Page 1 of Invitation to Pleasure
Chapter 1
Newmarket,England, December 15th1814
Daniel loved his elder sister,Rheda, he really did. He even loved his little niece and nephew, Samantha and Wilton, especially when they were asleep. And he admired Rheda’s husband, Rufus Knight, the Earl of Hascombe. But he hated how, at Christmas, and all the other ‘family’ occasions, he was summoned to the Earl’s estate to dress up fancy and make polite conversation with the guests his sister took pleasure inviting into her home.
None of the other guests could care less if he was here or not. He was hopeless at cards and didn’t have the schooling to contribute to the conversations between the men. The unmarried ladies ignored him because who wanted a mere Baron for a husband. While the married women with boring, older husbands thought all they had to do was beckon with a crooked finger and he would service them gratefully.
Why had he bothered to come?
Because he loved his elder sister Rheda, and for some reason she’d wanted him here earlier than he usually came north for the festive period. She was the reason why he still had his estate. Her selfless efforts while he was growing up.
Their father had bled his estate dry with his gambling and womanizing. After his father’s death, Rheda had spent the next five years trying to save his estate until he was old enough to run it. Situated near Deal in Kent, Rheda had, for a short time, taken up smuggling to save Tumbury Cliff Manor from bankruptcy, before breeding the best cavalry horses known to man. Instead of attending Eton, he’d been homeschooled by Rheda and could only just hold his own with writing and arithmetic, something that as the current Baron de Winter, he found embarrassing. He felt more at home in the stables, hence why, after dinner tonight, he found himself making his way across the large cobblestoned courtyard toward Rufus’s immaculate and impressive stables which housed the best racing horseflesh in the world.
As he approached, it dawned upon him that there should be more grooms around. You didn’t leave animals as valuable as this unattended. What if there was a fire, or a horse fell ill, or was stolen? He quickened his pace. Perhaps there were no grooms because Rufus had given them the day off to shop for Christmas? Rufus may well have given most of them the night off to spend with their families, but still his instincts saw him jog across the cobblestones.
His heart jumped into his throat when he saw the door to the main stable ajar; normally it was locked and guarded.
He slipped inside, walking silently on his toes. He waited until his eyes adjusted to the dark before creeping forward. He saw the young groom, Blake, lying motionless inside the first stall. He hesitated, wondering if he should retreat and call for reinforcements. He was just about to turn back when he spied movement near the stall at the rear. The stall held Rufus’s recent expensive purchase, a colt as black as the coal burning in the drawing room grate, named Apollo.
Someone was opening the stall. Who would be trying to steal Rufus’s colt? Daniel hoped they were experienced horsemen; Apollo was temperamental to say the least.
Daniel crept forward. He thought his ears where playing tricks on him because as he drew closer, the murmured reassurances spoken to the excited colt sounded feminine in nature. It couldn’t be. The colt needed a firm hand. Apollo sometimes forgot who was boss, and he needed a man’s strength to subdue his wildness.
Daniel straightened from his crouch and moved with more assurance toward the end stall. It bloody wellwasa woman with the colt. She might be disguised in men’s clothes, but he’d seen Rheda wearing trousers enough times to recognize the enticingly feminine curves. The shapely behind sat atop legs almost as long as the colts. Hair as light as straw hung down the middle of her back, tied with a ribbon. She was holding Apollo’s nose, and whispering in his ear.
Was she touched in the head? Even if she was a thief he felt the urgent need to protect her from her folly. Apollo could trample her to death.
“Don’t make any sudden movements, back slowly away from the colt so as not to frighten him,” Daniel spoke softly from the entrance to the stall. Instead of following his sensible advice, he watched her stiffen, her hand still on the colts nose and in utter disbelief Daniel saw her other hand move to grip Apollo’s mane as if she were about to…Goddamn her to Hades, she bolted onto the colt’s back.
“Step away unless you wish to be trampled.”
Her voice was breathy but held an air of command. He couldn’t see her features clearly in the gloom, but he’d swear she was gentrified. She had an unmistakable air of arrogance proving she was used to talking down to men. Instead of obeying her, he stepped into the middle of the stall doorway.
“Horse thieving is a hanging offence. I’d hate to see that pretty neck stretched.“
“I am not stealing, so you have no need to worry on my behalf.”
His hands fell from where they sat on his hips, and he moved a few steps forward. “I know you’re stealing, love. That is Lord Hascombe’s new colt, Apollo.” He wished he could see her face. “Now, get down before you hurt yourself. Young Apollo here is not known for his good behavior.”
“That’s because you simpletons don’t know how to handle him. He is obedient for those he respects. Besides, I’m not your love. Now, I shall ask nicely one final time. Get out of the way!”
Daniel stood undecided. He could not simply step aside and let her steal his brother-in-laws valuable colt, but neither could he rush the horse. “We appear to be at an impasse as I have no intention of letting you take him.”
He heard the smile in her voice. “Let me?” With that she made Apollo rear up and his hooves came very near to Daniel’s face and body. Daniel held fast. Surely she was testing him?
“I’m not moving so you may as well tell me why it’s not stealing.”
He heard a very unladylike curse issue from her lips and for some reason that impressed him even more than her horsemanship.
“Apollo was gifted to me by my grandfather, and my father had no right to sell him to Lord Hascombe.”
Daniel moved forward and stroked Apollo’s nose. “If this is true why not simply inform Lord Hascombe of the situation. I’m sure he would listen.”
She snorted. “Would you willing give up an animal of this quality and value?”
“If he had been sold without the owners permission, yes. Can you prove it was a gift?” The silence spoke volumes. “I see. Well, get down from there and come into the house. We shall see what Lord Hascombe has to say.”
He didn’t know her first name, but he knew who had given the horse to Rufus, the Marquis of Wentworth, Charles Marsh. Daniel had been right; she was gentry, yet way above an impoverished Baron. He waited, for he was not about to turn his back on Lady Marsh and the colt.
