her that contradicted her determination to live her life on her own terms.
“I must say, Mr. Carter, that you’ve done an excellent job with Bianca’s fetlock. I really am most terribly grateful.”
Carter actually blushed. “It was no trouble, miss.”
“I disagree. I can tell just from looking at her that you went to a very great deal of trouble. And as for her condition…well, I’ve never seen her looking better. Which of you gentlemen is responsible for the shine on her coat?”
One of the lads shuffled his feet and blushed even more deeply than Carter. “That were me, miss.”
“What’s your name?” she asked, turning her bright smile on the boy.
“Jim, miss.”
“Well, Jim, I can tell that you have an intuitive love of horses. It must have taken you hours to make her look so good.”
Jim beamed. “She’s a lovely beast.”
“Is she fast?” asked another lad.
“Like the wind. Arabians are bred to speed through desert sands for hours, and so they excel at endurance. There’s no desert here in England, it’s true, but Bianca doesn’t seem to mind and speeds across muddy heaths just as obligingly.” She turned her attention back to Carter. “How soon do you suppose it will be before her fetlock is completely healed?”
“Another two days should see her set fair.” Carter removed his cap to scratch his head. “We’ll trot her up then and see how she goes.”
“Oh, I was rather hoping it would be sooner than that.”
“Best not risk it,” Carter said. “She looks sound but she wouldn’t get far on that fetlock right now. These things take time to heal properly.”
Miss Cantrell’s lips twisted. “Botheration, what can I do in the meantime?”
“Is there something not to your liking at the Hall, Miss Cantrell?” Gabe stepped into the room as he asked the question and everyone except Carter and Miss Cantrell hastily dispersed.
“Good morning, my lord.” She turned to offer him a beguiling smile. “I didn’t see you there.”
“Carter, make sure the lads know not to say anything about Miss Cantrell being at the Hall. Unless I miss my guess, enquiries will be made in the village very soon, if they haven’t already begun.”
Carter flexed his jaw. “No one will hear anything from my lot, you can depend on that.”
“Thank you, Carter.” The older man doffed his cap and left them. Gabe returned his attention to his unconventional guest. “You’re an early riser, Miss Cantrell. How is your…er, fetlock this morning?”
“I managed the stairs unaided,” she said, making it sound like a remarkable achievement.
Gabe suppressed a smile. “Most encouraging.”
“I was just expressing my gratitude to Mr. Carter for the care he’s taken of Bianca.”
“I’m glad she’s doing well.” Gabe paused. “Have you had breakfast?”
“Yes, thank you. Jessie brought something to my room. It was rather embarrassing. I’m not used to being spoiled like that, you see, but I didn’t like to upset her by telling her so. It would make me seem very ungrateful.”
Gabe’s lips twitched. “Very wise. I was about to ride the estate. Is your ankle strong enough for you to accompany me?”
She looked momentarily unsure of herself. “I dare say you have all sorts of things to do and I’ll just be in the way.”
“If I thought that, I wouldn’t have invited you.”
“I’m not sure I have the time. I need to rearrange my plans and decide what I’m to do with myself now.”
“You intend to leave.”
She met her gaze. “I can hardly stay.”
“Nor can you leave. You and your horse are both lame. Besides, you’ve lost your advantage and your guardian will have people combing the district, looking for you.”
“That’s true.” She looked as though she wanted to stamp her foot in frustration but remembered her injury just in time. “I could write to Charlotte and ask her to send a carriage for me. I’m sure she wouldn’t mind.”
“And leave Bianca
“I must say, Mr. Carter, that you’ve done an excellent job with Bianca’s fetlock. I really am most terribly grateful.”
Carter actually blushed. “It was no trouble, miss.”
“I disagree. I can tell just from looking at her that you went to a very great deal of trouble. And as for her condition…well, I’ve never seen her looking better. Which of you gentlemen is responsible for the shine on her coat?”
One of the lads shuffled his feet and blushed even more deeply than Carter. “That were me, miss.”
“What’s your name?” she asked, turning her bright smile on the boy.
“Jim, miss.”
“Well, Jim, I can tell that you have an intuitive love of horses. It must have taken you hours to make her look so good.”
Jim beamed. “She’s a lovely beast.”
“Is she fast?” asked another lad.
“Like the wind. Arabians are bred to speed through desert sands for hours, and so they excel at endurance. There’s no desert here in England, it’s true, but Bianca doesn’t seem to mind and speeds across muddy heaths just as obligingly.” She turned her attention back to Carter. “How soon do you suppose it will be before her fetlock is completely healed?”
“Another two days should see her set fair.” Carter removed his cap to scratch his head. “We’ll trot her up then and see how she goes.”
“Oh, I was rather hoping it would be sooner than that.”
“Best not risk it,” Carter said. “She looks sound but she wouldn’t get far on that fetlock right now. These things take time to heal properly.”
Miss Cantrell’s lips twisted. “Botheration, what can I do in the meantime?”
“Is there something not to your liking at the Hall, Miss Cantrell?” Gabe stepped into the room as he asked the question and everyone except Carter and Miss Cantrell hastily dispersed.
“Good morning, my lord.” She turned to offer him a beguiling smile. “I didn’t see you there.”
“Carter, make sure the lads know not to say anything about Miss Cantrell being at the Hall. Unless I miss my guess, enquiries will be made in the village very soon, if they haven’t already begun.”
Carter flexed his jaw. “No one will hear anything from my lot, you can depend on that.”
“Thank you, Carter.” The older man doffed his cap and left them. Gabe returned his attention to his unconventional guest. “You’re an early riser, Miss Cantrell. How is your…er, fetlock this morning?”
“I managed the stairs unaided,” she said, making it sound like a remarkable achievement.
Gabe suppressed a smile. “Most encouraging.”
“I was just expressing my gratitude to Mr. Carter for the care he’s taken of Bianca.”
“I’m glad she’s doing well.” Gabe paused. “Have you had breakfast?”
“Yes, thank you. Jessie brought something to my room. It was rather embarrassing. I’m not used to being spoiled like that, you see, but I didn’t like to upset her by telling her so. It would make me seem very ungrateful.”
Gabe’s lips twitched. “Very wise. I was about to ride the estate. Is your ankle strong enough for you to accompany me?”
She looked momentarily unsure of herself. “I dare say you have all sorts of things to do and I’ll just be in the way.”
“If I thought that, I wouldn’t have invited you.”
“I’m not sure I have the time. I need to rearrange my plans and decide what I’m to do with myself now.”
“You intend to leave.”
She met her gaze. “I can hardly stay.”
“Nor can you leave. You and your horse are both lame. Besides, you’ve lost your advantage and your guardian will have people combing the district, looking for you.”
“That’s true.” She looked as though she wanted to stamp her foot in frustration but remembered her injury just in time. “I could write to Charlotte and ask her to send a carriage for me. I’m sure she wouldn’t mind.”
“And leave Bianca
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