“Are you sure?” he asked.

She shook her head.

“Of course I’m not sure. I’m not sure about any of this, but let’s do it anyway.”

He grinned and relaxed his grip on Luka’s reins and nudged him again. The horse began to trot, and Polly followed his lead.

“Now, the thing to get used to here isn’t so much the speed, because we really aren’t going that much faster, but it’s the different way you feel in the saddle. It’s a lot more bouncing, and it takes a little while for you to bounce in sync with the horse. It’s easier to just relax into it. You’ll get into the rhythm soon.”

Vivian glared at him.

“You know, that is a thing it would have been really useful to tell me before my poor butt started getting jolted like this. No wonder riding makes people sore. I’m going to have bruises everywhere.”

He reached out to her, but she was too far away to touch.

“I’m sorry, we can go back to walking again.”

She shook her head and continued to bump up and down on her horse.

“No, now I have to figure this trotting thing out. I can’t start it and then give up. Plus, I can’t be accused of not having rhythm!”

He laughed.

“Horseback riding is sort of like dancing, when you think about it. Every partner is different; it’s always better if the two of you work together.”

She turned to him and opened her mouth, then closed it.

“What were you about to say, Ms. Forest?” He couldn’t hold back his grin.

“Nothing.” She looked straight ahead, but he could see the smile on her face. “Nothing at all.”

They grinned at each other for a moment.

“Now, just remember, relax into Polly’s rhythm here.”

After a minute or so, she turned to him with a huge smile on her face.

“That’s it! I got it!”

He watched her and Polly ride next to him and Luka.

“You got it!”

She reached down and patted the side of the horse.

It made him happy to see her smile like this as they rode together. He’d really wanted her to enjoy this trip to the stables—he’d hatched this plan to get her to ride on a whim, and he was so pleased it had been successful.

They continued to ride around the perimeter of the pasture for the next twenty minutes until he saw Vivian shiver. The sun was about to set, and it was getting even colder out.

“I think it’s time to go back in,” he said.

She shook her head.

“Just one more round?”

He laughed.

“An hour ago you absolutely did not want to ride a horse. Now you want just one more time around? But I saw you shiver just now. I think we need to take you inside and get some hot tea—or maybe a hot toddy.”

They turned their horses and rode back toward Tim.

“Oh, hey, Malcolm?” Vivian had an odd look on her face. “One quick question I forgot to ask: How do I make her stop?”

Right, right, he hadn’t mentioned that.

“A gentle pull on the reins should slow her down, and a rough one should stop her. But she’ll stop when we get near Tim anyway.”

Polly slowed down almost immediately, and just as they got abreast with Tim, she stopped.

“Well done, Ms. Forest,” Tim said as he helped her down from the horse. “You and Polly got very comfortable together; good to see that.”

“Thank you so much for your help, Tim,” she said. She patted Polly on the side again, and the horse turned to nuzzle her hand. “We had a very good time together, didn’t we, girl?”

“I hope you can come back and see us before you return to America,” Tim said.

Vivian glanced at Malcolm, then looked away.

“I hope so, too, but if that doesn’t end up happening, please know that I had a wonderful time.” She laughed. “My friends are going to die when they hear this. Let alone my daughter!”

Vivian shook Tim’s hand, and she and Malcolm turned to leave the stables. She still couldn’t believe she’d ridden a horse. Sure, she’d ridden it slowly, but she’d actually been on horseback. Ridiculous.

She couldn’t wait to tell Maddie.

She could feel the smile still on her face as she walked next to Malcolm. When Tim had said that thing about her coming again, she’d wanted to ask Malcolm if he would bring her back, but she’d stopped herself. She was having a great time hanging out and flirting with this tall, plummy-voiced chocolate bar, but he had a very important job, and must have his own family to spend time with during the holidays. She didn’t want to impose on him more than she already had.

What was he even doing to celebrate Christmas, anyway? Where was his family? They’d talked a bit about his nephew and sister but no one else. Was Malcolm going to leave Sandringham soon to go to his family?

Wait. Was he married?

She turned to ask him.

“Are you . . . ?”

Her voice trailed away. Right in front of them was a short, elderly woman, wearing a very practical mackintosh, a black purse hanging off her elbow, and a scarf over her head.

“Your Majesty.” Malcolm bowed. “May I introduce Vivian Forest? She’s a guest at Sycamore Cottage.”

Without thinking about it, Vivian dropped into a quick curtsy.

“Ms. Forest, a pleasure. I saw you out there earlier on Polly. Excellent seat.”

Vivian swallowed hard.

“Thank you, Your Majesty.” What in God’s name was happening to her? Did she actually just address someone as “Your Majesty” for real? “I had a lovely time riding her; she’s a beautiful horse.”

The Queen nodded.

“She is indeed.” She turned to Malcolm. “Thank you for your note; we can discuss it in our meeting tomorrow morning.”

Malcolm nodded again.

“Thank you, ma’am.”

The Queen lifted a hand in farewell and walked ahead of them out of the stables, back toward Sandringham House.

Vivian hadn’t realized she was standing still and staring straight in front of her until Malcolm slipped his arm through hers and turned to lead her back toward Sycamore Cottage. They didn’t speak a word to each other until they were well out of the stables.

“After all your scorn of the monarchy and making fun of people who bow and curtsy to them, who was it I saw drop into an impeccable curtsy just now?” Malcolm had an enormous grin on his face.

Vivian threw her hands in the air.

“I didn’t do it on purpose, okay? It just happened! It’s not every day in my life a queen just lands in my path as I’m walking out of a stable! I saw you bow and I just lost my mind!”

He shook his head.

“So many revolutionary ideals that came crashing to a halt!”

The Queen. She had really met the Queen. Vivian laughed out loud.

“I cannot believe that just happened!” She turned to Malcolm. “Did you know she was going to be there?”

Had he brought her to the stables both to try to get her to ride a horse and to “accidentally” get her to meet the Queen?

“I didn’t,” he said. “But you should be honored by her compliment on your seat; she would never say that if it wasn’t true.”