The Incorrigible Mr. Lumley by Aileen Fish Page B

foals looked the most promising. Afternoons
spent riding in the paddocks. Evenings…she fluttered her fan to
combat the sudden warmth of the box where she sat, and remembered
where she was. The first act hadn’t ended, so her woolgathering
most likely hadn’t been noticed by the others.
    Lady Barbara leaned toward Robert as his
head lowered. Joanna sighed. She wished she could find someone with
whom she could share tête-à-têtes. The more time she spent in
London, it seemed, the lonelier she felt.
     

     
    Descending the stairs early the next
morning, Joanna hoped to find Robert still at home. He was in the
dining room hidden behind the newspaper. Joanna poured herself some
chocolate from the pot at her place and took a sip. “When do you
leave for the Goodwood Race Meeting?”
    “At the end of the week.”
    “I wish to come with you. I miss how we used
to attend the meetings together as a family.”
    She heard his sigh, but he didn’t lower the
paper. “Now isn’t the time to be leaving Town. Perhaps you could
join me at the July meeting in Newmarket.”
    “That is two months away. I don’t know how
I’ll survive an entire Season without seeing Patriot race. I wish
to speak to Bruce about Patriot, be sure he’s still handling him
correctly.”
    Now the newspaper lowered. Robert looked
down his nose at her. “When did you develop this melodramatic
affectation? You have missed many race meetings since Father
died.”
    “Not by choice. And not since Patriot became
old enough to race.” Joanna took another drink to break eye
contact. She was no longer comfortable letting him see what was
important to her. No longer certain he wished her to have what she
wanted.
    “No matter. And Bruce is no longer Patriot’s
groom. He died.”
    Her throat clamped shut. “What? How?
When?”
    “At the First Spring Race Meeting.
Apparently whatever made him too ill to race killed him.”
    “That can’t be.” Joanna’s eyes welled, but
she blinked away the tears and drew in a breath. “He was
exceptionally good with Patriot.”
    “His new groom has him performing well. He’s
won several races, as you know.”
    “Who did you put with him? Patriot is very
particular about whom he works with.”
    “A new man. Wilfred Winkler.”
    She tried to picture the man but drew a
blank. “I don’t know him.”
    “As I said, he’s new. But I’m quite
satisfied with him.” Robert took a drink of his coffee. “Once you
have settled on a husband, I’ll allow you to leave London, if you
prefer. Or, I can settle it for you this very day, and you may come
with me to Goodwood.”
    Her stomach plummeted. His abrupt manner
didn’t bode well. “Someone has offered for me? Why haven’t you said
anything?”
    After patting his lips with his napkin,
Robert met her gaze. “I still have hopes you will present an
agreeable gentleman to me, so I may tell this other suitor to look
elsewhere for a wife.”
    She gritted her teeth. It couldn’t be the
one she feared, but why else would her brother continue to allow
this man to see her? “Who is it?”
    “You must suspect. It’s Sir Frederick.”
    Her skin grew warm and damp. An unpleasant
rumbling churned the chocolate in her stomach. “Why did you say
nothing when I told you he’d spoken as if we were already
betrothed? You led me to think he was merely being fanciful. But if
he’s asked for permission to approach me and you did not tell him
to be gone, he must assume your consent.”
    Robert’s lips pressed tightly together.
“There is more to it than that, but I’m not in a position to
discuss it with you.”
    “If not you, then who? You are my
guardian.”
    “Yes, which means I am looking out for your
best interests. It does not imply I must inform you of all the
dealings I undertake as Earl of Northcotte.”
    She sat back in her chair. He made no sense.
“We are discussing my marriage, not the running of the estate.”
    “The lives of all of us, Mother, you,
myself, are