Page 8 of Persuasions of an Earl's Daughter

Lilly released a huff, and her aunt gave her a bemused smile. “Are we delaying you, Lil?”

“I’m going to try to find someone who knows what is happening,” she declared. “The horse has to be somewhere.”

“The horse is missing?” Aunt Sarah uttered the words as she headed back toward the house, and she responded with a wave of her hand.

Lord Blackthorpe came after her. She threw an irritated look over her shoulder. “But of course you would follow me.”

“I should like to know where the horse is too.”

Lilly stilled and looked at him. “For all I know, you took Icarus for yourself.”

“I only just arrived,” he protested.

“Perhaps you thought you could steal him away before I collected him.”

“I’m no thief, Lilly.”

She narrowed her gaze at the use of her name. The trouble was, she never felt much like a lady so some demand to be called otherwise would feel uncomfortable on her tongue. She’d long suspected that not only did she take after her father’s side with the dark looks but that she had eschewed any drop of noble blood and was meant to have been a merchant’s daughter perhaps living in the wilds of the London docks, amongst crusty sailors and cursing dock hands.

“All I know, Augie—”

He winced and she grinned.

“—is that you wanted that horse and now it is gone. One could assume that you decided I should not have him and hid him away somewhere.”

Lord Blackthorpe’s bright gaze darkened. “One would be assuming wrong.”

“And the only other reason I can fathom you being here is to try to persuade me to part with Icarus once again.”

“It is my cousin’s house, as I pointed out.”

“Yet, you were hoping to negotiate with me were you not?”

His expression grew smug. “So you admit that I did not take Icarus? Because I would hardly negotiate on a horse I already have, would I?”

Lilly lifted a finger, opened her mouth, then dropped her hand to her side. “Well, I’m not selling him. Besides, you are wealthy enough. Surely there is some other horse you can purchase? The country is hardly devoid of racing horses, is it?”

“My uncle and I intended to race that horse together.” His tone was edged with irritation. “I have little idea why he willed Icarus to you when we were meant to go into business together.”

The crease appearing between Lord Blackthorpe’s brow could have been attributed to annoyance or frustration even, however, for the briefest moment, Lilly assumed it to be from pain. Grief even. From what she knew of Lord Blackthorpe, the man did not even possess a heart let alone understand how to use one. It was more than likely annoyance surely?

“What sort of business?”

“We were meant to build a racecourse at Kineton. Uncle Henry was keen on the idea.”

“At Kineton? You want a racecourse built across your land? That seems—”

“My point is, Icarus was going to bring renown to the course and my uncle knew as much.”

“It’s hardly my fault Icarus was willed to me.”

Lord Blackthorpe shook his head. “I cannot fathom it. It makes no sense.”

She straightened her shoulders. “I am a fine horsewoman.”

“I saw...”

She nearly lost her thread of thought when she heard the acknowledgement that he had indeed recognized her skill the other week.

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