Chapter 2

He was early.

9:55 AM, and Caspian Rivers was already waiting by the stable entrance. He looked nervous, shifting his weight from foot to foot like he wasn't sure he belonged here.

Good. Nerves mean he's taking this seriously.

I rolled my wheelchair toward him, and he turned at the sound.

There.

Those green eyes from the photos, but sharper in person. More alert. He was studying me just as carefully as I was studying him.

Green. Not just green, but the deep color of lake water in summer. Clear and intelligent. When he looked at me, really looked, I felt like he was seeing more than most people bothered to notice.

"Miss Beaumont?"

His voice was deeper than I'd imagined. Polite but not servile. Good.

"You're punctual," I said. "I like that."

A slight smile touched his lips. "My grandmother always said being late was just another way of being rude."

Grandmother. Right. The one with cancer.

"Jasper should be here any moment to make proper introductions."

As if summoned, Jasper appeared from the direction of the house. He moved with his usual efficiency, but I caught the way his eyes quickly assessed Caspian. Old habits from his military days.

"Miss Cordelia, may I present Mr. Caspian Rivers. Mr. Rivers, Miss Cordelia Beaumont."

Caspian stepped forward and extended his hand. "It's an honor to meet you, Miss Beaumont."

I shook his hand, noting the calluses on his palm. Working hands. Honest hands.

"Thank you for coming." I glanced at Jasper. "That will be all for now."

Jasper nodded and disappeared back toward the house, leaving us alone.

Caspian looked around the stable with obvious appreciation. "This is incredible. I've never seen anything like it."

The pride in his voice made something warm unfurl in my chest. Most people took the Beaumont stables for granted. Expected them to be impressive because of our name.

"Walk with me," I said, rolling deeper into the barn. "Tell me, Mr. Rivers, what do you know about horses?"

"Not much about riding them," he admitted, falling into step beside my wheelchair. "But I helped take care of a few when I was younger. Neighbor had some draft horses for farm work."

Honest. I like that too.

"And what brings you here today? Jasper was rather vague about the details."

Caspian stopped walking. When I looked up at him, he was frowning slightly. Not confused, exactly. More like he was working through a puzzle.

Intelligent. Very good.

"To be honest, Miss Beaumont, I'm not entirely sure myself. Your man said you had a proposition for me."

"I do." I gestured toward the row of stalls. "I need a riding partner."

"A riding partner?"

"Someone I can train properly. Someone who can learn to work with me, not just follow basic commands."

His frown deepened. "But surely you already have people for that. Professional trainers, other riders..."

"I don't want professionals," I said firmly. "I want someone who understands what it means to build trust from the ground up."

We'd reached the first stall. Inside, a beautiful chestnut mare lifted her head and whickered softly.

"This is Duchess," I said. "She's gentle but proud. Takes time to warm up to new people."

Caspian moved closer to the stall door. Duchess stepped forward, ears pricked with interest.

"She's beautiful." He kept his voice low and steady. When he extended his hand toward the bars, Duchess immediately moved to investigate. Her velvet nose touched his palm briefly before she pulled back.

Interesting.

"She likes you." I rolled to the next stall. "This is Thunder. He's more spirited."

The black gelding tossed his head and snorted, but he didn't move away when Caspian approached. If anything, he seemed curious.

"And this," I said, stopping at the largest stall, "is Tempest."

The stallion inside was magnificent. Coal black with a white blaze down his face. Sixteen hands of pure power and elegance. He'd cost more than most people made in five years.

Caspian went very still. "My God."

Tempest stepped forward, studying this new human with obvious intelligence. Then he did something that made my breath catch.

He nickered. Soft and welcoming.

Tempest had never done that with a stranger. Ever.

"He's..." Caspian started, then stopped. "I don't have words."

"He's yours," I heard myself say. "If you accept my offer."

Caspian turned to stare at me. "I'm sorry, what?"

"I want to teach you to ride. Properly. Not just basic skills, but real partnership. The kind that takes months to develop."

"Miss Beaumont, I can't possibly accept something like that. He must be worth..."

"More than you'll make in the next ten years," I finished for him. "I know. That's not the point."

"Then what is the point?"

Good question. I looked at him standing there in his worn jeans and faded shirt, surrounded by horses worth more than houses. But instead of looking intimidated, he looked... curious. Thoughtful.

Exactly what I'd hoped for.

"The point is that I'm bored," I said simply. "I've been surrounded by people my entire life who want something from me. Money, connections, status. You're different."

"How do you know that?"

"Because you're asking the right questions instead of just saying yes."

He was quiet for a long moment, studying my face like he was trying to figure out what I wasn't saying.

"What exactly would this partnership involve?"

"Training sessions. Several times a week. I'll teach you everything - how to read a horse's body language, how to communicate through touch and movement, how to build the kind of trust that makes you partners instead of just rider and mount."

"And in return?"

"In return, I get to work with someone who might actually understand what I'm trying to teach them."

Another long pause. Tempest had moved to the front of his stall and was watching our conversation with obvious interest.

"I've never even been on a horse," Caspian said finally.

"Good," I replied. "No bad habits to break."

But that wasn't the real reason I was pleased. The real reason was much simpler.

I wanted to watch him learn. Wanted to see him discover something new. Wanted to be the one teaching him.

The thought should have worried me. Instead, it made me feel more alive than I had in months.

"Miss Beaumont," he said slowly, "what exactly do you need from me?"

I smiled, and it felt like the first genuine smile I'd worn in weeks.

"Tomorrow afternoon. Three o'clock. We'll start with your first lesson."