Six months later

London

Gabby shifted in the saddle on the back of a young palomino pony. Biting her bottom lip, she glanced down at the city. The allure of London was quickly fading. The buzz of the city, which had quenched her thirst for adventure for a time, had begun to smother her.

In the distance, she heard a clock chime five o'clock. Her mother would expect her for dinner soon. She glanced longingly up the road, tempted to spur the horse and disappear into the countryside.

She sighed and turned back toward the city, slowly guiding the horse easily through the crowded streets of the city.

"Gabriella!" Jocelyn called, wandering through the house.

She ended up in the open doorway of William's study. He was sifting through results from the first tournaments of the season, running his fingers over the seal of Anton at the top of the lists.

Moving into the room slowly, Jocelyn rested her hand on his shoulder. "Your daughter has disappeared again."

Will shrugged, a small smile pulling at his lips.

Jocelyn raised an eyebrow at him. "This is a serious matter, William. This is the third time this week that she has gone out on her own."

He just narrowed his eyes at his wife, unsure of her point.

"Your daughter is getting a reputation, William."

"Our daughter," Will corrected.

Jocelyn shrugged. "Will you please just talk to her?"

Gabby pulled her horse into the stable quietly, removing the saddle. She jumped when she turned to see her father leaning against the stall.

"Your mother has been looking for you."

Gabby bit her lip, shrugging off the comment.

Will took a seat on the low rail that lined one of the stalls, motioning for Gabby to join him. "This behavior must stop."

She frowned up at him. Her father had never been the one to chide her in the past.

"This is your life now. It is important that you act according to a certain standard."

"I understand," she replied softly.

Will sighed. "Obviously you don't."

Gaby scoffed, but closed her mouth quickly when her father shot a glare at her.

"It is not appropriate for you to go out of the city alone, under any circumstances. I can't condone it."

Will hated to chide his daughter for exercising her free spirit. It was the part of her personality that he admired most. It had become obvious to him that life in London was smothering her spirit.

He stood, dropping a kiss on her forehead before he started toward the house.

"I miss it, Papa," she said softly before he reached the door.

"Me too," he replied, holding his arm out with a smile. "Come on. Your mother will have our heads if we are late for dinner."

Gabby stood at her window later that night, staring down at the dark city streets below. Despite the comfortable lifestyle that her father's winnings had kept the family in, Gabby felt claustrophobic in the city.

She knew that, no matter how hard she tried, she would never be able to live up to the standards that her parents expected of her.

Reluctantly, she crawled into bed, trying to push the thoughts from her mind and get some sleep.