Good Earls Don't Lie by Michelle Willingham Read Free Book Online

warm, unsure of why she was so intrigued by this man. There was a sense of rebellion about him, as if he obeyed no rules but his own. But she felt her own mouth respond with an answering smile.
    He’s dangerous , she thought to herself. Her skin tightened, as if by an invisible caress. She followed the trail of a water droplet as it slid down his throat to his chest. Never before had she been so entranced by a man. It was better to avert her gaze, to prevent herself from imagining such wickedness.
    She didn’t understand her own reaction, for she should not be looking at Iain Donovan. He was a visitor, nothing more. Her heart belonged to Thomas, and this was nothing but idle foolishness.
    The mare started to graze as she waited. Beauregard finished washing, while the Irishman helped Calvert saddle up their horses.
    When Mr. Donovan returned, he was riding the black gelding he’d taken earlier, while Nelson led a second horse outside. The coachman helped Beauregard mount the animal, while Calvert followed on his own horse. Then Mr. Donovan drew his gelding beside her mare. Although their horses were of similar size, he was still far taller than she.
    “This is Darcy,” he told her. She leaned over to touch the horse, and the gelding snorted.
    “He’s beautiful.”
    “He’s friendly enough. But I can’t say as he’s the most intelligent horse I’ve ever had.” He sent her a conspiratorial smile. “Frightened of everything, he is.”
    “Then why did you choose him?” Most men would take a spirited stallion instead of this one.
    “Because no one else wanted him.” He gave the horse’s jaw a friendly pat. “He may not have the wits of a field mouse, but he’s a good sort, is Darcy.” With that, he gestured for her to move forward. “Lead on, Lady Rose.”
    She did, and oh, it felt wonderful to be ambulatory, even if it was only on horseback. Rose breathed in the evening air, sighing with thankfulness. For a moment, she pretended that her legs were whole, that she was not dependent upon others. She held fast to the dream, knowing that it would end as soon as Calvert helped her dismount.
    But for now, it was enough.
    She wanted to urge the horse faster, to feel the wind against her hair. That would only end the ride sooner, so she refrained. Instead, she drank in the sight of her surroundings, enjoying the sunlight as the last of the day disappeared. The dirt road meandered over hills and by the river, and she felt the breath of spring upon her face.
    “You look as if you’re starving to be outside,” Mr. Donovan said. “How long has it been?”
    She stiffened in the saddle. “I sit in the garden every day.”
    “How long has it been since you’ve left the estate?” he corrected.
    “Since we arrived in early December.” They had only a few neighbors who dwelled in the country, and when her mother’s mental state had worsened, it had seemed prudent to bring her here, where it was private.
    When Mr. Donovan looked as if he wanted to ply her with more questions, Rose patted the horse and urged the mare into a trot. He countered by bringing his horse alongside hers. “Are you afraid of me, Lady Rose?”
    “Now why should I be afraid of a groom?” she countered. “That is who you are, am I right? You seem to know your way around a stable.”
    “You know that’s not who I am.” He kept his pace even with hers and sent her a dark smile. “I told you. I am the Earl of Ashton, and your grandmother invited me here.”
    She still didn’t believe that. There were too many flaws in his story, most notably, the absence of servants. A peer would never arrive at an estate on horseback. And although he claimed that there was a coach accident and that he’d left his servants behind, she could never imagine an earl doing such a thing. For one, it was dangerous. For another, it made no sense at all.
    “My grandmother isn’t here,” she reminded him. “Why would she invite you to come if she was on