The mare settled, and Elaine couldn't help glancing at the duke again. Steam rose from the mounts of the three men, so they'd been riding hard. He sat his mount easily. His gaze was on Joy. Elaine forced herself to lower her own gaze, knowing that if she stared at him too long his attention would be drawn to her again.
"Talverne suggested that you might have some horses for sale," the duke said.
"Aye, your grace, the black will do us." The rough voice came from one of the men riding with the duke. One of the duke's grooms, it seemed.
"Yes, I know, Peters. I like her too," the duke said. "The mare the lad's riding, Bendish — I saw her take that fence. She is part Arabian is she not not? Which of the ladies owns her?"
"Miss Eardley, your grace."
Then the duke addressed Elaine directly. “Lad, you ride well. Tell me about the horse."
What? Elaine refused to panic. She forced herself to sit the mare calmly. She knew that she would be revealed as a female as soon as she opened her mouth.
"Fred's overcome by your consequence, your grace," Bendish said lightly. "He's a timid lad — it's all I can do to get a word out of him, even when we're alone. About the horse — she's estate bred, Eardley's Joy. Just on three years old. We began her serious schooling a month back. Another year or so and she'll make a fine hunter — but Miss Eardley intends her for a town hack."
The duke was silent for a moment. A glance from the corner of her eye told Elaine that he was still inspecting Joy.
"Would Miss Eardley sell her?"
Without being aware that she was doing so, Elaine shook her head sharply. When she felt the duke's gaze on her, she kept her head down.
"That I couldn't say your grace… Miss Elaine is very fond of the mare."
"Please tell Mrs. Eardley that I will call on her at Gostwicke Hall later today."
The Duke turned his mount, and he and his grooms rode away.
"Come now," Bendish said to Elaine, and nudged his horse into a canter.
Elaine forced herself to follow him, warning herself that she would not look back at the duke. She didn't, but it was a struggle.
Before Elaine was aware of it, Joy decided that she would take the fence again. Too late to correct the mare without unbalancing her, Elaine accepted the inevitable. They took the fence easily.
"You like to jump. You're such a good girl," Elaine cooed, leaning down to pat Joy's neck. She'd never been prouder of the mare. Joy tossed her head, as though in pride at her accomplishment.
When Bendish had made his way through the gate and had caught up with her again, he had a warning. "Ma'am — his grace was watching you take that fence again… Perhaps not the wisest idea to jump her if you don't intend to sell the horse to him."
"Joy decided that she'd take the fence, I didn't. I was too late to stop her… But I have no intention of selling her, I wouldn't sell her for a thousand pounds."
"The duke is one of the wealthiest men in England."
She didn't care. "When he calls, I'll stay out of his way. In fact, I'll make sure that I'm not in the house at all."
The Lady And The Duke: A Dangerous Season (Elaine's story) is available now.
About the Author
Penelope Redmont writes fiction and nonfiction. Discover her Regency romances and mysteries on her website and blog.
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Also by Penelope Redmont
The Eardleys of Gostwicke Hall series of Regency romances
Did you miss the first two books in the Eardleys of Gostwicke Hall?
The Lady And The Rake: A Scandalous Arrangement (Melly's story)
The Lady And The Duke: A Dangerous Season (Elaine's story)
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The Lady And The Man Of Fortune_A Wicked Secret_The Eardleys Of Gostwicke Hall, Book 3 Page 20
