Page 89 of The Trouble with Anna

The crowd erupted, but Anna didn’t have time for astonishment. She didn’t have time for the vast storm that rose in her, crackling with power.

“You heard him,” she said to Marby with a coolness she didn’t feel. “Let’s race.”

“Yes, very good!” Marby scrambled for his pocket watch. “If both parties are ready?”

“After you, my lady,” Hartley said.

“William, remember!” Anna called. “Call the pace at the mile mark.”

The groom nodded.

Anna felt Julian’s gaze from the stands as she gathered her reins and urged Archer to the starting line. His eyes did not leave her.

Archer, beauty that he was, stood proud and easy in the inside position, his ears alert and his muscles quivering. Eclipse had to be coaxed to the start, and Anna could hear the heavy clomp of his big, saucer feet coming up behind her. She closed her eyes, said a prayer of forgiveness, and very deliberately backed Archer up. His rump hit Eclipse on the nose, and Eclipse skittered backward, his tail swishing.

“Pardon,” Anna said to Lord Hartley, who looked so astounded that her nose twitched.

He certainly has been away from the track awhile.

Anna clicked Archer to the line again and Eclipse lunged up next to them. His ears were flat against his head and his eyes rolled toward Archer. An angry horse, made even angrier. And soon to be pushed into outright fury, if Anna had anything to do with it.

Please!she prayed silently with the empty track before her, not sure what she was asking or from whom.

No answer came.

Right. Best get on with it.

From his post at the rail, Byrne raised his pistol to the sky.

“Ready?” he called.

Anna crossed her reins tight and pushed into her stirrups.

“Set!”

She took one last suck of air and held it.

“GO!”

At the crack of the pistol Anna was off, leaping from the line into a flat gallop. Archer’s tail whipped out behind him and Anna prayed Eclipse got a flank full of it, but she couldn’t spare a glance over her shoulder to check.

Everything depended on how they got out, how fast and how cleanly Archer could hit pace.

Anna crouched low behind Archer’s neck and they sliced through the wind. His stride lengthened, but he held back, not used to being asked for so much so early.

Faster, Anna urged, her heart in her throat. She gave him a tap with her crop, and he shot forward in a joyous spurt, the track streaking beneath them. Anna tucked down even lower as Archer opened up.

Six strides out and Archer was flying. Anna chanced a tight look over her shoulder.

Eclipse was well behind them. Hartley, as expected, was using all his skill and strength to hold Eclipse off the blistering pace she’d set. It was madness to go this fast, this early in a race.

It was madness, but it was her only hope.

That’s right, she urged Hartley.Hold him back. Let him taste second place and let’s see how he likes it.

The crowd at the rails was screaming, but Anna could barely hear it over the pounding of Archer’s hooves. She concentrated on staying low and light, riding a lightning bolt balanced on the balls of her feet.

Faster, she urged, throwing her hands out in front of her with each thrust of Archer’s neck as he sped onward.

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