Page 47 of Lady of Fortune
“Tell me, how did you find him?”
“Oh, it’s an intriguing story, but a long one,” she said, attempting to make it sound of something in which he wouldn’t be interested.
“We have time.”
So Julia told him the story of Sam Abney being found drunk and incapable of riding, and of being told of a groom who was a perspective jockey. “Hopefully it will all work out.”
“Yes,” he drawled slowly. “He looked rather familiar to me, I must say. I had a jockey in the past who bore an uncanny resemblance to him — Will Scott, I believe his name was.”
“Oh,” Julia said weakly, her heart racing uncontrollably now. “How… interesting.”
“Very,” he said, his lips curling into a smile, and Julia had the sudden feeling that he knew everything. How, she had no idea, but then the Duke was an intelligent man. Suddenly, she wanted nothing more than to be away from him, and as the music came to an end, she stepped away as quickly as she could.
“Thank you, your grace,” she said with a quick curtsy, and then did all she could to keep from practically running away.
* * *
“Eddie Francis?”
Eddie paused with his drink halfway to his mouth. He knew that voice. He turned to find Lord St. Albans standing next to him at the bar. The man had hardly aged since Eddie had worked for him eight years ago.
Upon seeing Eddie’s familiar face, the Earl broke out into a smile, extending his hand toward him. “Good to see you, lad! It’s been far too long.”
Eddie bristled slightly at St. Albans’ referral to him, but he supposed he should expect it from a man who had known him since he was a toddler. He nodded and reached out his hand to take the Earl’s within his. “And you, my lord.”
“You are making a name for yourself on the track. If you ever leave Torrington, you’ll have to give me the opportunity to hire you myself.”
Eddie nodded, swallowing hard. The man was eager to hire him as a jockey, but all he could think about was what the Earl would think of him courting his daughter?
“That I will.”
“I hear Torrington is having questions asked about the horse you are riding.”
“Valiant,” Eddie said with a nod. “I have heard the same. Though I will continue to ride as long as I am not told anything different about my role or the horse.”
“That’s fair,” St. Albans said, seeming to approve of the fact that Eddie would allow the question of Valiant’s identity to remain with the lords. “I hope all works out for him — and for you, as well.”
“Thank you, my lord,” he said.
“I’m sorry about your father’s passing,” Lord St. Albans said, sobering somewhat, and Eddie nodded, acknowledging his words. It had been a few years now, but he must admit that he still missed him.
“And how is your mother?” St. Albans asked. Eddie’s mother had left his employ to live with her sister in a small town nearby.
“She’s well,” he said with a fond smile.
“Very good,” the Earl said, but then his expression narrowed ever so slightly. “So tell me, what brings you here this evening?”
Which was the very question Eddie had been attempting to avoid.
“I, ah, was invited,” he said, unsure of exactly what to say until he felt a presence at his elbow.
“Father,” Julia said, standing slightly between them, and St. Albans looked from her and Eddie, as though wondering why she wasn’t greeting him with the surprise of it having been years since their previous encounter.
“Have you and… Mr. Francis had the opportunity to meet already this evening?”
“We have,” she said with a nod. “In fact, I first saw Ed-Mr. Francis at the track a few days ago and re-made his acquaintance then.”
“I see,” her father said slowly, and thankfully that was the last Julia said of their relationship. “Well, we should be off, should we not?” St. Albans asked, looking at Julia and holding his arm out. “Good night, Mr. Francis.”
