“You never miss a moment to attend the track,” her father said with a frown. “Are you still feeling amiss?”
“Somewhat,” she began, ready to use the sickness excuse once more, but her mother cut in again.
“Oh, but you are looking so well today,” the Countess said. “Please go, Julia, get some fresh air and some time away from this house. You’ve been cooped up in here for ages when you typically so love your time at the track.”
If only her parents knew just how much time she had been spendingawayfrom the house at the very track itself.
“Very well,” she said weakly. “Off to the track we go!”
* * *
Julia was pleasedher father suggested they ride to the track, though it required a quick change into a blue riding habit. She wasn’t sure she could take any further moments alone in a carriage making polite conversation, although, with her father about, she was sure the topic would remain on horses.
As it was, she was considerably nervous about this meeting with “James,” though it was now completely out of her control and in the hands of Will. She could only pray that he had remembered all that she had told him. And she really, really hoped that Eddie wouldn’t be there, for she wasn’t sure that she would be able to maintain her composure with him present.
When they arrived at Newmarket, she was relieved when she could see Will waiting for them in the distance, though she was hit with a new worry — what if Will and the Duke had met before? She had never thought to ask Will as the Duke wasn’t supposed to be at this meeting. How would Will then explain his presence? She kneaded her temples, which had already begun to throb. This was far too much stress. Perhaps she should just pull her father aside, tell him everything that had happened, and be done with it all.
But then, beyond Will, where the stables began, she saw Eddie, and her countenance wavered. She wanted to make him proud as much as herself. She loved him, and she wanted him in her life more than she could describe. To do so, she just had to hang on for a few more days.
Julia nodded to him ever so slightly, and as a groom came to take their horses, she led her father and the Duke over to Will, where she introduced them. Will’s cap was low over his brow to hide his red hair, but Julia still held her breath during the introduction. Thankfully, no one seemed to recognize one another. She let out a sigh of relief.
“I must say, lad, that was some fine racing the other day,” her father began, “Both during the Craven Stakes as well as at the mock race. I was impressed, particularly because Julia here tells me that these are some of your first races.”
Julia couldn’t help but smile, though she wished that her father was able to praise her directly and not the man that he thought to be James Smith.
“Thank you, my lord,” Will replied, sending Julia what she thought must have been the slowest, most discreet wink she had ever seen in her life. “I tried my very best.”
“I am sure you did,” Lord St. Albans said. “And I hear you have been training hard each morning, honing your craft, with the help of one of my former stablehands.”
“That is true, my lord.”
They continued to talk about the race until Julia’s father finally came round to his true purpose in speaking with Will.
“Now, James,” he said. “You know this race is very important to our family, but especially to Julia here. Tell me a bit about your race strategy.”
Julia beamed. They had actually discussed this. As long as Will remembered, this was one area of conversation that was absolutely safe.
Except that Will didn’t so much describe her plan for the race, but his own. It was one way to ride, to be sure, but it would not work with Orianna. Her father, of course, completely understood that, and he frowned as he listened to Will’s words.
“I’m not sure of that strategy,” he said, confirming Julia’s fears, and Will nodded, catching her look.
“Not a problem. I have a secondary plan. I thought I would present both to you for your opinion,” he said, and his cheerful countenance, if nothing else, seemed to be winning over her father.
Their meeting didn’t last long, but it was stressful, and slightly awkward — for Julia at least.
The Duke of Clarence provided Will with his card, telling him that if he ran a fine race on Saturday, he would be interested in hearing more from him, as he had an opening within his own set of jockeys.
“I would like that very much,” Will agreed, and Julia knew he would — though as James Smith or Will Scott, she had no idea.
They said their farewells and were about to continue on their way when the Duke of Clarence paused for a moment and turned around, staring intently for a moment at Will.
“Mr. Smith,” he said, “You say you are new to the circuit, but I feel as though I have perhaps met you before. Have I previously made your acquaintance?”
For the briefest of moments, Will looked panicked, but he recovered rather quickly.
“No, Your Grace, I do not believe so, unfortunately. Although I do, of course, know your well-recognized name.”
The Duke nodded and turned back to Julia and her father, but she couldn’t slow the fast beat of her heart as the contemplative look remained on his face.