“Come in, Lily,” Daniel said. “Stay and talk to me while I take care of Midnight.”
“Don’t you have grooms to take care of him?”
“Yes, but I like to do it myself.”
“I understand. He’s a beautiful horse, Daniel.”
Daniel? She called him Daniel? The little harlot.
“Thank you so much for today,” Lily continued. “I don’t think I’ve ever enjoyed riding more.”
“Neither have I.”
“May I help you with him?”
“Certainly.” He handed her a brush. “Take this and smooth out his mane, while I take care of his feet.”
“I absolutely love animals.” Lily ran the brush through Midnight’s mane. “Dogs are my favorite, but horses are a close second. They’re such beautiful and noble creatures. I wish I were a better rider.”
“You just need to get more comfortable.” Then he laughed. “You want to know what I think?”
“What?”
“I think you spend the majority of your time painting and writing, and you’ve never given yourself the chance to learn to ride properly.”
“Rose has tried to teach me, but I’m hopeless.”
“Nonsense. You responded well today.”
“That’s only because you were controlling Midnight. If I had been riding alone, you would have seen that—” She paused. “You’re not buying any of this are you?”
“Not a word,” he chuckled, shaking his head. “You have excellent instinct, as I saw today, plus it’s obvious that you enjoy horses. I could teach you, and you’d be riding like Rose in no time.”
“Would you really teach me?”
He finished with Midnight’s hind feet and strode toward her, taking the brush from her hand. “Love, I would do anything for you. Don’t you know that by now?” He grabbed a different brush and gave it to her. “Now we’ll do his coat. You do this side, and I’ll do the other. Here, I’ll show you.”
Amelia fumed, hidden. He had called her love. That ridiculous little twit, who “couldn’t care less” about being a duchess. Lily had no doubt set the course in motion long before she arrived at Laurel Ridge. I’ll ruin her, Amelia thought. But that wasn’t possible. All they had done was go riding together, with chaperones. Damn. She could make something up, though, something deliciously scandalous. Of course, if she did that, the little fool’s father, the earl, would no doubt force Daniel to marry her, and Amelia would have no chance at Daniel’s title. Besides, why resort to lying when she could do something much more fun? The little bitch had a very handsome and very available brother. Amelia had already threatened to seduce Lily’s brother, so why not go through with it?
Amelia smiled to herself, but her contentment was short lived, as the brown-and-white mare dropped a large clump of manure on her shoe.
* * *
Lily and Rose barely awoke in time to dress for dinner. They were among the last to enter the dining room and be seated. Lord Evan rose and offered each of them an arm, guiding Lily to her seat.
Daniel took her arm. “Thank you for delivering her, Xavier,” he said. “I’m sorry, Lily. I didn’t see you come in.”
“That’s perfectly all right.” She glanced around the room. No!
Lady Amelia Gregory had somehow snagged the seat next to Thomas, which was supposed to be occupied by Emma. Lily turned to the outside table. Poor Emma was nestled between Wentworth and his uncle.
“Lily,” Daniel said, “I want to thank you for—”
“What on earth is going on?” she interrupted in an urgent whisper.
“Nothing. What are you talking about?”
“Somehow that dreadful harpy Amelia Gregory is sitting next to my brother. And poor Emma is caught between Wentworth and his lecherous salivating uncle. Why did you change the seating?”