Page 110 of Outrageous

He opened his mouth, as if he might argue, but then smiled and said, “Come, walk me to my chariot.”

A snug little curricle waited in the courtyard, her sister already ensconced on the richly padded seat. The chestnuts were fine high-steppers that had more looks than wind: her husband-to-be was not, lamentably, much of a judge of horseflesh.

“Hallo, Mel.”

“Hallo, Eva.” Her younger sister smiled, her gaze questioning as it flickered across Eva’s person, lingering on her face and then moving to Tommy’s. A frown marred her smooth forehead and Eva wondered if her lips looked as recently kissed as Tommy’s. While not censorious, Mel’s glance was still not approving. Mel had never been so judgmental before, but ever since Eva had come back from her adventure, she’d felt as if there was a gulf separating her and her sister.

“Thank you for going with Tommy to take care of the things that I should be handling,” she said.

Mel’s golden, freckled cheeks—so much a bane to her sister—darkened slightly. “I’m happy to do it.”

“And she is excellent company and keeps me from choosing the wrong color ribbon and endangering my life with the marchioness,” Tommy added with a valiant smile. “Oh, I say—did I remember the list, Mel?”

Her sister’s rather serious expression lighted and Eva was momentarily stunned by her sudden . . . animation.

Mel held up a piece of paper filled with writing. “You took it as far as the great hall, where you proceeded to leave it on one of the side tables. Fortunately for you, I am not such a scatterbrain.”

He laid a hand over his heart. “What would I do without you? Likely be skewered on a spit by your delightful stepmamma.”

Mel giggled and Tommy put a boot that was as highly polished as glass on the footboard and gracefully swung himself up. He smiled down at Eva, a perfect London dandy. “Can I bring you anything from town?”

She glanced back at Mel, who was still glowing from the brief exchange, her eyes riveted to Tommy. “Er, surprise me,” Eva said, stepping back from the carriage.

He touched the brim of his high-crowned hat and then nodded. “Let ’em go, Boothe.”

Mel shrieked with delight and seized her bonnet as the elegant curricle leapt away. Eva watched until the carriage disappeared beyond a stand of elms, and then she turned and slowly walked toward the sprawling stables, her brain awhirl. But the sight that met her when she entered the spacious breeding shed put all other thoughts from her mind.

James, Willy, Scott, and Michael, her four employees, as well as Mr. Brewster, were ready and waiting. But that wasn’t all. To her immense surprise, her father and stepmamma were standing just outside the big enclosure.

Eva stared. “What are you doing here?”

Mia grinned. “We come bearing gifts.” She gestured to a rude, squat table that stood at a safe distance. On it were a bottle of champagne and several glasses. “We’ve come to toast the new endeavor in the time-honored fashion: with champagne.”

“Oh,” Eva said, flushing with pleasure. “Why, thank you. But we’ve not got Clancy yet, so it’ll only be old Liberty and two nurse mares. Besides,” Eva added, “I thought champagne was for ships?”

Mia shrugged. “Ships? Horses? Champagne is perfect for all occasions.”

“Well, as long as you don’t try breaking the bottle over Liberty’s hindquarters.”

There was laughter all around as her father opened the bottle with a loud pop and then poured pale golden liquid into each glass. It was Mia who handed the glasses around.

“To a fruitful breeding season, the first of many to come,” the marquess said, raising his glass.

“To a fruitful season,” they all echoed, followed by the clinking of glasses.

Once they’d each had their drink, James and Willy went off to fetch the horses, and the other two lads readied the room for its first inhabitants, not that everything wasn’t already prepared.

“You’ve done a good job here,” the marquess said, his look encompassing both Eva and Mr. Brewster.

Brewster nodded. “Aye, Master, but ’tis her ladyship and James what did it all.”

Mia squeezed Eva’s shoulder and pulled her aside as her father spoke with his stable master. “I’m so happy for you, Eva. This is what you’ve always wanted, isn’t it?”

She met Mia’s huge green eyes and saw the reservations hidden there.

“Yes, Mamma, this is exactly what I wanted.”

“Exactly? I hope so, Eva. I want all three of you girls to be happy.”