Chapter 43

Scarlett's POV The crisp air from our ride still lingered in my lungs, and my pulse had finally steadied. I couldn't deny that Kathleen's idea for some fresh air to clear my mind had indeed worked. The gallop through the ridge had cleared the clouded thoughts in my head in a way nothing else could. The wind had stolen away the lingering bitterness from last night—the thoughts about the proposal, the bill, the worries about Faye who had messed with my head—all of it had vanished. It was as though I had been enlightened. Although the problems were still in the process of being solved, I still felt relieved. The weight on my chest had been lifted. I was brushing down my horse when I heard deliberate footsteps—as if the owner of those feet wanted me to know he was coming. Lucien's presence seemed to fill the stable before I even looked up. "You're back," I said, keeping my focus on the horse's mane. I could feel his gaze on me, lingering longer than it should have. "Why are you ignoring me