A Secret Passion by Sophia Nash

and walked toward the animal in the middle of the field. “Now, sir,” she said, taking possession of the bridle from the earl along the way, “let us see what is to be done about this recalcitrant stallion of yours. And by that—lest you find yourself confused—I do mean your horse.” She was rewarded by his laugh, which caused a sensation in her midriff that she would just as soon not examine.
    When she was within reach of the warm, moist breath of the stallion, he snorted, wheeled around, and galloped away.
    Lord Graystock chuckled. “You must have better methods in your repertoire. I daresay your entire arsenal won’t do the trick.”
    “We shall see,” Jane retorted as she watched the horse. She felt little of the self-confidence she tried to show. The stallion exhibited a sort of wildness in the eye that she had rarely seen before.
    “Care to wager on it?” he asked.
    “Wager on what?”
    “On your ability to ride the beast, of course. Or perhaps”— his eyebrows quirked insolently—”we should better your odds by making it on your ability to capture him?”
    “I have never wagered in my life.”
    “Are you unsure, Mrs. Lovering, of your abilities?”
    She looked at him for a long moment. “What would I win?”
    He smiled. “More importantly, what would you lose?”
    They paused for a moment, each thinking as quickly as possible. The earl closed the gap between them. “A kiss. If you lose, that is,” he said.
    “No,” she said.
    “A kiss if you win, then, if you prefer.”
    “No,” she said again.
    “Then we are back to if you lose.”
    She knew he expected her to refuse again, stomp off and refer to her reputation and the like. What could she counter it with to wipe the smug expression off his face and end this entire wagering business?
    “All right,” she said slowly. “But if I stay on the brute, you’ll marry me.” Really, she only wanted to see him unsettled, just a little. Titled gentlemen were so sure of themselves, this one in the extreme. He antagonized her beyond measure. And she knew she could unseat herself if she did manage to ride the beast. She could tell by the strained expression on his face that she had outmaneuvered him.
    “Mrs. Lovering, ah, your wager is so very tempting, but…” She smiled as she realized he was not going to accept the challenge. “But not very equal in terms. What say you to upping my end to a bit more than a kiss?”
    She felt flustered and annoyed. “I think not,” she responded as she jutted out her chin.
    He looked delighted. “Ah, well, then, let’s shake on the original wager,” he concluded as he reached for her hand. “And by the by, he seems to favor trees. Best be careful.”
    She was too embarrassed to ask for clarification of the original wager or the comment regarding the trees. The truth was, the infuriating man had her doubting her own abilities. Jane had ridden many young, difficult horses but never a difficult stallion in his prime. And she was distracted by Graystock, who sat on a log in the shade of a young sapling, watching her with a hooded expression in his gray eyes.
    After a full hour, the stallion was caught, bridled, and shaking. She had got within a few feet of the horse and then turned her shoulder to him while pretending to be working on the bridle. The horse’s curiosity had gotten the best of him in the end, as she had known it would. He had walked up to her and put his head over her shoulder. She had shown him the bit, and he had allowed her to slip on the piece of tack with only one whinny and a head toss.
    Jane checked the tightness of the girth and swung up into the saddle with well-practiced ease. Before she was seated, the horse began backing up at full speed and then reared. She leaned forward and pulled down hard on the reins. With a half turn, the stallion came down on all fours at breakneck speed. Instead of hauling back on the reins, Jane let the animal have his head. After circling the field