Chapter 9
The Gallop to Freedom
The air crackled with a nervous energy, thick and humid like the summer before a storm. Eleanor felt it in her bones, a tremor that had nothing to do with the thrum of Buster’s tail against her leg or the anxious whinny of Thunder from his stable. Today was the day. The Blackwood Derby. The culmination of weeks of whispered worries, clandestine meetings, and a growing understanding of the precarious tightrope her family walked. She smoothed down her riding habit, the familiar weight of the fabric a small comfort against the swirling chaos in her chest.
Liam appeared at her elbow, his presence a steadying force. He offered a shy, encouraging smile, his eyes, the colour of a summer sky, crinkling at the corners. “Ready, Eleanor?” His voice was a low rumble, a melody that always seemed to soothe her frayed nerves.
Eleanor met his gaze, a small smile gracing her lips. “As I’ll ever be, Liam. Thank you. For everything.” She didn’t need to elaborate. He knew. He’d seen the late nights, the worried frowns, the desperate attempts to keep the estate’s dwindling finances from her. He’d been her silent partner in this mad dash towards a future she wasn’t sure she could secure.
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