Page 27 of Lady of Fortune
For they understood. They knew what the thrill of a race meant, lived for the adrenaline rushing through their veins, risked everything to do it again and again. The only difference was they could live their passion out in the open while hers was a secret life that would be over nearly as fast as it had started.
She pushed the melancholy thought from her mind, however, as she focused on the fence posts whizzing past her as they raced the flat course. They were completing three-quarters of a mile, and while it would only take a couple of minutes, time moved both more slowly and yet was going by in a blur. Julia was much more aware of her surroundings this race, and she noticed that the horses were beginning to break apart, some lagging behind while others crept even farther forward. It wouldn’t be as equal a race as one typically run, for these horses were not currently trained to race. They were all at different levels, had various strengths and ability to maintain their endurance.
Maximus was doing well enough, but as she expected, they were in the middle of the pack.
Soon enough the judge’s box came into sight, only today there wasn’t so much a judge as another jockey who had offered to act in his place. There was no flag to be waved, for no colors were worn in the race — there was no flash of silks, but rather the grays and browns of the jockeys’ own clothing.
But as the horses thundered over the finish, there was a different atmosphere about them, which she recognized as so vastly distinct from not only the Craven Stakes but from the many races she had attended as a spectator.
It was the jolliness in the air. The jockeys maintained their mounts, were happy, joking with one another, calling out good-hearted insults. Not that they didn’t during a typical race, but then they were riding other people’s horses, they passed them off to the outriders as they finished, while the owners celebrated victories.
These were their own mounts, their own horses, and there was no need to rush off back to the clubhouse and leave the glory to others.
Julia sorely wished she could partake in the revelries. But not only did she not know any of them save Eddie, she also had no idea what she would even begin to say, and how would she answer any questions they might hold?
She pulled on Maximus’s reins and was about to turn away when she heard a voice from over her shoulder.
“Good racing today.”
She turned and saw the red-haired man, the one who had been watching her as they raced. She recalled crossing the finish at near the same time.
“Thank you,” she murmured.
“I’m Will,” he introduced himself. “I’m a chum of Eddie’s. I hear he’s been helping you out.”
“He has,” she said with a nod, keeping her cap pulled low. “Awfully nice of him to do so, too.”
“It is,” Will said with a nod, looking at her quizzically, and she feared that he was guessing the truth — that she wasn’t who she said she was.
“James Smith,” she said belatedly, and he nodded.
“I’m aware. We’re going to the tavern later. You should come.”
“Oh, I don’t know —”
“Well, think on it,” he said, his freckled face breaking out into a grin that was hard to resist returning. “See you around.”
And with that, he was off, leaving Julia wanting to say yes, to yearn for this life — yet just knowing what a departure it would be.
CHAPTER14
Eddie couldn’t remember the last time he had so much fun racing.
He had forgotten the crowd, and without the pressure ofneedinga win, he was able to simply enjoy himself on the track, something he hadn’t done in a long time. He still lived for each race, but never had he been able to let go of all the expectations and simply race for the thrill of it.
He didn’t win, nor did he care. He hadn’t thought he would, not on Boomerang. He had actually been close to the back of the pack and had watched Julia for much of the race. She handled herself well. She had chosen the appropriate time to push Maximus a little harder, had known how to manage him so he didn’t tire too quickly, and had best determined to what he would respond.
He was proud of her, he realized, and he turned from his peers to find her to tell her so. The first thing he saw was her smiling ever so prettily at Will. The fact that Will thought her to be James Smith and not Julia Stone didn’t seem to matter as Eddie suddenly wanted nothing more than to trot over and push his friend off his horse.
But then Julia turned and began leading Maximus away into the stable, politely waving away the offered help from a groom.
Eddie reached her as she dismounted before doing so himself, and they walked their horses together to cool them down.
“You did well,” he said, and she nodded, though didn’t make eye contact with him.
“Thank you,” she murmured. “It was fun.”
“It was, wasn’t it?” he said cheerfully, wishing he could take back that kiss now, for nothing had been the same since. Only … the thought of never having held her in his arms was nearly as heart-wrenching as the fact that he never would again. “I forget sometimes just why I became a jockey in the first place.”
