seeking safety in numbers and then said forcefully, “Miss Ivy, we cannot let you ride this way. Think of the Earl. What will he say?”
Willow smothered her laughter when Ivy’s face flushed in annoyance. “I encountered the Earl the other morning, and he saw me riding astride. He called me spirited and unique!” When no one responded, she went on, “Are you and the rest of the staff not incredibly loyal?”
“Of course we are,” Simms answered, perplexed.
“Then you will ensure discretion. We can be assured the Earl will do the same.”
Simms sighed, and Ivy knew she had won. He apparently already recognized Ivy’s stubborn expression because he relented and gave her directions to the Earl of Stanton’s estate. Ivy turned her mare, and gently brought her to a canter.
“Say hello to the Earl of Stanton for me!” Willow laughingly called as Ivy raced off into the distance.
Why Ivy arrived at the Earl’s estate, she did not know where the stables were, so she tied the mare to an iron post near the front of his impressive manor. She rapped on the front door, and the butler answered.
“I am Miss Sinclair,” Ivy announced.
The butler blinked several times and then said, “Welcome, Miss Sinclair. Please come in.”
“Thank you.” As she entered the Earl’s home, she took in her surroundings, which consisted mostly of dark, well-crafted wood and luxurious oil paintings. The butler escorted her down the hall, paused outside a closed door, and then knocked on it twice in rapid succession. He waited for a reply from within before opening the door.
The Earl of Stanton rose from his high-backed leather chair and gazed at Ivy across his massive oak desk. “Miss Sinclair, this is a nice surprise,” he said with a smile.
“I am not disturbing you, am I?”
“Not at all.” He gestured for her to sit down in the chair across from his desk. The butler retreated and closed the door.
Ivy made herself comfortable and stared at him for a moment in silence. “Thank you for the gift.”
The Earl grinned. “Which gift would that be?”
“The mare.”
“Ah.” He leaned back in his chair. “Do you like her?”
“Very much, but I cannot keep her.” Her troubled gaze sought his.
“Of course you can. You kept the other gifts,” he pointed out wryly.
Ivy sighed in exasperation. “If that is the logic, then I will be returning the other gifts to you as well.”
“You do not return gifts. That is the entire point of a gift . You are meant to keep and enjoy them.”
“You gave me a horse ,” Ivy said in an accusatory tone.
“So I did,” he agreed good-naturedly.
“It is extravagant.”
He shook his head. “No, it is not. If I had given you the Crown Jewels, that would have been extravagant.”
Her eyes were wary. “You are not planning on giving me jewels...are you?”
The Earl’s gray eyes were warm. “Would you like it if I did?”
Ivy was vexed, but only because she desperately wanted to hide her growing weakness for the man’s charms. “No! I mean, yes. Of course! What woman would not want jewels from you?” She bit her lip.
“Why are you upset?” he asked quizzically.
She looked at his desk, refusing to meet his gaze. “Men only give women gifts when they are interested in earning their affections. You cannot possibly want mine.” When he did not respond she looked up to find him closely examining her.
“Why would I not want your affections?” he asked.
She sighed. “You are an earl and I...I am not from the same social circle as you. I did not have the same upbringing.”
“Does your grandmother find me unsuitable?” he asked rhetorically.
“Highly unsuitable,” she teased before sobering. “You are popular and eligible. I am not suitable for you .”
“You are going to have to wed, Ivy,” he said with familiarity.
She pulled back her shoulders and prickly said, “You were not given permission to use my given name.”
He shrugged. “I gave you permission
Willow smothered her laughter when Ivy’s face flushed in annoyance. “I encountered the Earl the other morning, and he saw me riding astride. He called me spirited and unique!” When no one responded, she went on, “Are you and the rest of the staff not incredibly loyal?”
“Of course we are,” Simms answered, perplexed.
“Then you will ensure discretion. We can be assured the Earl will do the same.”
Simms sighed, and Ivy knew she had won. He apparently already recognized Ivy’s stubborn expression because he relented and gave her directions to the Earl of Stanton’s estate. Ivy turned her mare, and gently brought her to a canter.
“Say hello to the Earl of Stanton for me!” Willow laughingly called as Ivy raced off into the distance.
Why Ivy arrived at the Earl’s estate, she did not know where the stables were, so she tied the mare to an iron post near the front of his impressive manor. She rapped on the front door, and the butler answered.
“I am Miss Sinclair,” Ivy announced.
The butler blinked several times and then said, “Welcome, Miss Sinclair. Please come in.”
“Thank you.” As she entered the Earl’s home, she took in her surroundings, which consisted mostly of dark, well-crafted wood and luxurious oil paintings. The butler escorted her down the hall, paused outside a closed door, and then knocked on it twice in rapid succession. He waited for a reply from within before opening the door.
The Earl of Stanton rose from his high-backed leather chair and gazed at Ivy across his massive oak desk. “Miss Sinclair, this is a nice surprise,” he said with a smile.
“I am not disturbing you, am I?”
“Not at all.” He gestured for her to sit down in the chair across from his desk. The butler retreated and closed the door.
Ivy made herself comfortable and stared at him for a moment in silence. “Thank you for the gift.”
The Earl grinned. “Which gift would that be?”
“The mare.”
“Ah.” He leaned back in his chair. “Do you like her?”
“Very much, but I cannot keep her.” Her troubled gaze sought his.
“Of course you can. You kept the other gifts,” he pointed out wryly.
Ivy sighed in exasperation. “If that is the logic, then I will be returning the other gifts to you as well.”
“You do not return gifts. That is the entire point of a gift . You are meant to keep and enjoy them.”
“You gave me a horse ,” Ivy said in an accusatory tone.
“So I did,” he agreed good-naturedly.
“It is extravagant.”
He shook his head. “No, it is not. If I had given you the Crown Jewels, that would have been extravagant.”
Her eyes were wary. “You are not planning on giving me jewels...are you?”
The Earl’s gray eyes were warm. “Would you like it if I did?”
Ivy was vexed, but only because she desperately wanted to hide her growing weakness for the man’s charms. “No! I mean, yes. Of course! What woman would not want jewels from you?” She bit her lip.
“Why are you upset?” he asked quizzically.
She looked at his desk, refusing to meet his gaze. “Men only give women gifts when they are interested in earning their affections. You cannot possibly want mine.” When he did not respond she looked up to find him closely examining her.
“Why would I not want your affections?” he asked.
She sighed. “You are an earl and I...I am not from the same social circle as you. I did not have the same upbringing.”
“Does your grandmother find me unsuitable?” he asked rhetorically.
“Highly unsuitable,” she teased before sobering. “You are popular and eligible. I am not suitable for you .”
“You are going to have to wed, Ivy,” he said with familiarity.
She pulled back her shoulders and prickly said, “You were not given permission to use my given name.”
He shrugged. “I gave you permission
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