London Loves - Book 3 - Love's Great Adventure Series by Theresa Troutman Page A

step out in front of her. Startled, Penny jumped and dropped the leather pumps she was holding in her hand. “Dear God Sebastian, must you sneak up on me!” she hissed under her breath.
    “I wasn’t sneaking up. I was merely taking a walk,” he informed her.
    “At two in the morning?”
    “I couldn’t sleep. I see you had the same problem. Only you were undoubtedly having more fun.”
    “Yes, I was,” she smiled.
    “Are you happy?”
    “Can’t you tell?”
    “Why didn’t you just stay the night with him?”
    “We were trying to keep this quiet and avoid a conversation like the one we’re having right now. I really like Max. Please be happy for us?”
    “If he makes you happy, then I’m happy for you both. I’ll keep your secret.” He leaned in and kissed her on the cheek. “Goodnight, Pen.”
    Penny reached out and gently touched his cheek. “You have a beautiful wife and daughter—go back to them. Stop wandering the halls looking so lost. And don’t worry about me, I’m a big girl, Sebastian.”
    He gave her a crooked smile and nodded his head in agreement. “Come, I’ll walk you back to your room.”
     
    A breakfast buffet was laid out for the guest Saturday morning. The group was going to go on a fox hunt after they finished eating. Sebastian sat next to Tess at the table, eating eggs Benedict and drinking tea. Tess opted for scrambled eggs and toast. Mattie was entertaining Max at the other end of the table. It made Sebastian proud that his daughter was so intelligent and outgoing. She’d inherited those traits from her mother. But her charm—that was all from Sebastian.
    “Are you sure you don’t mind staying here with Mattie while I hunt? I need to be polite if I want to forge this relationship with Max and Victoria,” Sebastian explained as he set the fork on his plate.
    “Mattie and I will be fine. I thought I could take her for a walk in the rose garden. She’ll love the fountain.”
    “Maybe this afternoon just the three of us can take the horses out. Mattie has been bugging me to teach her how to ride.”
    Tess gave him a wary glance. “Are you sure it’s safe? She’s only four years old, Bas.”
    “I started riding when I was four. She’ll be fine,” he reassured his wife.
    Maxwell stood from the table. “If everyone is ready, please join me outside.”
    Mattie joined Tess and Sebastian as the family walked along the marble corridor through the back entrance of the house. Five horses stood, saddled and bridled, at the ready. “I want to go!” Mattie exclaimed, jumping up and down in excitement.
    “This afternoon, I promise I’ll take you riding. These horses are too big for you. I’ll take you out on the pony,” Sebastian explained as he knelt down to his daughter’s eye level.
    She nodded her head in agreement and threw her arms around Sebastian’s neck. “Love you, Daddy.”
    “Love you, too. Now I think Mummy has a surprise for you, so be good and I’ll see you at lunch.” Sebastian leaned in and kissed Tess on the lips. “I’ll be back soon.”
    The other riders had already mounted their horses, so Sebastian quickly got on the saddle. The foxhounds sprinted off across the verdant grounds and the riders kicked into action in pursuit.
    Mattie looked up at Tess and wistfully announced, “I wish we could live here all the time.”
    “Why is that, Mattie?”
    “It’s beautiful, and there are lots of pets, and Uncle Max is nice.”
    “Hmm,” was the only thing Tess could come up with in that moment. She watched the riding party crest the last hill, before disappearing from view. “Mattie, I thought you loved our flat in London. Daddy and I have to work in town. We can’t live out here. But I bet if you’re on your best behavior, Uncle Max will invite us back.”
    “Awesome!” she said with a big toothy grin.
    “Come, I want to show you the rose gardens. There’s this really neat fountain with stone fish I want to show you.”
    Mattie reached up