The Debutante (Season Series #2)

Chapter 16: Escaping the Palace

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I was striding out the palace doors, pulling on my riding gloves as the sun crested the horizon the next morning. My breath plumed out in front of me, the fiery autumn trees glittering in the early morning frost. The leaves had started falling in earnest now and it was only a matter of time before the bare branches would be dusted with snow. I thanked my lucky stars that Elspeth had thought to send me out with my fur lined cloak atop my riding attire.

In fact, I'd thanked my lucky stars many times that morning. When I'd pulled the call bell in the grey, pre-dawn light, it had been a sleepy Elspeth and not Brenna who had appeared. She'd gone wide-eyed when I explained where I was headed, but she didn't protest nearly as much as Brenna would have. The hallways were also blessedly vacant, though I knew that after last night's conversation that I didn't need to sneak around any more.

As I turned the corner to the stables, the sounds of horses greeted me, along with a sight that set that little sun to shining in my chest again. Standing next to the prince's stallion was Juniper, her brown eyes contented as she nuzzled into Andrew. He was talking to her, rubbing her nose as she snuffled at him.

"If you brought her an apple, she'll be yours forever," I said, coming up beside them. Juniper's ears flicked forward at my voice and she head-butted Andrew when he stopped patting her to look my way.

"I have no idea why the stable-master thinks she's so ill-behaved," he said, resting a hand on her neck as he smiled down at me, "She's been nothing but a darling."

Juniper snorted, once again nuzzling him. I shook my head at her with a grin. The only other man she'd ever liked was Xavier, while both my father and Edward had nearly been victims of her bite.

"I'm sure she has," I said, reaching up to stroke her head. She pressed her face into my fingers, relishing the attention.

"I'm happy you came," Andrew said, watching as I cooed my greetings to my horse.

"I meant what I'd said last night," I replied, unable to resist looking up at him. His green eyes held that look that set my heart to thundering in my chest.

"We should be setting off soon, your Highness."

The captain of the royal guard's words interrupted whatever had come over the both of us, Andrew clearing his throat as he looked towards him.

"Yes of course," he said, offering to help me into Juniper's saddle. I climbed up, surveying the stable yard. A half-dozen or so royal guards were mounted, their horses stamping and breaths pluming in the early morning light. Among them, I spotted Miss Claridge, attired in a simple grey riding outfit as she chatted with one of the mounted guards.

"We have to play by the rules now," Andrew said, following my gaze as he climbed into the saddle beside me, "You now have yourself an official chaperone."

"What about Anne?" I asked, as gestured for me fall in beside him. The royal guards arranged themselves in three pairs, Miss Claridge and the captain coming up last.

"Didn't you check your social calendar?" Andrew teased, "Today's events are games in the solar followed by a nice, brisk walk outside. I doubt she'll need a chaperone for such an exciting agenda."

I shivered despite the warm cloak around my shoulders and Andrew laughed.

"Thank goodness for thoughtful princes," I said, reaching forward to scratch between Juniper's ears, "Otherwise we both would've lost our minds from being cooped up so long."

"There's a reason I look forward to these village tours," Andrew said as we made our way out the palace gates, "I find some fresh air helps deal with the stuffy necessities of court life."

"Village tour?" I asked, the few servants and merchants up at this hour staring at our party as we rode past through the streets of Highcastle.

"First Boughton, then Castlerock. Perhaps we can pass through Harridon on the way back so you can see the church," Andrew said.

"Boughton...home of the famed treacle tarts?" I asked, the name reminding me of our conversation under the tree on the ride I'd taken with the royal siblings last Season. Andrew's smile widened, confirming my guess.

"Pudding for breakfast, I thought you'd quite enjoy it," he grinned.

"Have I mentioned that I love you?" I asked. Andrew's gaze took on that heart-stopping look once more as he returned my smile.

"Not nearly as often as you should," he replied. He reached over to take my gloved hand, pressing a quick kiss onto it. Our horses were so close together that our legs were nearly brushing. When the city gates game into view, it was all I could do to keep my swelling heart from bursting. I was sitting atop my beloved Juni, the man I loved who loved me in return riding next to me off towards the golden-leaved forests outside of the suffocating confines of Highcastle.

Andrew spurred his stallion forward, leaping into a canter once we reached the open fields leading to the forest. I followed suit, Juniper almost too eager to break into a gallop. I shot Andrew a grin as we raced past him, my stubborn mare refusing to slow now that she'd been started. Andrew laughed, urging his horse on to catch up.

The wind whipped through my hair, tugging some strands free from the braid Elspeth had tied that morning, while we raced down the hilly road towards the forest. The cold air bit at my face, but I didn't care because I was free for the first time since I'd returned from Paris. Andrew's cheeks had flushed from the wind, his own fur-lined cloak billowing behind him as we galloped together.

When his stallion slowed, Juniper reluctantly followed suit, her warm breath pluming as she shook out her mane.

"I bet that felt good, didn't it?" Andrew said, reaching forward to scratch his stallion's mane. His horse seemed that much more content to walk now that it had galloped to the forest. Behind us, the guard was catching up, slowing their own horses as half of them streamed around us to lead the way through the forest.

"It's so beautiful in here," I said, as the autumn leaves formed a sun-dappled canopy over us. The entire forest seemed to be on fire with bright reds and golds, glowing with the rising sun.

"It's one of my favourite times to ride through here," Andrew said, "There's a grove of cherry blossoms that blooms in April, I can't wait for you to see it then as well."

I couldn't help my heartbeat from speeding up. April was months away and the way he spoke so surely of us coming back here together made my heart swell anew. I had barely thought about what would happen at the end of this Season, Andrew's confession still too fresh in my mind, but clearly he had and I loved him all the more for it.

"We have a pair of them near the pond at the Draughton house," I said, "It was my favourite place to run away to when I didn't want to be stuck inside doing lessons with my governess."

"I very much hope to see them someday," Andrew said, "And your childhood home. I'd love to see where you learned all your troublemaking ways."

"You have my brothers to thank for that," I laughed, "My parents did all they could to quash those ways."

"How fortunate that they failed," Andrew replied, "Otherwise I may never have fallen in love with you."

I leaned Juniper over into his horse and he laughed as his stallion skittered sideways, Juniper nipping playfully at the other horse as if she could read my mind.