Samuel rode up the drive towards Lytton House. He hadn't felt this excited in a long time.

"You are happy, Samuel."

"Yes, Omar." Sam looked across at his companion as they slowed their horses to a walk. "I can't remember the last time I felt truly happy. This girl has turned something on inside of me. Something that has been missing for many years. She excites me."

"This is good. I think you are almost healed. Body and soul."

Samuel rocked in his saddle and laughed. "Maybe that's what it is, Omar. My body and soul have come together as one. Perhaps Shay's presence has done this."

"Perhaps," Omar chuckled.

*

Samuel tried to control his temper. He nodded and stood up. "Thank you, Thomas. I shall call on her there." He gripped Thomas' hand and tipped his head.

"You're not staying? It's after eleven. Lunch will be served soon. I thought perhaps we could discuss the wedding plans, so you know what has been organised. Rebecca has sent out the invitations to the people you requested to be invited."

"I'm afraid I'm very short of time, Thomas. If Shay had been here, I would have spent three days with you. Since she has returned to London, I will have to use one of those days to make my way there. The quicker I start, the quicker I will get there." Samuel bowed his head again and smiled. "I trust you and Rebecca with the wedding plans. I had hoped to spend some time with Shay before the event. It seems she has more urgent matters on her mind."

"I am sorry, Samuel. She did wait a month, and then left when I wasn't home to prevent her from going." Thomas shrugged and lifted the side of his mouth in a sheepish grin. "I have probably been too easy with her over the years. She is a very determined girl."

"A trait I like, so don't worry yourself. These are things I will be discussing with Shay when I see her. Thank you again." Samuel bowed his head once more, and made his way out of the house with Omar following.

Knowing Samuel as he did, Omar remained quiet as they rode. The tension being transmitted from the man was nothing less than lethal. He wondered if Thomas Lytton had picked up on it, though Samuel had controlled it very well.

"So, you're not going to say anything," Samuel spat.

"No. Not at the moment."

Samuel spun in his saddle. "Why not!"

"Sammy. Really? You want me to answer that." Omar watched Samuel spin forward and kick his horse with more force than was needed. The beautiful Arabian stallion bolted straight into a gallop. Omar let him go. When Samuel was out of sight, he urged his horse into a canter. It was better to let Samuel have time on his own to deal with his temper. Omar chuckled, so much for the girl bringing Samuel's body and soul together as one. If anything, it was now split completely in two. Omar had a feeling that things weren't going to go as well as Samuel expected. He may have claimed this girl, and declared that she was his, however, Omar sensed the girl had other ideas.

Samuel was sitting on a log on the side of the road when Omar caught up. Cole, his stallion, was a lather of sweat tethered to a fence post, so the horse could chew on the long sweet grass growing there. Omar dismounted and sat on the log beside Samuel. He didn't say anything.

"Fuck, Omar. I can't believe how angry she's made me."

"She did wait four weeks."

"I wrote to Thomas and apologised. It took me longer than I thought to organise her wedding gift." Samuel blew out his breath and rubbed his hands over his face.

"Perhaps you should have written the letter to Shay, and not Thomas. She may have understood better what your intentions were."

Samuel turned his head and looked at Omar. "As I told you, she didn't accept my offer with great joy. I thought I'd leave it to Thomas, who knows her well, to pass on my message." He sighed. "I can't have her thinking she can just up and go off whenever she pleases. I told Thomas she could continue her charity work within the boundaries that I set."

"You think she is going to obey rules that you are going to set. Is this correct?" Omar cocked his head and tried not to grin.

Samuel saw the smirk and shook his head. "Fuck!" He got up and paced. "She is to be my wife. A duchess. I am to be her husband. I have the say. I take care of her. I'm a bloody duke for fuck's sake. If she thinks she's going to be able to cavort around London on her own, she has another thing coming."

"From what you have told me about your proposal, she obviously thinks she can." Omar stood up and sighed. "Samuel, you told her father it was a marriage of convenience. That you would not take her as a man does a woman. You told him she could continue her charity work, and that her life was not going to be any different to what it has been, with the exception that she would be married to you. The girl obviously believes this is all true. Now you're angry at her, and her father, because they have continued as normal, because you have basically said they could." Omar held out his palms. "You have only yourself to blame, my friend."

"Thanks for your support, Omar," Samuel huffed.

"Now you're being, how do you say, Sar...cat...ic." Omar lifted his hand to mimic a claw and meowed.

Sam burst into laughter. "Sarcastic, Omar. The word has nothing to do with cats."

Omar cocked his head and shrugged. "At least you're laughing now."

"Yes," Samuel pointed his finger at Omar and gave him a mock stern look. "And you're lucky I am. You never side with me on anything. With a friend like you, I don't need any enemies."

"Ah..." Omar grinned. "True friends do not agree, when they disagree. Your proposal of marriage has changed, and only one half of the betrothed knows it." Omar pointed. "You. So, you have only yourself to blame for today's consequences."

Sam pushed his hair back with both hands. "You are correct. I should have let my true intentions be known. However, I didn't understand what they were until I had time to think about it." He untied Cole and smiled at Omar. "Thank you, master. Now I have to figure out how to go about this." He mounted his horse. "I want to get to London tonight."

I am so happy that Samuel met Omar.  The man is one in a million, and has become one of my favourite characters. ♥

Photo taken from istock.