As the Duke finished speaking, Honora’s eyes were still fixed on his and he found it hard to look away.

He wondered if he should kiss her as he would have kissed any other woman in the same circumstances.

Then he thought that she would not understand and was afraid of spoiling the vibrations between them and of making her afraid.

Instead he smiled in a way that many women had found irresistible and rose from the bed.

“Go to sleep now, Honora,” he said. “We will not leave early tomorrow morning, and if you are feeling too tired we can stay here for another day, but I am looking forward to showing you my horses.”

“I want very much to see them,” Honora said.

The Duke opened the communicating door and then blew out the candles by her bed.

“Goodnight, Honora!” he said. “Go to sleep quickly.”

“I will – try,” Honora said in a small voice, “and thank you for being – so kind.”

She saw the Duke pause and, as he looked back at her, she added,

“So – very kind and – understanding.”

He closed the door and she was alone.

CHAPTER SEVEN

There was the thunder of hooves and the horses raced neck and neck towards the end of the ride, before their riders reined them in.

As they came to a standstill, Honora cried,

“I think you won by one small ugly little nose!”

The Duke laughed.

“Are you insulting me or my horse?”

“I would hate to insult Warrior,” Honora replied, “who has a soft very lovable nose, while, of course, a Duke’s nose is always disdainful and condescending!”

“I cannot imagine why you should think that!” he exclaimed almost aggressively.

“As an alternative to being magnificent, omnipotent and arrogant, it can also be cynical, supercilious and by nature bored.”

The Duke laughed as if he could not help it.

Then he said,

“I wonder if there is anything in the rules or in your vocabulary, Honora, which permits one to spank a Duchess?”

She gave a little chuckle before she retorted,

“You will have to catch her first!”

She touched her horse lightly with her spur and the next minute was riding wildly away from him through the Park towards the house.

It took the Duke a second or two to turn and follow her and by that time Honora, riding superbly, had almost reached the gate that led into the garden.

Only as he caught up with her, did she say breathlessly,

“I surrender and I am quite prepared to say, if you prefer, that it was Warrior’s nose that was in front.”

“I will let you off this time,” the Duke said mock-seriously, “but remember, there is one adjective you have not applied to Dukes, which is that they can be very revengeful.”

Honora chuckled.

“I don’t think that you would ever be like that.”

“Why not?” the Duke enquired curiously.

“Because you are not the revengeful type. I know you can be angry – very angry – but you are not the sort of person to sulk and cogitate and plot how to gain your revenge.”