Elizabeth's Education (Forbidden Lust) by Maggie Carpenter Page B

believe rain is threatening, so you will stay in here by the fire.’
    Elizabeth sighed with resignation. ‘Yes, sir.’
    ‘Now, I have my work to be getting on with,’ he went on, the issue decided in accordance with his ruling, naturally, although he recognised with satisfaction that a day earlier would have seen a more confrontational stance from the girl. ‘I will be in your father’s study, and I do not want to be disturbed under any circumstances. Do you understand?’ She nodded demurely, and feeling pleased with the progress being made, he turned and left the room.
     
    Elizabeth was bored again. It seemed she’d been left alone an eternity. Meandering back to the window she stared up at the sky, feeling decidedly cooped up, although the sun was peeking out from behind admittedly dark clouds.
    Even more bored and sulky than she had been five minutes before, she went up to her room. The sun was shining in, and though she could see the blustery wind blowing the trees around, it seemed to be an invigorating day and too good to be virtually imprisoned.
    ‘Oh bother!’ she exclaimed; despite the occasional tickle in her throat she felt perfectly all right, the previously threatening headache never having arrived. Lord Michael had forbidden her to go outside because he thought her unwell, but she was feeling fine. Yes, definitely fine. But since he had left specific instructions that he was not to be disturbed, she could not exactly inform him of that. No, there was no doubt in her mind that she was perfectly all right and there was no reason why she should not go for a ride.
    Her mind made up, she hastily donned her riding clothes, raced down the stairs two at a time, and out to the stables.
     
    Lord Michael sat back and stretched his arms, his neck a little stiff. He laid down the pen and stood up. The latest business venture was requiring a greater investment in time than he had anticipated, and the figures were difficult to make sense of. He wandered over to the window, gazing out, not really seeing anything, mulling over the options available to him, when suddenly the shock of seeing Elizabeth cantering across the fields on her mare, the spirited horse tossing its head, was not to be believed!
    ‘Good lord!’ he exclaimed. ‘Will she never learn that I mean what I say?’
    He was immediately angry; yet again she was being grossly disobedient. How dare she? Yet watching her despite his ire he had to admit she was a spellbinding sight. Even in his anger he had to admire the wonderful vision – beauty and power in perfect harmony.
    The mare left the ground and jumped effortlessly over a fallen tree trunk, Elizabeth staying with her, making it look easy. They galloped out of view and he craned his neck to follow, but they were gone.
    Pulling out his pocket watch he checked the time. It was eleven-fifty. Well, there was little he could do, so he’d go back to work and see what the young culprit had to say for herself when they met for lunch. He was determined she would pay severely for her flagrant disobedience.
    He settled back at the desk, and had just begun to make some more notes when there was a rumbling boom and a jagged flash of lightening across the increasingly angry sky outside. Large droplets of rain splattered against the windowpanes, and they were quickly growing in intensity. His anger quickly turned to concern. She was going to get caught in a downpour, and her fledgling cold could turn into something very much more serious. Not to mention the distinct possibility that her horse might spook in the storm and throw her. So he hurried out of the study, through the large house, and grabbed a raincoat as he dashed out of the backdoor, racing to the stables.
     
    Elizabeth was indeed caught in the deluge and Constance was not happy at all, but Elizabeth was able to handle her. She managed to get the mare turned around and they galloped back towards the house. She was getting soaked through, and the