She closed her eyes, but despite her weariness sleep evaded her. Instead, recollections of Lord Bairstow’s lively wit, his impossibly handsome features and the strength she took from his air of competent authority flooded her mind. Be that as it may, it wouldn’t do for her to come to depend upon him. She knew very well why he had bestowed so much of his attention upon her, and it was not because he had need of her fortune. Free from financial instability, he could take his pick from amongst the ranks of the far prettier, far less opinionated debutantes when he could no longer put off marrying.
Annoyingly, that truth had a most disconcerting effect upon her. She thumped her pillows into a more comfortable nest, reminding herself that she enjoyed being her own mistress. If she did ever marry, the freedom to make her own decisions would be taken away from her and she would be consigned to embroidering cushion covers. Since Adela could barely thread a needle, that prospect held little appeal. She would only consider matrimony if she fell deeply in love with a gentleman she respected and was assured that her feelings were returned. From what she had seen of the behaviour within the ton thus far, she thought such a thing highly unlikely.
With such thoughts percolating through her over-active brain, it didn’t seem like an hour had passed before Bess came in and noisily pulled back the curtains; intent upon making a point.
‘Morning, my lady,’ she said in a sour tone.
‘Remind me where you were employed before you came here,’ Adela said, sitting up and pushing the hair away from her eyes.
‘I was in service with Lady Arkenshaw for several years, ma’am.’
‘And you left, I believe I was told, because that lady decided in favour of travelling and against taking you with her, which I find odd. Ladies’ maids who make themselves indispensable are highly valued. Clearly, you cannot make that claim. Perhaps that was because you sometimes forget your place.’
Bess’s eyes widened. ‘I’m sure I don’t know what you mean, my lady.’
‘And I am equally sure that you do. I might be young, but I am your mistress, and if I want your opinion, I shall ask for it. Until such time as I do, I require you to follow my orders and keep your opinions to yourself. If you cannot do that then I would recommend looking for an alternate position.’
‘I am perfectly content here, ma’am.’ Bess looked alarmed. Another case of a potential bully backing down when confronted, Adela knew. She had heard her father speak of many such skirmishes. A scramble for supremacy amongst men building their careers was understandable. But why a maid thought she had a duty to antagonise the lady who had offered her a comfortable, highly sought-after position, was less easily explained.
‘Then we understand one another.’
Adela pushed the covers aside as Bess poured hot water into the ewer.
‘Would you like breakfast sent up now, ma’am?’
‘No, I will have it when I return from my ride.’
No further words were exchanged as Bess helped Adela into her tight-fitting habit with a matching hat sporting a flamboyant feathered plume. She adjusted it so that it sat at a jaunty angle and secured it in place with a pin. She then slid her feet into soft leather half-boots and pulled on her gloves.
‘Thank you, Bess,’ she said, as her maid opened the door for her. She swept through it and down the stairs, where Talbot awaited her.
‘Oh, Talbot, I have been thinking. Lady Gantz and I will be making calls this afternoon and attending Lady Marriot’s party this evening. I only have the one coachman and have noticed that other ladies customarily have at least one more attendant. Am I letting the side down? I rely on your advice.’
Talbot nodded his approval, glad to be consulted. ‘A second groom would be highly appropriate.’
‘Very well. Fit Harker out with a suitable livery. He can accompany Lady Gantz and me on our little jaunts. He seems very capable.’
Talbot gave another stately nod. ‘A wise decision, ma’am.’
‘I gather that he is versatile. Have him serve drinks at our soiree tomorrow night. I expect you are short of people.’
‘As you wish, my lady.’ He unbolted the side door to the garden so that Adela could step through it. ‘Enjoy your ride, ma’am. It’s a fine morning for it.’
‘Thank you, Talbot. I fully intend to.’
Adela breathed deeply of the cool, still morning air, glanced up at a clear sky and was obliged to agree with Talbot’s opinion regarding the unseasonably mild weather. She walked down the garden at a leisurely pace. A slight mist hovered over the pond and dew dampened her hem. The cat was nowhere to be seen. Clearly, he shared Bess’s dislike of early mornings. Adela frowned when she thought of her maid’s odd behaviour but forgot all about it when she walked into the stable-yard and saw Willow already saddled, and Mr Harker pulling a comb through the silky strands of her thick tail.
‘Good morning, Mr Harker. Good morning, Willow.’ She fed the apple she had appropriated from the hall table to the mare.
‘Morning, m’lady.’ He sent her an appraising look as impudent as those perfected by his master and offered her an approving smile. She noticed a fine-looking bay also saddled and waiting.
‘From Lord Bairstow’s stable?’ she asked, nodding towards the gelding.
‘Aye. He don’t pay me enough for me to be able to afford such a quality horse meself.’
‘Well then, let’s see what they’re capable of, shall we?’
‘I’d best help you with Willow.’
‘I would prefer it if you did not. I mean to start with her the way I intend to go on.’
‘Very well.’ Harker sounded unsure. ‘It’s just that the master will whip my hide if anything happens to you.’
‘I am not Lord Bairstow’s concern and I absolve you from all responsibility for my wellbeing, as least insofar as my relationship with Willow is concerned. But if any two-legged beasts endeavour to interfere with my privacy, feel free to intervene.’
He chuckled. ‘Willow will try to swing her quarters the moment you’re on her back, or better yet, before you’re even on it. And if that doesn’t get rid of you, she’ll likely drop her head, hoping to send you flying over her neck before you’ve had a chance to settle.’
Adela chuckled. ‘And yet she looks so angelic.’
‘Oh aye, but don’t let her pretty face fool you. She can be the devil incarnate.’
‘Warning heeded.’ Adela untied her mare’s reins. ‘Come along, Willow.’
Adela led the mare towards the mounting block. Willow danced and pranced at the end of her reins, generally showing off. Adela completely ignored her antics.
‘Just because you are beautiful,’ she said calmly when they reached the mounting block, ‘that’s no reason to make a show of yourself.’
Adela pulled the reins over the mare’s head and steadied her. Without giving the Arabian time to plan her strategy, Adela tightened the reins in one hand and swung lightly into the saddle. She anticipated the swinging quarters, which happened as soon as her bottom hit the saddle.
‘Nice try,’ she laughed, enduring the promised head dip without mishap. ‘Sorry to spoil your fun,’ she added, patting the mare’s neck with one hand. ‘But you will have to do better than that if you want rid of me.’
‘Round one to you, m’lady,’ Harker said, drawing alongside her astride his gelding, grinning broadly.
‘Lead the way, Mr Harker, if you would be so kind.’
He did so, sending her frequent backward glances to ensure that she had Willow under control. The mare pranced sideways, attempting to toss her head, but Adela, feeling alive in ways that hadn’t been possible since arriving in London and being consumed by its rigid standards, withstood her antics with a broad smile. She sat completely still in the saddle and her calmness eventually communicated itself to Willow, who stopped showing off.
She and Mr Harker then rode into the park side by side.
‘You seem to have got the measure of her.’ Mr Harker nodded respectfully.
‘I knew all she needed was a firm hand, but I’d be too heavy to teach her any manners.’
Willow’s good behaviour didn’t stand the test of time. The moment they reached the start of the long gallop, she seemed to know it and swivelled in circles, pawing at the ground. Adela laughed.
‘Shall we?’
She gave Willow her head and the little mare leapt forward, eating up the ground with a springy stride. She put in the occasional buck which Adela expected and weathered without mishap.
‘Whew!’ Adela reined in at the end of the gallop, out of breath and laughing. Willow obeyed the command to slow to a trot and then a walk with surprising docility. ‘There, that was all she wanted to do.’ She patted the mare’s sweaty neck, then looked up when she sensed someone watching them. ‘Oh, good morning, my lord.’
*
Ezra had waited astride his black stallion, Legacy, for no more than ten minutes before Lady Adela and Harker came thundering into view. Legacy shifted with impatience, wanting to join the chase, but Ezra easily held him in check. It was as he had supposed. Lady Adela could handle Willow with ease and the little mare appeared to be enjoying herself. When they reached his position and drew rein, he noticed the animation in her sparkling eyes, the colour in her lightly flushed cheeks, the long curls dangling over her shoulders that had escaped from her now askew bonnet. She no longer looked unremarkable, as he had heard her described by less charitable ladies, but fresh, vibrant, wholesome and deceptively innocent. A bit like the horse she rode, Ezra decided. A combination of lively curiosity and an instinct for impetuous behaviour that would likely land her in trouble.
His gaze encompassed her body, encased in tight-fitting bronze that showcased her breasts a little too graphically for his comfort. His insides lurched when he considered her perilous situation. If anything were to happen to her, he would forever blame himself.
‘Good morning, Lady Adela. I see you have got the measure of Willow already.’
‘Did I not say that I would?’ She pushed her wilted plume aside and grinned at him, totally without artifice. ‘She simply needed to stretch her legs a little. And now, I expect she will be as docile as a lamb. She is bred for speed, much as you are bred to be a gentleman. How would you like it if people were too frightened of you to allow you the freedom to be yourself?’
Harker chuckled, probably because no one ever spoke to Ezra in such a forthright manner; especially not women, all of whom went out of their way to try and impress him. Lady Adela had succeeded in that regard, despite the fact that she had not been attempting to. Or perhaps because of it.
‘Perish the thought,’ he said, returning Lady Adela’s smile whilst simultaneously narrowing his eyes at Harker.
Ezra put Legacy on Lady Adela’s opposite side, ensuring that she remained safely sequestered between him and Harker. He had seen an unsavoury-looking character lurking earlier, who had ducked out of view the moment he saw Ezra and had presumably gone in search of easier pickings. He was unlikely to have been there watching for Lady Adela, since he couldn’t have known that she would be riding out, and certainly not at such an early hour. Even so, Ezra was taking no chances.
‘When do you expect to have the dubious pleasure of welcoming your cousin to London?’ he asked.
‘Soon, I would imagine.’ The spontaneous smile evaporated at the mention of Ripon’s name, and Ezra regretted spoiling her pleasure. ‘His express reached us only two days after our arrival. He has obviously not wasted any time and probably won’t take as long over the journey as we did. I had my mother’s welfare to consider and she tires easily, so we travelled in easy stages over five days.’
Be careful, Adela.’ Her name slipped effortlessly past his lips. She sent him a curious sideways glance but made no objection to his use of it. ‘He is a resentful man. Without telling you your business, I would in your situation follow up on your intention to draw up a will of your own at the earliest possible juncture. And more to the point, have it made general knowledge within your household that you have done so. Word will reach Ripon’s ears soon enough, and that will make you safer.’
‘Daniel is many things, but I don’t believe he will try to kill me.’
‘I am not suggesting that he will, but only a foolish person would ignore the possibility, given his resentment of you and his desperate circumstances.’
‘I take your point.’ She nodded, her features partially concealed by the wilting plume. ‘However, if Daniel thinks he will be able to squeeze funds out of me he will discover soon enough that he quite mistakes the matter. If Papa had wanted him to benefit more than was necessary by law, then he would have made the appropriate arrangements.’ She sent Ezra a confident smile. ‘I fully intend to take good care of what Papa left me, and Daniel must make his own luck. A little dedication and hard work will see the Ripon estate put back into good order, but I saw no indication that he had done anything at all.’
‘He probably don’t know how,’ Harker remarked, sniffing. ‘Sounds like a lazy devil, and a bit too full of himself, if you ask me.’
‘You’re in the right of it, Mr Harker. My father warned me on several occasions against conceding to Daniel’s appeals to my better nature. He anticipated that those appeals would be forthcoming.’ She sighed. ‘Papa was right, at least insofar as Daniel simply assumed that I would swoon with appreciation the moment he smiled upon me.’ She straightened her shoulders and harrumphed. ‘Such a presumptuous individual. As though I would be swayed by a handsome face and not see through his fake charm.’
‘He assumed you would marry him?’
‘He did not propose because I gave him absolutely no encouragement.’ She giggled, a musical sound that delighted Ezra. Ladies of the ton did not giggle. Not ever. But if anyone had told Adela that, she hadn’t listened. Somehow, Ezra wasn’t surprised. ‘I think I hurt his pride.’ The giggle quickly gave way to another frown. ‘I anticipate requests for financial help the moment he arrives, in which case he will again be disappointed.’
‘I am very glad to hear it.’ Ezra lowered his voice. ‘You deserve so much better. Have you had a further opportunity to look through your father’s papers?’
‘Yes. I spent several hours last night going through them.’ She turned her head to give Ezra her full attention. ‘But there is nothing there to interest you, as far as I can tell.’
He frowned when she mentioned her cousin’s written appeals to her father, and his dismissal of his offers to run the estate in his absence.
‘I would give a lot to know what caused the dispute between them,’ she said, staring ahead as she spoke. ‘I shall read through Papa’s old diaries at the earliest opportunity. My difficulty is that he writes using initials and abbreviations that are hard to decipher. But still, I will try.’
‘Are you and your mother venturing out this evening?’
‘Yes, to Lady Marriott’s party. But don’t worry, Mr Harker will be coming along to keep us safe. I made the suggestion to Talbot, who does not at all approve of two ladies travelling about London with just a coachman to protect them.’
‘Quite right too. You are far too cavalier about your own safety, irresponsible child!’
They turned onto another path and gave the horses another short gallop. They had almost reached its end when a shot was fired, missing Ezra’s hat by inches. He felt the air move with its passing and heard the whoosh as it disappeared harmlessly into the trees behind him. But Willow spooked at the sudden noise, reared up, snatched the reins from Adela’s hands and bolted.
*
Daniel had been in the park since first light, crouching uncomfortably behind a short stand of bushes as he awaited Adela’s arrival. He knew she would come, but couldn’t afford to be seen himself. She adored riding. It was one of the few occupations he’d been able to encourage her to share with him during her time in Ripon, and he knew she was a proficient horsewoman. But even the most confident rider was no match for a spooked horse. And if that horse was flighty in the
first place…
Daniel’s informant had earned his blunt by advising him about Adela’s plans. He hadn’t especially wanted to kill his cousin even if she remained stubbornly determined to refute his advances, and now he wouldn’t need to. He’d let the horse do it for him. No one was aware that he had yet arrived in London, so even if anyone heard his shot, the blame could not be placed at his door. He and his mother could then arrive at Eaton Square as the legitimate owners instead of poor relations. His aunt, unlike the sharp and suspicious Adela, would be devastated when she heard of her daughter’s accident and therefore easy to manipulate.
He bided his time behind those damned bushes, growing increasingly impatient, his limbs painfully cramped. God forbid that he’d got out of bed at cockcrow for no good reason. His head hurt like the devil. Too much whisky while playing cards in an out-of-the-way club the night before. He couldn’t be seen at the more fashionable locations. Damn it, he couldn’t afford the membership fees, or the high stakes wagered at the tables. What sort of earl did that make him?
Bitterness surged through Daniel’s system, making him oblivious to the morning chill and the damp that seeped into his backside through his breeches as he remained in a crouch. He’d drank too much, lost heavily and then thrown himself into the arms of a local doxy, who tried and failed to coax him into better humour. Infuriatingly, as soon as he sank his cock into her, all he could see in his imagination was Adela’s sparkling smile on the rare occasions when someone said something that made her laugh spontaneously. He imagined her curvaceous body beneath his hands, not that of the skinny whore.
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