John gasped.“Smolensk, the Derby winner, boss?”Like all the lads, John was a keen study of the form.John hadn’t been able to read when he arrived at Pewett Downs, but it was one of Sebastian’s requirements that they learn to read via the form pages in the paper.Sebastian would’ve glanced at the Duke but he didn’t want to take his attention away from Wibble who might be enjoying this scratch but was generally not to be trusted yet.
“Yes.If we can train these zebras to drive as a four-in-hand on St Leger day, I will win my wager with His Royal Highness and Smolensk will be mine.”The Duke managed to make the ridiculousness of the wager sound like an everyday occurrence for a Duke.Perhaps it was.Sebastian had heard rumours that the toffs would bet on anything, even a pair of raindrops sliding down a window.
“Did you need something, your Grace?”Sebastian still had two more zebras to put through their paces today.
“Come to dinner at the big house tonight.”The command was shocking.They’d always met in the Duke’s office to talk about pedigrees and the farm, or the Duke dropped by the stables to make his pronouncements.
“Dinner?”Sebastian glanced at the Duke, taking his attention off Wibbles for a second, but only a second.Duke training must be incredible as only a keen observer would’ve noticed the way the Duke stiffened and the way his nostrils flared the tiniest bit.
“To continue our discussion from a few days ago.”The Duke closed his eyes, a long blink, as if trying to control himself.“I don’t expect you to dress formally.We will eat in the breakfast room.”
“The breakfast room?”Although he’d been in the Duke’s house many times, Sebastian couldn’t imagine a house big enough to have a different room for each function.
“Hardwicke will guide you.”As the Duke turned to march away, Sebastian noticed a flash of colour over the Duke’s cheeks.Or maybe he’d imagined it, merely wanting the Duke to feel something about him and react to his acceptance of an invitation to dinner.Wibble stamped his foot and Sebastian breathed out slowly to keep his heart calm.Equines reacting to his emotions was something he understood, so maybe the zebra wasn’t as different to his beloved racehorses as he’d been assuming.
“I hope you aren’t in trouble, boss.”
Sebastian nodded.“One thing you should know about the high and mighty like his Grace is that if they want you gone, they’ll tell you immediately.Most likely he wants to talk about his wager and our progress.”
“I’d best get on with rubbing Wibble down.I think Joe has Dungeon ready for you.”
Sebastian finished up his scratches on Wibble’s wither with a good long pat and nodded to John before walking towards Dungeon’s stable.It suddenly occurred to him that the Duke wanted to talk about their kiss—a continuation of the other day, he’d said—not about the zebras.Damn it, now he was going to have to attempt to focus on the task of wrangling a stubborn grumpy animal and not get distracted by the possibility of kissing the Duke—Maurice—again.It was incredibly dangerous to think of the Duke by his first name, or what it meant that the Duke had granted him permission to use it.
It wasn’t done.Names were reserved for lovers and wives, not him.Except ...heat spread all over his skin as if he’d been dipped under a waterfall of flame ...if he was correct, tonight he’d become the Duke’s lover.He leaned against the solid stone walls of the stable block.He needed all his wits about him if he wasn’t going to injured by these zebras.After a few breaths, he was ready.Training the reluctant creatures was certainly a challenge, a ridiculous one, and maybe it was the challenge he needed to prove the depth of his skills.It definitely would be fun to prove everyone wrong.Training zebras couldn’t be done, and orphaned stable lads didn’t become the lover of a Duke either.Maybe it was time for Sebastian to show himself that everyone was wrong on both counts.With a little smile on his face, he took the reins from Joe and lead Dungeon to the round yard.Challenge accepted.
Chapter 7
Maurice paced in hisdressing room.What on earth should he wear to dinner tonight?He wanted to look good for Wildgoose—Sebastian—but he didn’t want to intimidate him by appearing too formal.He wasn’t used to this consternation over ...well, life.He was a goddamned Duke for pity’s sake.This uncertainty which led to overthinking wasn’t like him at all.He always knew what he wanted; although to be fair, he knew he wanted Sebastian whose words “You’d best call me Sebastian if we are to fuck” rang louder than the church bells in London.
“Your Grace, perhaps the blue dinner jacket tonight?”His valet, Stennett, held out the option.Maurice always dressed formally for dinner out of habit, and it served him well when there were always house guests with the habit of turning up at regular intervals.Those in the ton knew a Duke’s house would always have room to house and feed travellers, and he expected his peers to accommodate him on the same basis when he required it.
“I’m dining in the breakfast room with my stable master tonight.”
Stennett nodded.“Understood, your Grace.Shall we select a less formal ensemble?”
“Please.”Or maybe it didn’t matter since he didn’t intend to wear clothes for very long.Was he being too forward in thinking that?Hope was a curse.
