The American Earl by Joan Wolf Read Free Book Online Page A

hand. Toby said, “This here is your horse, my lord. He’s a good lad. You’ve nothing to worry about.”
    Clearly Toby had summed up Evan’s riding ability the same way I had.
    Evan walked up to Baron, patted his nose and said, “Hello there, fellow.” Then he offered Baron some sugar.
    “Where did you get that?” I asked.
    “I stopped by the kitchen and asked for it.  Mrs. Pierce unearthed some from a back cupboard.”  He smiled at Toby.  “And you are in charge of the stables?”
    “Taught Lady Julia to ride, I did,” Toby replied proudly. “But don’t let her tell you I’m in charge of the stable, my lord. Lady Julia runs things here. She has since she was just a mite.”
    “I can believe that,” Evan said.
    I gave him a suspicious look. 
    He walked around Baron and put his foot in the stirrup.
    “Here, my lord, we have a mounting block,” Toby said.
    “That’s all right,” Evan replied and swung easily up into the saddle. 
    It was immediately apparent that the stirrups were too short and he took his feet out of them and began to lengthen the leathers. Toby hurried to assist him.
    I swung up into my own saddle and waited until Evan’s stirrups had been adjusted to suit him. Then I nudged Isabella and began to walk away from the stable. As Evan joined me, I was surprised to see how comfortable he looked in the saddle. Perhaps he wasn’t such a bad rider after all. I decided to take him first through the park, which stretched for miles behind the house.
    “What a beautiful mare,” Evan said, his eyes running over Isabella’s satiny bay coat. “A Thoroughbred?”
    “Yes.” I adjusted the reins with my gloved fingers. “She was bred to race but wasn’t fast enough. That’s the reason I was able to get her. She’s a wonderful hunter, though. She’ll go over any jump no matter how wide or high it may be.”
    He looked surprised “You hunt?”
    “Yes.” I glanced at him. “How about you? Do you hunt, Evan?”
    He gave me an easy smile. “We don’t do much hunting in Massachusetts. We use horses to get us where we want to go. I did ride out with a hunt once, though, in Virginia. They’re great horse lovers down there. They breed and race thoroughbreds, like you do over here.”
    “I love hunting more than anything,” I confessed. “Did you like it?”
    He shot me a rueful look. “I have never been so terrified in my life.”
    My eyes widened. The men I knew would never admit to being frightened. “Did you fall off?”
    He laughed. “I was far too frightened to fall off. I just hung onto my horse’s mane and prayed.”
    I pictured the scene in my mind and smiled.
    He said, “My sister has hunted though.  My brother in law is originally from Virginia and she’s spent some time down there visiting.  They don’t usually let women hunt, but Frances is a determined woman.  She loved it.”  
    “Women don’t usually hunt here either. Not seriously, at least. They dress up in riding habits and ride along for a mile or so. Then they go back home.”
    “But you’re not like that,” he said.
    “No.”
    We had entered the park by now, with its rolling acres of grass and trees and bridle paths.  We even had an ornamental lake. 
    I was curious about this sister of Evan’s and asked, “Is your sister older than you or younger?”
    “She’s two years older. We were always close as children and now she’s my partner in the shipping business.”
    “Partner? You mean she owns it with you?”
    “Yes. And because I’ve been away so much, she’s the one who runs it.”
    “By herself?”
    “Her husband works with her. He’s a smart man, John. I like him, even though he’s from Virginia.”
    I look up at him, squinting a little in the sun. “How old are you, if you don’t mind my asking.”
    “Not at all. I’m twenty-seven.”
    “Will you take up the business when you go home again?” I asked.  “Or do you plan to remain in England?”
    He looked horrified. “Let