Her eyes big as saucers, she nodded.
He looked back to his mother. “It was not meant that way,” he said, irritated at his mother as well as himself.
“There is a reason for Catherine to go to London,” Deirdre said slowly.
Three pairs of eyes turned to her.
She smiled broadly. “You mentioned it yourself earlier, Lady Burke. Did you not note Gene had a Grand Tour before taking over Fifefield?”
Eugene and Mary were puzzled by Deirdre's line of thought; however, Gwen caught the nub of the matter.
“Of course, he did not want to go either, eager as he was to take over. However, afterward, Gene, you said yourself it was the best thing you could have done. You knew how to judge horses, and the trip taught you to judge people as well!” Gwen said, warming to the idea. “If you were to tell Catherine it would help her run the stable, she might go willingly.”
“Yes, and I know just how to spur on that willingness, too,” Deirdre said.
The other three looked at her expectantly. She shook her head. “I shan’t tell you, for it must be something between Catherine and me. But mark my words, she will go.” She began to giggle again, clapping her hand over her mouth to keep from laughing aloud, her eyes dancing with mischief.
CHAPTER 2
Catherine’s attention focused on Zephyrus, the deep-chested bay she rode. She was particularly proud of Zephyrus and eager to show off his paces to Raymond Dawes. She was confident the stallion would be the prize of the string he took to London that spring. She wanted to make sure he knew it, too.
Dawes leaned his forearms negligently on the top of the fence and watched horse and rider, a slight smile softening his ruggedly chiseled features. As Sir Eugene’s agent in London, he was rarely at Fifefield for long, and on those occasions, he was closeted for hours on end with Sir Eugene in the estate office.
Slowly the patronizing smile he had adopted faded as he watched the performance in the paddock before him. He leaned forward, resting his chin on his crossed arms.
Catherine glanced at him, jubilant. She knew Dawes was now no longer indulging her and was seriously concentrating. With a self-satisfied smile, she put the horse to some difficult jumps. Intent on impressing the Burke sales agent, she failed to note the elegant gentleman by the stable yard.
“Well? Isn’t he marvelous?” Catherine finally asked, riding up to Dawes and slipping from the big bay’s back. “Zephyruscould carry a good-sized man for hours without tiring and still look graceful and light doing so!” She stroked the bay’s nose affectionately and turned bright, shining brown eyes on Raymond Dawes.
“Mayhap, you have the right of it,” he said slowly as he straightened and reached out to stroke the horse.
“Is that all you can say? Don’t you have any other comment?” Catherine felt disappointed. Her eyes glazed over as she turned back to stroke the horse’s neck. “I think he’s one of the best we’ve had and should fetch a high price! I must own, if I did not have my Gwyneth, I should be reluctant to part with him at all!” she said.
Dawes scowled for a moment and looked out across the fields, then back to the big bay. The animal was beginning to prance at standing still for so long.
“Wouldn’t be right.”
Catherine cocked an eyebrow in inquiry. “Oh?” she asked softly, a hard edge to her voice.
“He’s too big for you.”
Catherine gave him a wrathful look, stamped her foot, and started to protest, but Dawes forestalled her.
“I said you were right afore when you said he could carry a good-sized man. Should, too. Not enough horses of his size and quality around. Fetch a top price, like you said.”
“Well, why didn’t you say so before?” Catherine asked, exasperated.
“No sense repeating what you just said. Don’t know why you want to hear again what you already know.”
Catherine frowned at him a moment longer until her sense of the ridiculous overcame her, and she had to laugh.
“Enough, I call craven! I’m taking him back to the stables now. Would you open the gate, please?” she asked.
Dawes fell into step beside her. “Miss Catherine,” he said as they walked toward the stable, “I still say it isn’t right, but you do have a way with horses.”
Catherine looked sharply at her uncle’s agent. This was rare praise indeed! Some of the sparkles came back to her eyes, and she breathlessly launched into a recital of all the horses she had schooled that were in the string for the spring sale. She did not stop until they reached the stable yard and turned over the bay to one of the young stable boys.
It was then that she noticed the stranger lounging there, watching her. She blushed to the roots of her hair as she saw a slight half-smile curved his lips. He touched his hat in a small bow her way, and she felt a sudden heat course through her chilled body. He was quite simply the most devastatingly handsome man she had ever seen. Belatedly she realized his gaze was lingering on her figure. Glancing down at her attire, she blushed anew. Never before had she regretted her breeches. Now she felt awkward and strangely stripped bare.
