Echoes of Pemberley by Cynthia Ingram Hensley Read Free Book Online

been blessed with a fire in his temperament that would only be harnessed for so long. Be damned the job and be damned his tuition; all he wanted to do was to drag Miss Catie Darcy off that bloody horse of hers and send her walking back to the stables . . . her pedestal in hand.
    He took a deep, purposeful breath, but it did him no good. So he again pulled his horse alongside hers and said, “What I think, Miss Catie, is that despite the efforts of my good aunt and your guardians, you have turned out spoiled, insolent, and selfish, with a complete disregard for the feelings of others. And I also think , since you asked, that it would serve you greatly to take a good long turn over the knee!” Sean pulled his horse about, kicked the animal into a quick gallop, and headed down field.
    Shocked, Catie remained still. Unable to do anything else, she just sat there and watched him ride off. In less than a minute he reached the end of the field and turned back in her direction. He raised his arm and lowered it. Catie reached back to thwack Chloe’s rump but realized she held no crop. Exhaling her frustration in a loud garbled unladylike spew, she pulled back her hand and slapped the beast on its hindquarters with all of her might.
    Although it wasn’t a fast or graceful gallop, she quickly arrived at the other end of the field. Catie stared at him hard but remained silent. He, however, spoke as if nothing had taken place.
    “You are not adopting a forward seat,” he said in his sternest voice.
    “Excuse me?”
    “A forward seat, it’s why you feel awkward and uncomfortable with the gallop. Next time I want you start slow then spring forward and hover over your saddle as if you were going to make a jump.”
    “Mr. Kelly — ”
    “That’s enough for today,” he interrupted her then stated matter-of-factly, “We’ll resume tomorrow at three.” Sean turned his horse around and cantered off in the opposite direction of the stables.
    “Where are you going?” she called out after him.
    “My work day is finished, Miss Catie, if that’s what you are worried about,” he called out, not looking back at her.
    “But . . . I’m not allowed to ride alone.” Catie hated how childish her voice sounded, but she didn’t want to be left alone with a horse, even if it was good-natured Chloe.
    He stopped now and turned his horse to face her. “We are less than a half mile from the stables, and I have watched you for well over an hour now. Your skills in riding, Miss Catie, are better than you think.” It’s your skills with people that need work . The latter he wisely kept to himself. “I wouldn’t send you back alone otherwise.” Sean mockingly tipped his cap to her and took off once again.
    Catie watched the departing horse and rider until they were completely out of sight. Chloe became restless and pranced gently under her. “Shhh, girl.” She patted the horse and to her relief, Chloe calmed. Catie looked once more in the direction Sean Kelly had gone and then carefully slid from her saddle to the ground.
    Sean reined in his horse and looked back over his shoulder. He had ridden a good distance, far enough that Catie Darcy had disappeared into the landscape as if the ground had simply opened up and swallowed her. “Bloody hell! Bloody hell!” He cursed himself for caring, cursed Catie Darcy for those damn eyes of hers, and then turned his horse back to make sure she arrived safely at the stables.
    When she came into sight again he drew up and stared at her in disbelief. “Why is she walking?” he asked out loud as if hearing the words might make better sense of why Catie Darcy was leading her horse on foot. Now heading in the direction of home, his mount was growing anxious to be back at the stable and snorted loudly in protest of stopping. “No oats for you yet, mate,” he scolded the animal and steered him up into a dense patch of Scots pine.
    Taking the steep rougher terrain, he was quickly ahead of her and