As the golden sun descended towards the horizon, it cast long, stretching shadows across the sprawling and verdant Whitmore estate. The once tumultuous scene at the stables had finally calmed. Jonathan, bearing bruises but not broken in spirit, had successfully regained control with the assistance of his devoted stable hands. The recently acquired stallions were now safely settled, their untamed spirits momentarily tamed.
Jonathan sighed, exhaustion etched into his features as he dismounted and handed the reins to a nearby groom. As the 4 riders round towards the stable Emily approaches her dad, her eyes still sparkling with the thrill of the afternoon's excitement, with a mischievous grin.
"Father," she began, her voice honey-sweet, "wouldn't it be delightful to race, just like at the charity event? I think Mr. Mallory would enjoy it immensely."
Jonathan shook his head, a wry smile playing on his lips. "Not today, Emily. I've had quite enough excitement for one afternoon. I need to rest. You all enjoy yourselves, but keep it safe."
With that, he turned to Victor Mallory, who had been observing the scene with a composed demeanour. "Mr. Mallory, you can come to my study after the ride for the meeting you came for."
Victor nodded, his eyes locking with Jonathan's. "Of course, Mr. Whitmore."
Jonathan then made his way back to the manor, leaving the younger generation to their own devices. As soon as he was out of earshot, Emily's enthusiasm burst forth once more, her eyes gleaming with mischief.
"How about a double horse riding race, just like a prince carrying her princess on his horse?" she proposed, her voice brimming with excitement. "Victor, I can ride with you, and Sarah can ride with James. It will be fun!"
Sarah shot Emily a sharp glare, her eyes narrowing as a wave of déjà vu washed over her. Suddenly, she was back on that sun-drenched beach, watching as Emily slid into the passenger seat of Victor's sleek vintage car, her laughter ringing out like a peal of silver bells.
"Enjoying the show, my dear?" James' mocking rasp cut through Sarah's reverie, his condescending sneer eerily reminiscent of the dream.
Sarah blinked rapidly, pushing the disorienting flashes aside as she focused on the present moment. She wasn't thrilled about being paired with James, especially after his recent display of cowardice. Nevertheless, she bit back her retort, knowing that arguing with Emily was often a futile endeavour.
James, still nursing his bruised ego, squared his shoulders and forced a smile. "Very well, a race it is. I'm sure we will make quite the impression."
Victor looked at Emily, his expression unreadable, though Sarah could have sworn she saw a flicker of amusement dance across his chiselled features. "Are you certain, Miss Whitmore? Riding double can be quite challenging."
Emily nodded enthusiastically. "Absolutely. I'm sure we'll be fine. Besides, it's all in good fun."
With the arrangements settled, the pairs mounted their horses. Emily swung up in front of Victor on his sleek black stallion, her laughter ringing out as she settled into the saddle. The sound sent another jolt through Sarah, transporting her back to that sun-drenched dream where Emily's carefree giggles had mingled with the roar of Victor's powerful engine.
Pushing the unsettling sense of déjà vu aside, Sarah climbed onto James' mount, a spirited bay mare, and positioned herself in front of him. The familiar scent of saddle leather and horse sweat filled her nostrils, grounding her in the present moment.
"Let's make this interesting," First one to the old oak tree and back wins!" Emily declared, eyes sparkling with excitement.
Before Sarah could protest, "Are you ready, my dear?" James murmured against the back of her neck, his breath hot and damp.
Sarah tensed at the unwelcome intimacy, silently willing every inch of her being not to recoil from his touch. With a terse nod, she gathered the reins and dug her heels into the mare's flanks, launching them into the growing race.
With that, she spurred the stallion into motion, and Victor followed suit, guiding the powerful horse with an easy grace that spoke of years in the saddle. James and Sarah followed, the mare's hooves pounding the ground as they raced after the others.
The wind whipped through Sarah's hair as they galloped across the field, the pounding rhythm of the horse's hooves and the rush of the wind making her heart beat faster. But there was something else, a haunting familiarity that made her stomach churn. She felt like she was living the dream she had recounted earlier, only now she was in the role of the blonde woman, and Emily was living her part.
Flashes of that sun-drenched beach flickered through Sarah's mind, superimposing themselves over the rolling countryside. She could almost taste the salt on her lips, and feel the rumble of Victor's vintage car as it hugged the curves with reckless abandon.
Victor and Emily took an early lead, the black stallion surging ahead with impressive speed. Emily's laughter echoed in the air, her joy infectious – a mirror of the carefree bliss Sarah had witnessed on that phantom beach. Sarah couldn't help but feel a pang of envy as she watched them, wishing she could share that same unbridled happiness.
Watching them move in such synchronized grace, Sarah felt a pang of envy – and something else, something deeper that coiled in the pit of her stomach like a venomous serpent. Emily's laughter rang out in peals of unrestrained joy, and Sarah fought the urge to cover her ears against the piercing intimacy of it all.
Was it merely her imagination, or did Victor's hands linger just a bit too long on Emily's waist as he guided the stallion's movements? Did his lips graze the delicate curve of her sister's neck as they thundered past, close enough for Sarah to glimpse the shiver that cascaded through Emily's slender frame?
Sarah ground her teeth, her knuckles blanching against the worn leather reins. James seemed equally oblivious to the growing tension radiating from his betrothed, too consumed by his frustration at their faltering pace to pay heed to anything else.
Move faster, damn you!" he snarled, punctuating the vicious command with a vicious kick to the mare's heaving flanks.
The beast whinnied in pain and protest, straining against James' brutal assault. Up ahead, Victor seemed to sense the shift in the movements behind them. He twisted in the saddle, favouring Sarah with a look of open concern that caused her pulse to quicken traitorously.
As if by some unspoken signal, he slowed the pace of the stallion, allowing James and Sarah to draw nearer, close enough for her to glimpse the way Emily's fingers curled possessively into the fabric of Victor's shirt as they matched strides.
James sneered at the overt display, his aristocratic features twisting into an ugly sneer of condescension. "How quaint," he spat, his voice dripping with venom. "Playing the gallant knight for our fair ladies, Mallory?"
Emily bristled at her prospective brother-in-law's tone, levelling him with a look that could blister paint. "James! Must you be so dreadfully crass?"
Sarah opened her mouth – to rebuke her sister or defend Victor, she wasn't quite sure. But before she could give voice to her warring thoughts, a rabbit darted across their path, its white tail flashing like a wisp of smoke. The mare shied violently, her hooves pawing the air as she fought against James' unyielding grip on the reins.
In a flash, James was in motion behind her – one arm snaking around her waist in an iron vice while the other hand wrenched the reins and brought the mare back under control with a savage tug. Sarah found herself crushed against his sweat-dampened chest, his rapid heartbeat thundering like a blacksmith's hammer against her back.
"Are you quite alright?" he panted, his words rasping against the delicate whorls of her ear.
Sarah wrenched herself free of his constraining embrace, ignoring the way her corset constricted her breathing in the aftermath.
"I'm fine," she snapped, swallowing down the urge to snap at him even further.
Of course, James had acted in a bid to play the gallant hero he was just rebuking Victor for, never mind the bone-crushing force he'd employed to "save" her. Why, she wouldn't put it past the odious man to have planned this entire display in a pathetic attempt to curry her affections.
Casting a furtive glance over her shoulder, Sarah felt her cheeks flush hot with embarrassment at the silent rebuke she found awaiting her in Victor's stony regard.
Victor shot a pointed glance at James and Sarah, his eyes flashing with a mixture of concern and reproach.
James tightened his grip on the reins, urging the mare to increase her pace. They gained ground, but Victor and Emily remained ahead, their silhouettes a stark contrast against the setting sun, just like the sleek cars cutting through the ocean mist.
As they neared the old oak tree, the horses strained against their bits, muscles rippling with exertion. Victor and Emily reached the tree first, wheeling around in a tight arc to head back, mirroring the graceful manoeuvres Sarah had witnessed in her dream.
The race back was a blur of motion and sound. Sarah clung to the saddle, her heart pounding as she willed the mare to catch up. She glanced back at James, whose face was set in grim determination, a far cry from the arrogant sneer he had worn in her vision.
But it was Victor and Emily who crossed the finish line first, their triumphant cheers mingling with the thundering of hooves. James and Sarah arrived moments later, the mare skidding to a halt as they admitted defeat.
Emily jumped down from the stallion, her face flushed with excitement. "That was amazing! Thank you, Victor."
Victor dismounted with graceful ease, a smile tugging at his lips as he met Sarah's gaze with an inscrutable intensity. "It was my pleasure, Miss Whitmore. You are quite the rider."
"Enjoying yourself, my dear?" James rasped against her ear, his tone condescending.
Sarah tensed at the mocking endearment, bristling with annoyance as his arms tightened around her in a possessive vice once more. Unable to formulate a pithy retort, she simply shrugged free of his grasp and swung herself down from the saddle the moment they'd slowed.
Her boots hit the ground with a solid thud, jarring all the way up through the tightly corded muscles along her thighs and calves. Sarah barely registered the minor ache, too caught up in the maelstrom of conflicting emotions still swirling through her breast.
James dismounted stiffly, his pride bruised but his composure intact. "Well raced, Victor.
Sarah gave a curt nod, still trying to shake off the eerie sense of déjà vu that had plagued her throughout the race. "Yes, well done."
As the group made their way back to the stables, Sarah couldn't help but reflect on the strange turn of events. The race had brought her dream to life in a way she hadn't expected, casting her in a role she hadn't wanted – the discarded paramour, overshadowed by Emily's vibrant allure.
She glanced at Victor and Emily, their easy camaraderie a stark contrast to her strained relationship with James. There was an undeniable connection between them, a chemistry that crackled like static electricity, drawing Sarah's eye despite her best efforts.
As they reached the stables, Sarah found herself replaying the race in her mind, dissecting every moment, every fleeting glance and shared laugh between Victor and Emily. Was she merely projecting her own desires onto their interactions, or was there something more at play?
One thing was certain – the lines between fantasy and reality were blurring, and Sarah found herself caught in the riptide.