the same time, wondering where Alethea’s hot-headedness came from. She’d been brought up by his mother, and although the countess enjoyed hunting with an abandon rarely seen in ladies, she was otherwise mild-mannered and graceful, and the earl was very restrained. ‘Just make sure Father doesn’t hear you. Or Mother.’
‘You won’t tell?’ Alethea’s lips formed a perfect pout, and – giving in – Jack threw his head back and laughed.
‘Never,’ he said and tousled her hair.
As they walked back to the stables, arm in arm, with the horse ambling after them, he couldn’t help wondering if Blencowe would be as forthcoming with Rupert as he had been with Jack this morning.
Chapter Four
Having left his cousin and sister on the lawn, Rupert headed for the stables. The head groom wasn’t there, nor were any of the other grooms. The only person around was a young boy, the eldest son of the head groom. Rupert tapped him on the shoulder with his cane and the lad jumped.
‘Where’s your father, boy?’
The boy straightened up, leaned on his shovel and regarded Rupert with barely disguised derision. ‘’E’s with the earl and Mr Southey in the south field, sir, helpin’ a filly with her young ’un.’
‘Well, go and get him, then. I need to ride into town.’
‘I can’t, sir. They was not to be disturbed. The foal’s took everyone by surprise, and the filly’s havin’ difficulties, like.’
Rupert felt his blood boil, and it took all the restraint he possessed not to clip the urchin round the ears. He was sure no one treated Cousin Jack like this. If
Rupert
were the heir to Lampton … ‘Well, you saddle my horse, then, and make it fast,’ he barked.
‘Yes, Master Rupert.’ The boy went about his business with deliberate slowness, or so it seemed to Rupert. He fumed quietly. His run-in with Alethea this morning had left him feeling very cross already and the accidental meeting with Jack had, once again, confirmed to Rupert that he was merely tolerated within the family. On top of that it irritated him that Jack had been the quicker of the two of them to see the magistrate. They had undoubtedly shared valuable information, thus putting Rupert at a disadvantage in winning the wager.
And win the bet he must. He’d always enjoyed gambling, horse racing and betting on other sports. He had confidence in his abilities, although he had noticed that recently the cards had not been in his favour. But this bet was for more than sport and entertainment. All his life he’d been treated as inferior to Jack – damn it he’d
felt
inferior! – and sometimes … just sometimes he’d wished his sainted cousin dead. Perhaps by catching this thief, he could show them all what he was really made of.
He must see the magistrate immediately – the damned hat could wait.
The stable boy brought him his horse at last, and Rupert mounted it, only to slide precariously in the saddle. He jumped down and caught the boy by the hair. ‘My saddle is loose. You did that deliberately, didn’t you?’
The boy’s eyes were huge with fright as Rupert shook him by the hair. ‘No, sir. I swear I never. The stallion, he must-a blown up his belly, like.’
‘You’re supposed to wait and then re-tighten the girth, you dullard.’
‘But you wanted ’im done fast, sir,’ protested the boy.
Overcome by a sudden rage, white-hot and coursing through his veins, Rupert felt himself snap. ‘Are you gainsaying me, you little rascal?’
‘No, sir, I …’
The boy didn’t have time to finish. Rupert tossed him to the ground as if he were a sack of potatoes, and brought his cane down on his hamstrings. The boy cried out in pain and tried to crawl away. This only served to incense Rupert further. He raised the cane and swung it again, as hard as he could, this time landing a blow on the boy’s back. The boy howled, and Rupert scooped him up by the scruff of the neck and shook him hard.
‘Now see to my horse
‘You won’t tell?’ Alethea’s lips formed a perfect pout, and – giving in – Jack threw his head back and laughed.
‘Never,’ he said and tousled her hair.
As they walked back to the stables, arm in arm, with the horse ambling after them, he couldn’t help wondering if Blencowe would be as forthcoming with Rupert as he had been with Jack this morning.
Chapter Four
Having left his cousin and sister on the lawn, Rupert headed for the stables. The head groom wasn’t there, nor were any of the other grooms. The only person around was a young boy, the eldest son of the head groom. Rupert tapped him on the shoulder with his cane and the lad jumped.
‘Where’s your father, boy?’
The boy straightened up, leaned on his shovel and regarded Rupert with barely disguised derision. ‘’E’s with the earl and Mr Southey in the south field, sir, helpin’ a filly with her young ’un.’
‘Well, go and get him, then. I need to ride into town.’
‘I can’t, sir. They was not to be disturbed. The foal’s took everyone by surprise, and the filly’s havin’ difficulties, like.’
Rupert felt his blood boil, and it took all the restraint he possessed not to clip the urchin round the ears. He was sure no one treated Cousin Jack like this. If
Rupert
were the heir to Lampton … ‘Well, you saddle my horse, then, and make it fast,’ he barked.
‘Yes, Master Rupert.’ The boy went about his business with deliberate slowness, or so it seemed to Rupert. He fumed quietly. His run-in with Alethea this morning had left him feeling very cross already and the accidental meeting with Jack had, once again, confirmed to Rupert that he was merely tolerated within the family. On top of that it irritated him that Jack had been the quicker of the two of them to see the magistrate. They had undoubtedly shared valuable information, thus putting Rupert at a disadvantage in winning the wager.
And win the bet he must. He’d always enjoyed gambling, horse racing and betting on other sports. He had confidence in his abilities, although he had noticed that recently the cards had not been in his favour. But this bet was for more than sport and entertainment. All his life he’d been treated as inferior to Jack – damn it he’d
felt
inferior! – and sometimes … just sometimes he’d wished his sainted cousin dead. Perhaps by catching this thief, he could show them all what he was really made of.
He must see the magistrate immediately – the damned hat could wait.
The stable boy brought him his horse at last, and Rupert mounted it, only to slide precariously in the saddle. He jumped down and caught the boy by the hair. ‘My saddle is loose. You did that deliberately, didn’t you?’
The boy’s eyes were huge with fright as Rupert shook him by the hair. ‘No, sir. I swear I never. The stallion, he must-a blown up his belly, like.’
‘You’re supposed to wait and then re-tighten the girth, you dullard.’
‘But you wanted ’im done fast, sir,’ protested the boy.
Overcome by a sudden rage, white-hot and coursing through his veins, Rupert felt himself snap. ‘Are you gainsaying me, you little rascal?’
‘No, sir, I …’
The boy didn’t have time to finish. Rupert tossed him to the ground as if he were a sack of potatoes, and brought his cane down on his hamstrings. The boy cried out in pain and tried to crawl away. This only served to incense Rupert further. He raised the cane and swung it again, as hard as he could, this time landing a blow on the boy’s back. The boy howled, and Rupert scooped him up by the scruff of the neck and shook him hard.
‘Now see to my horse
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