Page 118 of Outrageous

More and more Eva saw hints of concern when he looked at her. Oh, he still wanted her, but she was beginning to doubt whether what he felt for her was love or just a need to possess her. Eva had seen that look before. Although she’d been slighted by men like Visel and his cronies during her Season, she’d had her share of—unwanted—admirers.

There’d been a wealthy, widowed viscount in his forties who’d gazed at Eva with a rapt expression during the few dances she’d been unable to avoid him. He’d examined her the way a collector might look at a painting or the way Eva looked at a perfectly matched pair of grays: with covetousness. There’d been a darker component to his stare that left her uneasy. She now knew that what she’d felt was his physical interest in her. Specifically, his interest in breeding her. The revulsion she’d felt at the time had caused her to be even ruder than usual, and the rejected lord had joined in taunting her the next time she saw him.

Other, less repellant suitors had shown themselves, every last one of them either interested in the money she would bring to the marriage, or her person.

Tommy’s expression, she realized with lamentable tardiness, was not unlike that viscount’s look, although he did not make her recoil at the thought of his touch. But neither did she look forward to her wedding night, or all the nights after.

Later, after dinner, when everyone was absorbed in a deafening game of charades in one of the sitting rooms, Eva slipped away unnoticed, hoping to get some much-needed sleep.

But she spent the night staring at the ceiling, her mind a whirling, endless jumble.

She rose before dawn and headed to the stables, excitement for the day pushing aside her worries about Mel and Tommy.

“Good morning, my lady.” James was bright-eyed and bushy-tailed, his grin telling her he was as excited as she to get on with business.

“How is he?” she asked, even though she could guess the answer.

“Fit as a fiddle and as fine as a fivepence.”

Eva snorted.

Eva had chosen Clancy as stud for two reasons: one, she knew Sir Walter would accommodate her in a way that most other stud owners would not and allow her to bring Clancy to her mares, rather than the other way around.

The second, far more important reason was that Clancy’s bloodlines could be traced back to the three royal progenitors of all thoroughbreds. He’d raced three seasons, and though he’d never been a champion, he possessed impressive speed on the flat and a winning track record.

In any event, she was very happy to have Clancy for five days, and had every intention of using him each day, regardless of how much the foolish wedding preparations threatened to interfere.

Mr. Brewster believed three covers, one a day for three days, was as good as you could expect before the mare went past the peak of her breeding cycle. After that you not only risked diminishing returns, but also injury to the stud from an unreceptive mare.

It took four of them to handle Clancy, especially when it came to Eva’s newest mare, Moonspinner, who was a skittish maiden. Although she’d been teased twice daily for a week, she clearly found Clancy a different kettle of fish from sweet old Liberty.

They’d just finished having Liberty jump her, wearing a shield to keep him from actually servicing her, when Gabriel joined them.

Eva raised her eyebrows. “My, you’re up early.”

He grinned, his white teeth flashing in his tanned, handsome face. “I wanted to get a look at your operation. Besides, Mother said you only had four working for you, so I thought you might appreciate an extra hand.”

“Especially an experienced one.”

Gabe had helped with the breeding of his father’s horses in Oran and knew what he was about when it came to cattle. He quickly stripped off his coat and rolled up his sleeves as James brought in Clancy.

“Good morning, James. I’m here to offer an extra set of hands,” Gabe said.

“It’s good to have you, sir. Want to take charge of the assist?” James offered with a cocky smile.

Gabriel laughed. “No, I’ll leave that in younger hands.”

By assist James meant the person responsible for adjusting Clancy’s breeding organ if the stud required assistance entering the mare. Eva wondered with amusement if she should tell Tommy that she’d assisted today.

Gabe caught her eye and gestured toward Scott, who looked nervous about holding the twitch and had gripped poor Moonspinner’s lip rather awkwardly.

“Let Mr. Marlington take that, Scott, and watch how he uses it—he’s got a light touch.”

Scott nodded, clearly eager to pass the burden.

Not only would Eva never want to have horses injure each other during a covering, but she really did not want to abuse Sir Walter’s trust in her, so she’d taken extra precautions with each of the mares and Clancy.

Moonspinner’s back feet were bagged in thick felt booties on the off chance she kicked back at Clancy. James had strapped a thick blanket to her neck, back, and withers, in case Clancy became overly amorous.