Let Love Find You (30 page)

Still highly embarrassed over her own attire, she briskly crossed the room to him and extended a hand in greeting, but her tone was rather terse. “How nice to see you again, m’lord, but your timing isn’t ideal. My father and I are going out this morning.”

“If you must,” Robert said with a grin, and bent to kiss her hand instead of giving it the bare touch of fingers that she’d expected. “Even a few moments in your presence has brightened my day.”

“We aren’t leaving quite yet,” Preston told her. “Julie sent a note that she’d like to join us. So make yourself comfortable until she gets here.”

That was unexpected, prompting Amanda to ask, “Does she know where we’re going?”

“Indeed, and she’s challenged me to a race,” he said with a chuckle. “It’s been quite a few years since she’s done so, but nothing out of the ordinary. And she didn’t want to miss this opportunity, access to—”

He was going to say
a racetrack
! She quickly shook her head, enough for her father to see that she’d rather not have Robert learn where they were going. She did
not
want it spread around
that she was only just now learning to ride. All these years she’d found excuses of one sort or another to decline all suggestions and events that included riding. Not even her closer friends had known that she hadn’t been on a horse since she was a child or why.

So she helped her father finish that thought by saying, “Access to you, since you so rarely come to London. I understand, Father.”

She did, too. She knew that bit of family history quite well. All of her aunts, with the exception of Esmerelda, who was the oldest, used to race their brother on horseback. It was the only sport, hobby, or game at which they thought they had a chance of beating Preston, which they very much wanted to do to get back at him for his constant teasing of them. He still teased them, but she’d thought the racing was a thing of the past.

Robert was merely listening to them. He might be curious, but it wouldn’t be polite to voice it. Amanda couldn’t take her father’s suggestion and sit, either. Robert might not notice she was wearing baggy britches while she was standing, but he would if she sat down because then the baggy britches would tighten about her legs. Color still on her cheeks because of her attire, she moved over to the window to watch for her aunt’s arrival, actually giving Robert Brigston her back. She didn’t even realize it might appear to him that she was snubbing him.

But he was persistent. “I wanted to apologize for the evening when we first met,” Robert said, following her to the window. “I—wasn’t m’self.”

“Yes, we’ve heard. Unfortunate, but not a unique occurrence by any means.”

“I was so worried that you, of all the ladies, would hold it against me. Thank you for understanding.”

She shrugged lightly. “I didn’t make as much of it as others did. But you may be even more relieved to know that my brother has decided he doesn’t need to shoot you.” Robert blushed. She allowed that was enough punishment for all the lectures she’d had to endure because of him, so she relented enough to add, “I was only teasing—well, not really, but it’s nothing you need to worry about now.”

“I’m relieved. I wish I could have found out sooner, but it was the worst timing, to hurt my foot later that week.”

He extended the foot he was talking about. Amanda glanced down and could see nothing amiss, yet her natural sympathy shot to the fore. “How dreadful to be injured at the height of the Season! Did you break it?”

“No, nothing as serious as that. But the sprain was bad enough that I went home to convalesce rather than try to hobble around London. Couldn’t fit in my shoes, anyway, while it was swollen, but as you can see, I’ve mended.”

The smile she finally bestowed on him seemed to put him at ease. He began talking about some of the men he’d met at the ball and subtly asking what she thought of them. She knew the question he really wanted to ask was if she was interested in any of them in particular. But she recalled a piece of advice Julie had given her during her first Season—never let a man know he
doesn’t
have any competition—so her answers were a bit evasive.

Aunt Julie finally arrived, and with hurried introductions
and
good-byes, they were finally in the Locke coach on their way out of town, with Julie’s and Preston’s mounts tied to the back of it.

Her father had only one thing to say about Robert’s short visit. “Are you
sure
you like that boy? It didn’t quite seem so.”

Amanda sighed. “Yes, I do. I was just embarrassed to be seen in this outfit, hardly at my best.”

She indicated the pale blue split skirt with matching jacket, then burst out laughing when Julie lifted the flap on her own skirt to show the same design, saying, “I confess I liked the idea so much, I had one done up for m’self.”

“I’m surprised you didn’t do that years ago,” Preston put in. “Instead of wearing britches under your skirts.”

“I know! You probably would never have won a race if I had!”

“As for Robert,” Amanda added with a grin, “if I’m not at least a little cold to him because of his near scandal, he won’t be repentant enough to make sure it never happens again.”

“Sound reasoning, I suppose,” Preston allowed.

“Perfect reasoning,” Julie agreed, then changed the subject abruptly. “I’m looking forward to seeing Cupid’s farm. It’s hard to picture him as a serious horse breeder if he’s as good at matchmaking as they say.”

“And here I thought you just invited yourself along for our race.” Preston laughed.

Julie snorted. “You and I can race anywhere, though the opportunity to beat you on an actual track
did
motivate me.”

Preston laughed. “You could have just asked us about Devin. He’s definitely a serious breeder. Remind me to show you Rafe’s birthday present while we’re there. It’s not being delivered until the party next week. Magnificent animal.”

Julie raised a brow. “This is a well-kept secret, I suppose?”

Amanda laughed. “Just from Rafe.”

“Ah, well.” Julie put her arm through Preston’s, who was sitting next to her. “I’m still going to beat your father today, quite worth the trip.”

Devin wasn’t at the farm when they arrived. Reed Dutton had been sitting on the steps of the large house with his daughter, Amelia, and came over to inform them, “Devin isn’t here yet. He’s never this late, so he might not make it today.”

Amanda immediately felt disappointed, though she assured herself it was just because she didn’t think she would have time for any more lessons before she returned to Norford with her family this weekend. Disappointed because she couldn’t ride? She nearly laughed at the thought. Yet that must have caused her crestfallen feeling. Or was it that she’d simply got used to spending time with Devin? She did feel at ease with him these days, possibly because he treated her so differently from other young men, not as a potential marital prize, but as a person.

Amelia must have noticed her disappointment because she offered, “You can ride my pony today if you like.”

Amanda chuckled for the child’s sake, saying, “That’s all right. I think my feet would drag on the ground!”

As long as they were already there, Preston and Julie still took their mounts over to the little racetrack to have their race. Amanda followed them on foot, then leaned her elbows on the fence to watch them. She didn’t doubt her father would win—though, come to think of it, he didn’t always. She’d heard at least two of her aunts crow about beating him before, including Julie.

Amanda didn’t turn when she heard the footsteps behind her, but her disappointment vanished. She guessed it was Devin and tensed in anticipation. She never knew what to expect from him anymore. That compliment from him last night had floored her, though she suspected his quick exit from the party meant he hadn’t meant to show her that sweet side of himself. It must just have slipped out and he regretted it. Yet they had
progressed to cordial talks—mostly. He could make her laugh without even trying. But she was just a client to him. That one kiss they’d shared had never been repeated. He’d probably already forgotten it while she couldn’t—there! She was remembering it again!

“Did you leave your fishing pole in the coach?” was the first thing he said to her.

He had to bend a little to rest his arms on the fence, too. He was standing so close to her that their shoulders actually brushed, and for some odd reason it sent gooseflesh running down her arm. She hadn’t even looked at him and wasn’t going to, yet she still felt surrounded by his presence.

But what had he said? She huffed to herself as she calmed her flustered state and focused on his question.

“I don’t need to test something I know I like doing. Having been reminded of that fact, I intend to do some fishing while I’m at home next week, which is where my pole is, tucked away in my closet, forgotten—until now.”

“Was that a thank-you I just heard?”

She burst out laughing. “I suppose it was.”

After a few moments he noticed her relatives. “What are they doing?”

“Having a race.” She kept her eyes on Preston and Julie galloping around the track. “Most of my father’s sisters challenge him to one from time to time.”

“And he loses deliberately?”

She glanced at Devin now. “What do you mean?”

“He’s holding back. His mount is clearly the faster of the two, yet he’s keeping abreast of your aunt instead of leaving her in the dust.”

She looked back at her father on his large gelding and
chuckled as she realized Devin was right. “So he is. I suppose he would let them win occasionally, just because he loves them. I have a feeling he’s done that before.”

Preston didn’t do that today, though he had probably intended to. But with Devin there watching, at the last moment Preston shot ahead and won. Amanda guessed it was Devin’s fault. Her father wouldn’t want Devin mentioning that it had looked as if he was deliberately losing, which Devin might well have done as blunt as he usually was and not knowing the circumstances.

But this made Julie disgruntled, so her tone was about as gruff as it could get when she and Preston cantered over to the fence where Amanda waited, and Julie said to Devin, “I’ve a bone to pick with you, Cupid.”

Devin burst out laughing. “Another bone picker?”

Julie ignored that. “You look like a sensible man, yet you
really
think the only way my niece can win that young buck she’s interested in is by riding with him?”

“No, ma’am.” Devin grinned at Julie. “I’m sure she can win him for any number of reasons. She’s beautiful, she’s courageous, and occasionally she’s even amusing. My concern was for after they marry, because horses are his passion, but they definitely aren’t hers. Consider his disappointment if she doesn’t enjoy, at least occasionally, the one thing he loves to do most.”

Julie snorted and said baldly, “I don’t believe I just heard a
man
say that. Look at the gel. She’ll make any man happy, even this horse lover, with barely any effort. But you got her back on a horse, which isn’t a bad thing.”

With a huff Julie rode toward the gate that a worker was opening. Preston said to Devin before he followed her, “That
was my sister Julie Locke St. John, the most outspoken of my siblings.”

“I’ve met the lady, so I’m already acquainted with her manner.”

“Have you?” Preston said in surprise. “You’ll have to tell me about that sometime. It probably won’t surprise you to know I agree with Julie on the matter of winning a husband through his equestrian heart, but Mandy has assured me these lessons are for her, not for a future husband. Besides, for whatever reason they began, you’ve helped her conquer her fears, and for that I heartily thank you. I’m sure she’ll excel at it before you’re done.”

Amanda was still stunned by the compliments she’d just heard from Devin, but she also bristled at the way he’d just changed his tune about her ability to win Kendall for her aunt’s sake.

When Amanda turned away from the racetrack, she saw that Devin had brought his horse down to the track and that a groom was just then delivering Sarah to them, already saddled.

As Devin offered his cupped hands for her to step on, Amanda reminded him, “You said I’d lose Kendall if I don’t ride with him.”

“No, what I was getting at was he
could
shrug you off if he knows you won’t ride.”

“I’ve gone through this hell for a ‘could have’?!”

“No, you proved something to yourself—that you can tackle anything, even your own fears, with the right incentive. You don’t think that was worth discovering?” She started to answer, but he added, “Bloody hell, so now I have to make sure you
excel
at this?”

His obvious irritation at her father’s order banished her own anger completely. “I’m sure you’ll manage somehow,” she said with a smirk.

“No,
you
better manage it. I was going to say you’re ready for a ride with Kendall, but now I’m not so sure.”

“You really thought I was ready?”

“With limitations, one being that you keep it slow. You can do that by using the excuse that you want to be able to talk with him while you ride. The other limitation is that—well, I do agree with your father, you should forget about the sidesaddle. If you’ll be embarrassed to be seen in that skirt in Hyde Park, I suggest you ride with Kendall at Norford instead. You might even mention your dislike of the sidesaddle and why. Or we could resume your lessons at Norford.”

Since he was apparently all business again, she told him, “I’m going for final fittings this afternoon, since I needed new gowns for the weeklong party, and we’re going home this weekend to start preparations. The guests will start arriving early in the week, but I suppose we could get in a few more lessons at Norford Hall, if you’d like to come early.” She grinned. “Not a bad idea, since that will guarantee you a room in the house. Those will go fast, once everyone starts arriving.”

“I imagined a duke’s home would be huge. It’s not?”

“’Course it is, but Norford Hall has never had a party like this one, at least not after the last of my aunts moved out. The guest list is already approaching several hundred! We’ll need to make arrangements with some of our neighbors to accommodate the overflow.”