impatient with any man who thought otherwise.
A moment later, her sidesaddle lay on the ground, and Mr. Darby swung onto the big stallion's back. Kate held the big gray and watched as Thunderlight pranced across the grass, practically dancing while Max Darby guided him this way and that. He bent over the stallion's glossy neck, speaking to the stallion. Thunderlight grew still, listening and waiting. Suddenly, Mr. Darby gave him the office to start, and they flew across the park and out of sight.
Kate waited a moment, consoling herself with the fact that she had the advantage of knowing Mr. Darby was her neighbor and would be easy to find when she had him arrested for a horse thief.
The groom, who had been watching all this in silence, said sorrowfully, "Mr. MacAfee's goin' to boil me in oil, he is."
"Nonsense, Bobby. They will be back in a moment."
It was closer to five minutes before Thunderlight and
Mr. Darby appeared at the far end of the clearing. Kate heaved a sigh of relief.
Her eyes sparkled as she watched the pair. Thun-derlight was dancing once again, as if overjoyed to have Mr. Darby riding him. If ever she had seen a horse and rider who belonged together, it was these two.
Mr. Darby slid to the ground and handed the reins to her groom. With quiet expertise, her handsome neighbor switched the saddles. Turning, He cupped his hands to throw her into the saddle. Then, with a final pat, he swung up on his gray gelding.
"Thank you, Miss O'Connor. I enjoyed that. I wish ... .thank you."
He turned his horse around, but stopped when Kate said quietly, "If I can get away, Mr. Darby, I am usually in this area of the park by ten o'clock each morning. If you would care to ride with us."
His smile transformed his face, and he nodded, lifting his hand in salute before trotting away.
Kate watched him until he was out of sight. He might not be her Sir Milton, but Max Darby was a very handsome man. She suspected that he had caused more than a few hearts to flutter.
"We should be getting back, miss."
"What? Oh, yes. Let's go. And, Bobby, I don't think we need mention this to my father or to Mr. MacAfee."
"Bless you, Miss Kate."
"I have found him!" exclaimed Max, throwing open the drawing room door, causing his brother to break the point on his pen.
"Found who?" said Tristram, picking up the knife to trim the point yet again.
"Thunderlight, of course!"
Tris put down his pen and turned around to face his older brother. "Where was he? Who has him?"
"I saw the same girl riding him in the park again, although she was not racing across the grass. She actually had him under control enough to keep him at a canter. I watched her for several minutes before showing myself. I was afraid to wait any longer because I thought she would give him his head, or lose control, at any minute."
"But who is it?"
"It's like I told you before. It's a Miss O'Connor. Her father is the Irish horse breeder I told you about. Blast!"
"What is it?"
"I forgot to ask where they are staying. Little good it has done me to know the man's name, since no one seems to know where they live."
"I'm surprised that you would forget that."
"Well, it's understandable. I was so excited to ride Thunderlight again ..."
"She let you ride him?"
"Oh, yes. What's more, she told me she would be at the park tomorrow morning, if I should wish to join her. I tell you, Tris, she is an unusual girl. Not beautiful, not like Miss Beauchamp, but she possesses something indefinable. And her hair? Bright red, and short—most unusual and attractive."
"Oh-ho!" said Tristram, raising an eyebrow.
"No, no, I am completely committed to Miss Beau-champ, especially since the marquess said her family is both wealthy and desperate."
"I did not understand that," said Tristram. "Why would they be desperate when Miss Beauchamp is such a beauty? And so very sweet. I am sure you could not
find a more agreeable creature. Surely she will have suitors galore."
"She may be all
A moment later, her sidesaddle lay on the ground, and Mr. Darby swung onto the big stallion's back. Kate held the big gray and watched as Thunderlight pranced across the grass, practically dancing while Max Darby guided him this way and that. He bent over the stallion's glossy neck, speaking to the stallion. Thunderlight grew still, listening and waiting. Suddenly, Mr. Darby gave him the office to start, and they flew across the park and out of sight.
Kate waited a moment, consoling herself with the fact that she had the advantage of knowing Mr. Darby was her neighbor and would be easy to find when she had him arrested for a horse thief.
The groom, who had been watching all this in silence, said sorrowfully, "Mr. MacAfee's goin' to boil me in oil, he is."
"Nonsense, Bobby. They will be back in a moment."
It was closer to five minutes before Thunderlight and
Mr. Darby appeared at the far end of the clearing. Kate heaved a sigh of relief.
Her eyes sparkled as she watched the pair. Thun-derlight was dancing once again, as if overjoyed to have Mr. Darby riding him. If ever she had seen a horse and rider who belonged together, it was these two.
Mr. Darby slid to the ground and handed the reins to her groom. With quiet expertise, her handsome neighbor switched the saddles. Turning, He cupped his hands to throw her into the saddle. Then, with a final pat, he swung up on his gray gelding.
"Thank you, Miss O'Connor. I enjoyed that. I wish ... .thank you."
He turned his horse around, but stopped when Kate said quietly, "If I can get away, Mr. Darby, I am usually in this area of the park by ten o'clock each morning. If you would care to ride with us."
His smile transformed his face, and he nodded, lifting his hand in salute before trotting away.
Kate watched him until he was out of sight. He might not be her Sir Milton, but Max Darby was a very handsome man. She suspected that he had caused more than a few hearts to flutter.
"We should be getting back, miss."
"What? Oh, yes. Let's go. And, Bobby, I don't think we need mention this to my father or to Mr. MacAfee."
"Bless you, Miss Kate."
"I have found him!" exclaimed Max, throwing open the drawing room door, causing his brother to break the point on his pen.
"Found who?" said Tristram, picking up the knife to trim the point yet again.
"Thunderlight, of course!"
Tris put down his pen and turned around to face his older brother. "Where was he? Who has him?"
"I saw the same girl riding him in the park again, although she was not racing across the grass. She actually had him under control enough to keep him at a canter. I watched her for several minutes before showing myself. I was afraid to wait any longer because I thought she would give him his head, or lose control, at any minute."
"But who is it?"
"It's like I told you before. It's a Miss O'Connor. Her father is the Irish horse breeder I told you about. Blast!"
"What is it?"
"I forgot to ask where they are staying. Little good it has done me to know the man's name, since no one seems to know where they live."
"I'm surprised that you would forget that."
"Well, it's understandable. I was so excited to ride Thunderlight again ..."
"She let you ride him?"
"Oh, yes. What's more, she told me she would be at the park tomorrow morning, if I should wish to join her. I tell you, Tris, she is an unusual girl. Not beautiful, not like Miss Beauchamp, but she possesses something indefinable. And her hair? Bright red, and short—most unusual and attractive."
"Oh-ho!" said Tristram, raising an eyebrow.
"No, no, I am completely committed to Miss Beau-champ, especially since the marquess said her family is both wealthy and desperate."
"I did not understand that," said Tristram. "Why would they be desperate when Miss Beauchamp is such a beauty? And so very sweet. I am sure you could not
find a more agreeable creature. Surely she will have suitors galore."
"She may be all
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