“No.”
“So what happened?”
“Did you know the stable dog had puppies?”
“What does this have to do with Mr. Sanford?”
She smiled at the bewilderment in his voice. “Just be patient. So I had Francis guide me to the stables and leave me in the hands of his father—who was not happy to be saddled with me.”
“He is your employee,” Robert said tightly. “The fact that he shows such hostility toward you?—”
“Is curious, don’t you think?” she interrupted. “It just doesn’t make sense. So I had him saddle Erebus, and he was going to lead me about, to exercise the horse, of course, but also so Erebus could begin to learn the grounds. He’s a very smart horse—did I tell you that?”
He sighed. “Finish the main story first.”
“So impatient!”
“Which is one of the reasons I kissed you.”
She didn’t want to be reminded, because the memory of it made her lose all rational thought. So she ignored him. “I didn’t see the dog, of course, and I’m assuming he didn’t either. But the dog is very wary guarding her pups, and when we got too close, she set up a vicious barking, startling poor Erebus. I guess I’d never realized my horse had never been around dogs, because he reared and I fell off.”
“You fell off?”
She could hear him getting to his feet and coming back around the desk. She held up a hand before he could get too near, although already her heart beat a little faster. “Stay back. I’m fine.”
“Well you didn’t wince when I held you,” he admitted.
“Stop reminding me of that improper moment!”
“I can’t help it. I’m just a man, Audrey.”
“So you keep saying. But I am not a siren who lures men, so there’s no cause?—”
“You have not seen yourself,” he said softly. “You are quite beautiful.”
“My husband flattered me, too,” she said dryly. “And it was all to have his way.”
“I’m telling you the truth.”
“To have your way.”
He didn’t answer for a moment. “Truly, Audrey, you are unharmed? Nothing bruised?”
“Oh, I have bruises in places you will not be seeing.”
“Next to the mysterious freckles?”
She bit her lip to keep from laughing. She would not encourage him. “Mr. Sanford sounded just horrified after I fell. He hadn’t meant that to happen, of course. A suspicious person might think him lying, but … I don’t think he was.”
“You are not suspicious enough.”
“I have changed their lives and made the future uncertain for them. I will be patient. As for my poor horse, Erebus didn’t know what to do with himself. He kept nudging me with his nose. I think he was trying to apologize.”
“Or trying to get away from Sanford. Did the horse seem neglected?”
“Heavens, no. He was his usual temperament, though glad to see me, of course. Your horse has been in the stables every day. He is well, is he not?”
“He is, but I’m a visiting earl, not the unwished-for blind mistress. Promise me you’ll be careful, Audrey.”
