager Duchess teased, and Dominic saw Charlotte flush. "Each of you will be given a map. The rules for this game are simple. Follow the route, overcome the challenges, and winners will be awarded whatever points I see fit."

Servants handed out maps to the gathered crowd. Dominic saw Lady Andrea surveying her own map intently, her brows furrowed in concentration. When he turned to face Charlotte, he thought he saw a glimpse of jealousy in her eyes, but it was gone a moment later.

She unfolded their own map and squinted at it. "It looks like this course will take us all over the estate. What do you think this means?"

Dominic peered at what Charlotte was gesturing at — an area labelled: Muddy Mayhem. "Whatever it is, I suspect we will end up needing a change of clothes and a wash afterwards."

"Digby! Did I say you could begin?" His grandmother's voice cut through the bubbling chatter like the crack of a whip, and heads jerked towards the direction of her words.

The young man, Digby, who had started running, stopped. "Um… No?"

"Exactly! You are far too eager for my death. Consider yourself disqualified." His grandmother flicked her fingers in disgust. "And you, Gemima, I shall take thirty-seven points from you."

"What?!" one of Dominic's cousins cried out. "Why?"

"Because you should have stopped him. After all, he is your guest." The Dowager Duchess smiled wickedly. "And for that insolence, I shall dock you another fifty points."

"I wonder how she keeps count of all our points," Charlotte murmured beside him, frowning. "I never see her write anything down."

"She is probably having some of the servants record things for her." Dominic subtly indicated the servants around them with his head, moving his lips as little as possible lest he attract his grandmother's ire. She hates being interrupted. "Although it would not surprise me if she was making it all up on the spot and her true intention was just to reward whoever she felt like on the day."

Before Charlotte could say anything, his grandmother began to speak again. "As you will see from your maps, you will ride the first part of the course. Which is, of course, your first obstacle. There are twenty-seven of you and twenty-seven horses, but only five of them are saddled and ready."

The Dowager Duchess gestured to the five horses that were being held a little ways away. "It is time to see just how useless the lot of you are."

No one moved. Dominic guessed that they were all waiting for his grandmother to really begin the event. She smiled in satisfaction and made a gesture with her hand.

"Let the Caverton Capers begin," she proclaimed.

The crowd moved towards the horses, but to Dominic's surprise, Charlotte did not move with them. She raised an eyebrow at him expectantly.

"I assume you were thinking the same thing I was?" Charlotte nodded towards the throng of people and the startling horses.

"That we would be swifter to saddle our own mounts than fight the crowd?" Dominic asked.

"Exactly." Charlotte made her way towards the stables, and Dominic followed her, gesturing towards one of the nearby stable boys.

"Tell me, which of these have the most steady temperament?" Dominic asked.

"That mare and that gelding. More reliable horses you will not find, sir." The boy doffed his cap and bowed. "I would say they would suit you both well."

"Excellent. Would you help the lady prepare her horse?" Dominic gestured to Charlotte, who was already busying herself with preparations. Those damn lady's saddles can be rather cumbersome.

"Of course, Your Grace." The boy scampered after Charlotte and began helping her.

Dominic grabbed what he would need, made his way to the black gelding the boy had indicated, and began saddling him, murmuring to him while he did so. He heard voices behind him and guessed that several of the guests had had similar ideas to him.

How many of them will know how to saddle their own horse? At least not without a groom's aid. Dominic smiled in satisfaction. He had made sure to learn how to do such a things, after all, one never knew when such skills would come in handy.

He led his horse into the yard and was accosted by Cecily, who was in tears.

"Cousin! What on Earth is the matter?" he asked.

"It is nothing, I am just being silly." Cecily sniffled. "I am just so sick of losing these events."

"But you know how to saddle a horse. You have been riding since we were children."

"It hardly matters if there is no tack left." Cecily gestured to the tack room. "Apparently there were only two lady's saddles, and both have been taken."

The sound of soft hoofbeats behind him caused Dominic to turn around, and he saw Charlotte walking towards them, a curious expression on her face.

"What has happened?" Charlotte asked.

"It seems there were only a limited amount of lady's saddles, and Cecily is without one." Dominic glanced towards his grandmother, who was eyeing them, and a sneaking suspicion formed in his mind.

"Well, why not take my steed?" Charlotte placed the reins of her horse in Cecily's hand and took a step back.

"And what will you do?" Cecily frowned.

"She will ride with me, of course," Dominic replied. "It is no great distance."

Charlotte's eyes widened momentarily in surprise, but to Dominic's relief, she hid her feelings well. She beamed at Cecily and said, "It will give Dominic and me a chance to be close to one another."

Cecily grinned at them. "Well, then I gladly accept your gracious offer. Though do not be surprised if your kindness is your undoing in the end!"

"You sound like Lady Andrea," Charlotte laughed.

"No doubt she is already at the next obstacle."

"Probably. But I am sure we shall have plenty of time to catch up."

"Not if you all stand their chattering like old fishermen's wives!" the Dowager Duchess called to them.

Dominic laughed and mounted his horse then reached down a hand towards Charlotte. For a moment, she looked hesitant.

"I do not bite, I promise." He grinned.

She rolled her eyes at him. "I was simply wondering what the best approach to this would be."

"Place your foot on my left toe as I pull you up, and then, hold tight." Dominic grasped her hand firmly but kindly.

"Anyone would think you are doing this just to have my arms around you," Charlotte said though he could see a small smile tugging at the corner of her lips.

"I was not the one who offered someone else her horse. Maybe it is you who wish for an excuse to be close to me," Dominic replied.

"Such arrogance. You were the one who proposed this." Charlotte's expression faltered, and she added in a whisper as he swung her up behind him, "Though I suppose it is a very good way of demonstrating the strength of our apparent attachment."

He felt an odd twist in his chest that was at odds with the warmth that flowed through him as Charlotte wrapped her arms around him, her familiar perfume washing over him.

"Oh, yes. Of course, our attachment," Dominic murmured. "Are you ready?"

"Yes."

He nodded and gently kicked his horse into motion. Charlotte's grip tightened, and he felt the warmth of her pressed against him. He swallowed. It is just for appearances. And to make sure she does not fall off. Nothing more.

Besides, she had seen him in the midst of one of his fits. What woman would ever want a man with such weakness? Not that I want her to want me.

He swallowed and tried to convince himself that it was true as he urged his horse towards the next obstacle.