go back? No, she had problems enough of her own. She resumed her journey and thirty minutes later was sipping a welcome glass of fresh lemonade in the same room she had used on her arrival in Great Bentley just over a week ago.
* * * *
Theo could not take his eyes from Marianne. What was wrong with him? He must not allow a pair of beautiful blue eyes to divert him from his purpose. Lucifer bucked and he swore. By the time he had regained control and was free to glance across to the Grierson party his ward had vanished. He stood in his stirrups and scanned the crowd and was rewarded with a glimpse of an eau-de-nil bonnet weaving in and out of the spectators and heading in the direction of the inn.
What the devil was she doing? And with no maid to accompany her—was she so naive that she knew no better than to go into an inn yard on her own? He glared at Lord and Lady Grierson. Could they not see that she had gone? What sort of foster parents were they? Not good enough—obviously. He would have to go after her himself. He had no choice.
His decision made, he sat back and prepared to extricate his mount from the melee of horses waiting behind the starting line for the flag to be dropped. Before he could retreat, the starter’s hand fell and the thirty or so horses leapt forward. Lucifer, trapped, was forced to go with them. He was committed, he had to race, at least until pulling up would not cause carnage.
He leant down, low over his horse’s neck, and dug his heels in hard. The stallion responded lengthening his stride, eager to reach the front. Theo, in the split-second he had had to think, decided to take the lead by forcing his way through the pack and then, when he was clear, he would turn Lucifer away safely and go and find Marianne.
He had completed a full circuit before he had his chance. He could hear the pounding of hooves on the turf, the heavy breathing of the horses, the curses of the riders, but he ignored it all. He was boxed in by two farmers astride massive hunters. To get past he would have to take the outside line but there was no room to squeeze through.
The hunters were neck and neck, neither riders nor mounts prepared to give an inch. Sitting back he pulled hard on the reins. Lucifer responded and shortened his stride from a flat gallop to an extended canter, allowing the horses blocking his path to pull ahead.
Before another rider could steal his place, Theo expertly drove his stallion to the right and kicked him on. With his chestnut nose outstretched, Lucifer shot past the farmers and now there were only three left in front. The horse needed no further encouragement.
Theo galloped past the first, a grey ridden by an officer in full regimentals. Only then did he realize who was leading. Charles on his mare, Bess, was crouched low in the saddle, the horse galloping well within herself, not straining, showing no sign of breaking down like she had the previous year. But the horse a mere half-stride behind was beginning to blow, its rider using his hands and heels vigorously whilst shouting encouragement.
It should be a simple thing to pass the two, then he could leave Charles to take the honours, there was nothing close enough to catch him. The gap between the main group and the leading three was widening with every second.
‘Go Lucifer, go, you can do it!’ He shouted into his mount’s flattened ears and felt the horse surge forward. They drew level with Charles and then were past. All he needed was a lead of a length or two and he could pull aside and allow them to gallop safely by.
But Charles thought the race was being taken from him and desperately urged Bess to go faster, the rider behind him did the same but his horse had nothing left to give and staggered sideways crashing into the mare’s hindquarters bringing them both down with a terrible crash.
Theo felt the impact of the fall and instantly threw himself back, hauling Lucifer’s head up, bringing him brutally back to a
* * * *
Theo could not take his eyes from Marianne. What was wrong with him? He must not allow a pair of beautiful blue eyes to divert him from his purpose. Lucifer bucked and he swore. By the time he had regained control and was free to glance across to the Grierson party his ward had vanished. He stood in his stirrups and scanned the crowd and was rewarded with a glimpse of an eau-de-nil bonnet weaving in and out of the spectators and heading in the direction of the inn.
What the devil was she doing? And with no maid to accompany her—was she so naive that she knew no better than to go into an inn yard on her own? He glared at Lord and Lady Grierson. Could they not see that she had gone? What sort of foster parents were they? Not good enough—obviously. He would have to go after her himself. He had no choice.
His decision made, he sat back and prepared to extricate his mount from the melee of horses waiting behind the starting line for the flag to be dropped. Before he could retreat, the starter’s hand fell and the thirty or so horses leapt forward. Lucifer, trapped, was forced to go with them. He was committed, he had to race, at least until pulling up would not cause carnage.
He leant down, low over his horse’s neck, and dug his heels in hard. The stallion responded lengthening his stride, eager to reach the front. Theo, in the split-second he had had to think, decided to take the lead by forcing his way through the pack and then, when he was clear, he would turn Lucifer away safely and go and find Marianne.
He had completed a full circuit before he had his chance. He could hear the pounding of hooves on the turf, the heavy breathing of the horses, the curses of the riders, but he ignored it all. He was boxed in by two farmers astride massive hunters. To get past he would have to take the outside line but there was no room to squeeze through.
The hunters were neck and neck, neither riders nor mounts prepared to give an inch. Sitting back he pulled hard on the reins. Lucifer responded and shortened his stride from a flat gallop to an extended canter, allowing the horses blocking his path to pull ahead.
Before another rider could steal his place, Theo expertly drove his stallion to the right and kicked him on. With his chestnut nose outstretched, Lucifer shot past the farmers and now there were only three left in front. The horse needed no further encouragement.
Theo galloped past the first, a grey ridden by an officer in full regimentals. Only then did he realize who was leading. Charles on his mare, Bess, was crouched low in the saddle, the horse galloping well within herself, not straining, showing no sign of breaking down like she had the previous year. But the horse a mere half-stride behind was beginning to blow, its rider using his hands and heels vigorously whilst shouting encouragement.
It should be a simple thing to pass the two, then he could leave Charles to take the honours, there was nothing close enough to catch him. The gap between the main group and the leading three was widening with every second.
‘Go Lucifer, go, you can do it!’ He shouted into his mount’s flattened ears and felt the horse surge forward. They drew level with Charles and then were past. All he needed was a lead of a length or two and he could pull aside and allow them to gallop safely by.
But Charles thought the race was being taken from him and desperately urged Bess to go faster, the rider behind him did the same but his horse had nothing left to give and staggered sideways crashing into the mare’s hindquarters bringing them both down with a terrible crash.
Theo felt the impact of the fall and instantly threw himself back, hauling Lucifer’s head up, bringing him brutally back to a
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