When Only a Rake Will Do by Jennifer McNare Read Free Book Online

at the park and as usual only a handful of riders were visible as she guided her horse onto the wide track.  Far too early for those who frequented the grounds in order to simply see or to be seen , it was the ideal time of day for people like her, those more interested in riding than socializing.  And despite the late hours that she’d been keeping since the start of the Season, she was more than willing to drag herself from the comfort of her bed several times a week in order to enjoy a leisurely ride through the tranquil setting and to delight in the crisp morning air.  In addition, knowing that many of the freedoms she enjoyed now were sure to be curtailed once she became the Countess of Blackburn, was added motivation to enjoy each and every day as if it were her last.
    And so, with Timothy, one of their liveried footmen following dutifully behind, Daphne urged Titus to a faster pace.  A gift from her parents, the sweet-tempered gelding was eager to run and soon she let him have his head, leaving poor Timothy trailing in her wake atop his less-spirited mount as they galloped along the track.
    For a time, as she and Titus raced alongside the cool morning breeze, Daphne was able to set aside her worries and simply enjoy the moment.  The touch of the wind against her cheeks felt glorious and her spirits were lighter than air as Titus’s powerful hooves tore across the ground beneath her.  All too soon she would have to face reality once again, but for now and for a short while to come she was free and she reveled in the sheer joy of it.
     
    Entering Hyde Park from the south, Brendon eyed Rotten Row with a leisurely gaze.  As he’d hoped, the park was nearly deserted at that hour and the track devoid of all but a few solitary male riders and one lone woman approaching from the north with a uniformed footman in tow.  He would wait for the woman to pass by and then head in the opposite direction, he decided.  It wasn’t until the female rider had drawn a bit closer however, that he recognized her.  It was Daphne Hewitt, who in the bright light of day somehow managed to look even lovelier than she had upon their initial meeting. 
    Considering his initial attraction to the tempting young beauty he debated hanging back until she passed, for surely another encounter would only intensify his desire for the enticing lass. But after only a moment’s hesitation and against his better judgment, he found himself urging his mount forward instead.
     
    Noting a rider entering the track a short distance ahead, Daphne was surprised to see that while garbed as a proper English gentleman rather than a swashbuckling pirate, it was the very man who had been haunting her dreams for the past several nights, Lord Brendon Leighton.
    “Lady Daphne, this is a pleasant surprise,” Brendon hailed as he steered his horse onto the track, drawing alongside her chestnut-colored mount.
    “Lord Leighton, good morning,” Daphne responded with an engaging smile as she slowed Titus to a walk. Sweeping her gaze from the top of his hat, down along his finely-tailored jacket and snug-fitting breeches to the tips of his polished boots, she couldn’t help but admire the splendid figure he cut in his stylish riding clothes.
    “And a good morning to you, my lady,” Brendon replied with an answering smile.  Flicking a brief glance toward the requisite footman trailing a short distance behind his mistress, he promptly turned his attention back to Daphne.  “In addition to our fascination with ancient cultures, it would appear that you and I share yet another common interest,” he noted with a meaningful glance toward her mount.
    “I do love to ride,” Daphne acknowledged.  “And the park is so peaceful at this time of day that it is well worth losing a few extra hours of sleep on occasion.”
    “I couldn’t agree more,” Brendon replied, glancing around at the serene setting.
    “Do you often ride through the park, my lord?” she