Page 74 of Lessons for Marquesses
“Did you vouch for her?”
“And where do I have thirty thousand lying about? I promised to consider supporting his position on the Scottish bank regulation.”
How furious would Oliver be when he learned Nicholas owned all of Georgiana’s debt because he had thirty thousand lying about? It was a real possibility he would lose Oliver’s friendship.
“We will go to Chedworth,” Nicholas said. “Maybe I’ll buy it.”
“It will do you no good, Nick, to see the blasted place. Of that, I am sure. Most sure. But if it helps Georgiana, you can buy it and burn it for all I care.” Oliver took a hasty step to the window as Georgiana raced back toward the yard at breakneck speed.
Georgiana rode slung over the Witch, at one with the horse. Her legs rose from the stirrups with the strength of a god. Her hands were light, independent of her seat. They followed the surge of the mare’s neck, giving her more rein.
Directing the mare toward a flowering bush, Georgiana dropped the looped reins, and gripping Minion’s mane, shifted right, nearly off her horse. As if a heavenly force held her there, one unacquainted with gravity, Georgiana cast out a gloved hand, plucked a pink blossom from a shrub, and with an unforced motion, was square on the mare’s back.
Nicholas watched in stunned disbelief as she rode away, the flower’s stem clenched in her teeth. This woman, afraid to climb a castle wall, ripped blossoms off bushes in a death gallop.
Nicholas yanked his stock suddenly strangling him. “If you’ll excuse me.”
His fury cooled to a manageable anger over the two hundred yards to the block.
Her breast rising and falling, her high cheeks flushed with exhilaration, Georgiana tossed the flower to him as heapproached. “She is in fine form today, Mr. Wolf. I do think your lessons are helping.”
“What was that?”
“What was what?”
“This.” Nicholas held up the flower. He was too gone to identify it properly.
“My stake?”
“Your stake.” He filled his lungs, nodding at nothing in particular.
“Yes, my mother taught me.”
“You will never do it again on that horse during a training run.”
Georgiana sat up in the saddle and lost her smile. “What do you mean?”
It dawned on him that she hadn’t smiled since he had dismissed her offer. He had missed it, but again, he was too incensed to give in.
“I mean,” he said, pointing emphatically at Minion’s nose, “this is a racehorse and if you ever wish to win a race with her, you will refrain from careless acts that ruin her attention to the task at hand.Staying on course.”
“But she enjoys it.”
“And what if she decides to find amusement in the middle of a heat? What then?”
“Then I stop her.”
“You will stop her. I see. Like you have stopped her from kicking out at other horses standing too close or attempting to bite a man’s arse. Like you have stopped her from taking the bit and running as fast as she wishes. Like you stopped Eastwick. Or Philips from shoving you in the mud. Or me, treating you rudely. What? Will you smile and say, righty-o?”
Her expression darkened.
“I am not saying she cannot have her amusement. But there is a time and a place for it.”
She tugged off a glove with her teeth.
“It is a reward, George. She needs to understand the difference, and the only way she understands is if you do.”
She remained mute, her chin dipping toward the silver horseshoe stick pin in her cravat. The artifice was new.
