Page 59 of The Devil's Pawn

When I arrive, the stables are buzzing with activity, as they often are at this time of day. Horses whinny and kick at their stable doors, demanding their breakfast, or possibly attention, and grooms hurry about trying to get through the never-ending list of tasks. I scan the area for Will. I can’t see him in the immediate vicinity, but it’s a big yard, so that’s not unusual. The tack room is empty when I enter, and I grab Lottie’s saddle and bridle, then head for her loose box. It feels unfair to ask one of the grooms to saddle her when they’re so busy. I rarely come here this early in the morning, but I woke up with excess energy, and a good gallop across the fields is a great way to use it.

By the time I’ve gotten Lottie saddled up and led her out into the yard, things have quietened down. A few of the younger grooms avert their gazes as I lead her past them, and I curse Alexander all over again. He’s got these poor people scared of their own shadow. I hate the way their behavior makes me feel as though I’m different from them. Despite the fact I grew up in a wealthy family, I’ve never felt different before now.

When I still don’t see Will, I lead Lottie over to one of the older grooms, who I think is called Damon.

“Hi. Damon, is it?”

He stands up straight. “Umm, yes, ma’am.”

“I’m looking for Will. Do you know where he is?”

Damon looks at the ground as though he’s hoping it will open up and give him an escape route. “I… um.” He rubs his lips together. “Will has… I mean, Will was…” He shakes his head. “Will got fired, ma’am.”

“Fired?” My eyebrows shoot up in surprise. “When?”

He looks up and to the left. “Last Friday, I think it was.” He nods. “Yep. Friday.”

What Alexander said to me on Tuesday night smacks me in the face.It appears you like one of my grooms, too. I’ve watched the two of you in the paddock. He’s quite the fan, and, so it seems, are you.

Anger fists my hands. The bastard. When he pushed his fingers inside me, heknewhe’d fired a man who did not deserve to lose his job.

“Thank you, Damon.” I thrust Lottie’s reins at him. “Would you mind unsaddling her for me? Something urgent has come up that I need to attend to.”

“Of course, ma’am.”

Enraged, I march back to the house, fury fueling every step. After opening the front door with such force, it bounces off the doorstop and almost hits me in the face, I take off up the stairs to the top floor. By the time I get there, I’m panting, but that doesn’t stop me from storming down the hallway to Alexander’s office and barging through the door.

Several pairs of eyes swivel in my direction, but I’m too angry to care that he’s chairing a meeting.

“You fired Will!”

The four men and two women sitting around the table squirm, but the only sign Alexander is furious with me is the light feathering of a muscle in his left cheek.

“Not now, Imogen.”

My eyes bulge. I can actually feel them protruding from my head. “Not now? Not now!” I ball my hands and slam them against my thighs. “That man did nothing to deserve losing his job over, other than help me when I asked him.”

More squirming from the other attendees ensues. In a move that should make me nervous, but only stokes the fires of fury, Alexander closes his laptop and addresses the room.

“Ladies, gentlemen, let’s pick this up at a more convenient time. I’ll have Richard reschedule.”

An expression of relief swarms over the men’s faces while the women flash me sympathetic glances as they gather their things and file out. The last one closes the door, and the second I hear the click, I round on him again.

“How could you? He did nothing wrong.”

“Is that what you think?”

I pick up on the glacial tone, the cold eyes, and the deliberate way he unfolds his frame from the chair and stands, but despite the threat lurking in every syllable and every move, I’m not backing down.

“Yes. That’s what I think. And while we’re talking about thinking things, I also think you’re anasshole!”

“He touched what was mine. No one fucking touches what is mine.”

Touched me? Will never touched me, at least not inappropriately. He only put his hands on me when he was showing me where to position my legs. And how could Alexander know?—

Oh.Oh, oh, oh.

“Have you beenspyingon me?”

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