am in need of your services this night. Do you have a mount for me, one with a bit of a kick in his gallop?”
The stable boy led Sir Anthony down the row of stalls to the end. “This here’s Challenger.” The stable boy threw Sir Anthony an assessing glance. “You should be able to pull it off, though I’ve yet to see anyone do it.”
“The very thing. Keep him primed for me each night and your lips tightly sealed and there will be something in it for you at the end of my stay here”
The boy’s eyes grew round, eradicating every last trace of his former wariness. “Gor blimey, guv. I’ll be waiting for you every night, jus’ see if I ain’t. And mum’s the word” Then he opened the door and led Challenger out of his stall and into the night air.
Sir Anthony stepped up to the dark bay and wondered if he had taken leave of his senses. Challenger seemed much larger upon close inspection and definitely dangerous. How the petite stable boy managed to saddle the brute was anybody’s guess, but he did so with calm efficiency.
Sir Anthony regarded the rolling eyes and tossing mane and knew a qualm. He glanced back at the house and found his bedchamber window. Maybe he had exerted himself enough for one night. His gaze slipped to the opposite side of the house to a window much like his own, only he fancied someone stood looking out.
An image of Ginny, her eyes sparkling and her cheeks flushed, filled his mind. He felt as if he had been hit in the chest and the wind knocked clean out of him. With a ragged breath, he filled his lungs and launched himself into the saddle.
Bucking about in rage, Challenger turned into a snorting, rearing, crazy-eyed piece of horseflesh. Laughing outright, Sir Anthony gave the horse his head. If he were fortunate, Challenger would give him the ride of his life, leaving him with little strength for anything.
From her bedchamber window Ginny watched Sir Anthony streak away from sight. At least she felt fairly sure it was him. She had heard his chamber door open and his firm, steady tread down the hall earlier. She had not heard him return.
Upon leaving Sir Anthony’s room she had found her own with ridiculous ease. How she had ever managed to take a wrong turn in the first place was unclear. She was mortified, angry, and hurt. Surely she had invited Sir Anthony’s improper advances with her own folly. She couldn’t expect him to believe she had come to his room in error.
How he must have laughed when she left, thinking her an inexperienced, foolish little wanton. She turned away from the window and sat on the edge of her bed. Well, she wouldn’t let that thought interfere with her having a good night’s sleep. No indeed. If anything, it would be the feel of his strong arm around her waist and his warm breath fanning her cheek that kept her head turning on her pillow all the weary night long.
Come morning, Maren drew the curtains. A shaft of yellow light filled the room, flooding Ginny’s rosestrewn counterpane. She had dreamed that she was not herself, in a place she had never been before. Now she remembered. Rose Arbor.
“Glory, I must have fallen asleep” Ginny stretched and sat up against the rose-embroidered pillows.
Maren shot her a startled look. “If you don’t mind my saying so, miss, I daresay you fell asleep some time ago”
Ginny laughed. “And precisely how did you come by that bit of information, pray tell?”
“Beggin’ your pardon, miss, but you spoke so in your sleep after such a long bout of tocsin’ and turnin’ that I couldn’t help but worry about you.”
“I spoke in my sleep? I don’t know that I have ever done so in the past.” Ginny took the cup of steaming chocolate Maren handed her and sipped meditatively. “What did I say?”
Maren, warming up to her new mistress with each hour spent in her service, was bold enough to sit on the edge of Ginny’s bed. “You spent a deal of time saying hows you’re not Kate or some such
The stable boy led Sir Anthony down the row of stalls to the end. “This here’s Challenger.” The stable boy threw Sir Anthony an assessing glance. “You should be able to pull it off, though I’ve yet to see anyone do it.”
“The very thing. Keep him primed for me each night and your lips tightly sealed and there will be something in it for you at the end of my stay here”
The boy’s eyes grew round, eradicating every last trace of his former wariness. “Gor blimey, guv. I’ll be waiting for you every night, jus’ see if I ain’t. And mum’s the word” Then he opened the door and led Challenger out of his stall and into the night air.
Sir Anthony stepped up to the dark bay and wondered if he had taken leave of his senses. Challenger seemed much larger upon close inspection and definitely dangerous. How the petite stable boy managed to saddle the brute was anybody’s guess, but he did so with calm efficiency.
Sir Anthony regarded the rolling eyes and tossing mane and knew a qualm. He glanced back at the house and found his bedchamber window. Maybe he had exerted himself enough for one night. His gaze slipped to the opposite side of the house to a window much like his own, only he fancied someone stood looking out.
An image of Ginny, her eyes sparkling and her cheeks flushed, filled his mind. He felt as if he had been hit in the chest and the wind knocked clean out of him. With a ragged breath, he filled his lungs and launched himself into the saddle.
Bucking about in rage, Challenger turned into a snorting, rearing, crazy-eyed piece of horseflesh. Laughing outright, Sir Anthony gave the horse his head. If he were fortunate, Challenger would give him the ride of his life, leaving him with little strength for anything.
From her bedchamber window Ginny watched Sir Anthony streak away from sight. At least she felt fairly sure it was him. She had heard his chamber door open and his firm, steady tread down the hall earlier. She had not heard him return.
Upon leaving Sir Anthony’s room she had found her own with ridiculous ease. How she had ever managed to take a wrong turn in the first place was unclear. She was mortified, angry, and hurt. Surely she had invited Sir Anthony’s improper advances with her own folly. She couldn’t expect him to believe she had come to his room in error.
How he must have laughed when she left, thinking her an inexperienced, foolish little wanton. She turned away from the window and sat on the edge of her bed. Well, she wouldn’t let that thought interfere with her having a good night’s sleep. No indeed. If anything, it would be the feel of his strong arm around her waist and his warm breath fanning her cheek that kept her head turning on her pillow all the weary night long.
Come morning, Maren drew the curtains. A shaft of yellow light filled the room, flooding Ginny’s rosestrewn counterpane. She had dreamed that she was not herself, in a place she had never been before. Now she remembered. Rose Arbor.
“Glory, I must have fallen asleep” Ginny stretched and sat up against the rose-embroidered pillows.
Maren shot her a startled look. “If you don’t mind my saying so, miss, I daresay you fell asleep some time ago”
Ginny laughed. “And precisely how did you come by that bit of information, pray tell?”
“Beggin’ your pardon, miss, but you spoke so in your sleep after such a long bout of tocsin’ and turnin’ that I couldn’t help but worry about you.”
“I spoke in my sleep? I don’t know that I have ever done so in the past.” Ginny took the cup of steaming chocolate Maren handed her and sipped meditatively. “What did I say?”
Maren, warming up to her new mistress with each hour spent in her service, was bold enough to sit on the edge of Ginny’s bed. “You spent a deal of time saying hows you’re not Kate or some such
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