Page 9 of Invitation to Pleasure
Finally when she could bear no more, Georgiana suggested to Rheda that they leave the men to their conversational port and the ladies escaped to the drawing room.
“I apologize for my father’s manners. With my mother no longer capable of joining us, he tends to forget about female inclusive conversation.”
“Has your mother been unwell for long?”
She was about to answer when Billie rushed into the room. He drew up short at seeing Lady Hascombe. “Sorry, my lady, but there is something wrong with Colton. He’s limping and showing signs of discomfort. Can you come look at him?”
She looked across at Rheda who simply said, “Go. I can amuse myself until the men return.”
Georgiana knew it was rude, but she could not bear for an animal to be in pain, so she quickly followed Billy.
Chapter 4
Daniel was boredwith the conversation and wished he could return to the drawing room. He stood and moved to the window as Rufus and Lord Wentworth continued to discuss the prices achieved at this year’s yearling sales.
He was just about to turn away when he saw one of the grooms who’d helped with the carriage horses on their arrival, and Georgiana, dash from the house toward the stables.
On impulse Daniel decided to follow. “If you’ll excuse me, gentlemen, nature calls.”
He quickly made his way to the stables and upon entering walked down the center looking in the stalls. Near the back he found Georgiana on her knees next to a white gelding. He sensed Georgiana’s sorrow and crossed to the stall. The fact a beautiful woman was sitting in dirt and hay as if she were on a velvet settee in her drawing room, in a gown worth more than four times the gelding, explained how much she cared for the horse. She held the animal’s hoof in her lap the satin that only minutes earlier had hugged her sensuous curves was ripped and covered in mud. She didn’t notice the stench stifling the stale air. All she seemed to notice was the horse’s pain
He wanted to take her pain away. “Can I help?”
She lifted worried eyes to his face. “This is my favorite steed, Colton, and I’m worried about his front leg. It’s swollen. Do you think he has something in it? I can’t see any broken skin from a wound.” Georgiana stood to make room for Daniel as he entered the stall, and she gently put the horse’s leg down. Colton immediately shifted his weight off of it.
Daniel knew what the problem was just by looking at the joint. He moved closer and patted Colton on the nose. “Easy boy.” He slowly ran his hand down the horse’s leg until he reached the front elbow joint. Just as he suspected the joint was hot to the touch. He looked around for a groom. “You there, what’s your name?”
“Billy, my lord.”
“Wet some wheat and heat it up into a warm poultice.” Billy raced off to do his bidding, his knowing look indicating he too knew the problem. Daniel glanced at Georgiana and noted she was close to tears. “I’m sorry to say, Colton here has inflammation in his elbow joint. The only treatment is gentle massage and hot poultices until the inflammation goes down.”
“So it’s not life threatening?”
It could be, because most lame horses were shot, but he couldn’t bring himself to tell her that. Daniel shook his head. “No. But when it flares up, especially in the cold, you can’t ride him, just give him a gentle walk around the yard and massages to keep the blood moving, and warm poultices. It will pain him, but if you keep his weight down and mix up the types of fresh hay he eats—no feeding him oats or grains—I’ve seen some of my horses live a good long life.”
“Thank you.” Her voice shook. “Father usually puts down any horse who goes lame.”
He would not lie. “You still might have to if the condition worsens or goes to all his joints, but we can try this for now if you don’t mind the extra care he will need.”
She wiped her face and a smudge of dirt appeared on her cheek. “I will do what it takes. Please don’t tell my father about Colton’s condition. Billy will work to conceal it from him. I just don’t trust what father may do. I’ve already lost Apollo. I can’t lose Colton too.” She stifled a sob with the back of her hand.
He reached out and tucked a curl behind her ear. “Would it help if I took Colton to Hascombe and stabled him there while we treat him. Then your father would not notice he was lame.”
“Thank you. Oh, thank you.” She nodded through eyes filled with tears and her pain saw him pull her into an embrace. He simply held her while she silently sobbed. Daniel was pretty sure this was not just about a horse. No doubt her father was not an easy man to live with but if Daniel thought for one minute he would hurt his daughter, well then he would call the gent out—Marquis or no Marquis.
To lighten the situation he joked, “Where is the mistletoe when you need it.” The last time he’d held her so close he had stolen a kiss.
To his surprise she gave a soft and sexy giggle. “A kiss doesn’t always need mistletoe.”
He froze for a moment before gently pushing her out of his arms. One look at the heat of passion burning in her eyes, and he bent to take her lips in the sweetest of kisses. She didn’t even hesitate but slid her arms round his neck, clinging to him as if her life depended on it. Was she doing this to block out the pain of her life, or because she genuinely wanted him to kiss her? His lips stopped moving.
Choice was denied him when she took the lead. Her tongue slid into his mouth and stroked. His body responded by pulling her hard against him, while his mind clouded out all thought but to drink from her sweetness.
His body roared to life and he didn’t even care that she could feel his desire. She set his body on fire and he deepened the kiss. She responded in kind, her fingers tangling in his hair, tugging him closer.
Soft feminine gasps and moans filled his ears as Georgiana fell under pleasure’s spell; he could feel it in her, hear it in her needy moans, soft and breathless. She groaned his name and tilted her head the other way, kissing again with a sweet, drowning depth.
His hands crept under the edge of her gown where the horse’s hoof had ripped it, and warmth seared his fingers as they trailed up her slender legs above her garter. Her womanly center radiated heat drawing him closer. He should be pistol-whipped but if he was, it would be worth it.
