A swagger in his step, Nestor made his way toward them. “Took some doing to get it all in guineas,” he called out, his gaze fixed on the horses taking their paces on the track. “One of those ours?”
A smile tipped about Archie’s mouth. “Funny you should mention that.”
Nestor’s eyebrows crinkled together. He sensed something in the air. He glanced about, a rising panic in his eyes, his jaw tensed. His gaze brushed across Valentina before whipping back around and settling on her. “You…” He was clearly having difficulty linking the woman before him withLa Contessa. “Why are you dressed like…like…that.”
“Like a servant?” she asked.
His expression turned to utter befuddlement. “And why are you talking likethat?”
“Like an Englishwoman?” she asked, unable to keep a mean, little smile from curling about her mouth. Miss Hiss’s attitude might’ve been rubbing off on her.
Nestor’s eyes rounded into saucers, and his skin went from pale milk to scarlet in an instant. “Archer, where is our horse?”
“Ah, yes, of course.” Archie signaled a stable lad some fifty yards away. He nodded and fetched a horse from the nearest paddock. Valentina squinted at the animal. It appeared docile and well cared for, but also old as Methuselah.
The scarlet of Nestor’s skin transitioned into aghastly shade of green. “What is this, Archer?” he sputtered.
Archie threw his arm wide. “Meet Arabian.”
“Arabian?That is no Arabian,” fumed Nestor.
“That’s the old chap’s name,” said Archie. He tapped a contemplative finger against his mouth. “Although I think it must’ve been ironic.”
Nestor’s eyes narrowed. “Do you think to swindle me, Archer?” He barked an ugly laugh. “I’ll have your reputation in tatters by nightfall. More than a few members of thetonwouldn’t mind seeing a Windermere taken down a peg or two, let me tell you.”
Though Valentina’s palms had gone slick with sweat, Archie’s smile remained cool and unbothered by Nestor’s bluster. “I don’t think you will.”
“And why is that?”
Archie stuck two fingers into his mouth and let a piercing whistle fly. Near twenty men emerged from the stable, Papa in the middle. All the color drained from Nestor’s face.
Archie nodded in the men’s direction. “Theyare why.”
“It’s their word against mine,” said Nestor with a bravado undermined by the bead of sweat that trickled down the side of his face.
“And it’s your word against mine,” said Archie, low and determined.
Valentina saw on Nestor’s face the instant he realized not only wouldn’t he get the horse, but he wouldn’t be getting what he truly wanted, either.
His return to the top tier of Society.
That would be denied him forever.
The loss of the guineas would be nothing to that particular loss, which would sit like rot in his gut for the rest of his days.
Valentina felt not a shred of pity for the man.
This was justice served.
“Now, I’ll tell you exactly what you’re going to do,” said Archie. The chill and command in his voice sent a shiver slithering throughValentina. She wouldn’t want to be on the receiving end of his ire. Just as he pursued pleasure relentlessly, so, too, did he pursue justice. He opened the trunk to reveal a cache of guineas. Five thousand pounds worth, to be exact. “Thiswill be returned to its rightful owners, andyouwill leave England for one year.”
“Leave England?” sputtered Nestor. “You must be as mad as they say. Where would I go?”
“Or would you rather stay and handle this matter in full view of Society?” Archie shrugged. “That option is also available to you. Makes no difference to me.”
“You’re serious,” said Nestor.
“Utterly,” said Archie.
