Page 47 of Betting on a Duke
Chapter Nineteen
When they enteredthe ballroom, Greyson and Lady Rutherford spotted them. “Back to the gardens, I see,” Greyson said teasingly.
“It is a beautiful night and the stars are vibrant,” Samuel replied, which had Greyson chuckling.
“Clarice,” Letitia said, looking nervous. “I hate to ask this of you, but do you mind if we leave?”
Clarice touched Letitia’s hand. “Are you unwell?”
“Not at all. Greyson asked me to attend a luncheon tomorrow with him and his sisters, and I want to be well rested.”
“Then we shall go,” Clarice said. She dipped a curtsy. “Good night, Your Grace, Lord Greyson.”
Letitia did and said the same. Samuel and Greyson bowed, and the ladies exited the ballroom.
Samuel was puzzled by the abrupt departure of the ladies. “That was odd.”
“What was?” Greyson asked as his eyes still looked to where Clarice and Lady Rutherford exited the room.
“The ladies’ exit.”
“Not really. Lady Rutherford expressed her desire to leave quite some time ago. But you and Lady Chesterfield had disappeared.”
Samuel fought to prevent himself from blushing. Since when didhe start blushing? “I apologize for monopolizing Lady Chesterfield’s time.”
He patted Samuel on the back. “No apology necessary. I understand.”
As he and Greyson moved along the outskirts of the ballroom to find their way to the game room, Samuel’s heart felt heavy inside his chest. He could use some time alone. “You go on without me. I’m going to check on my horses.”
“Very well,” Greyson said. “Good night, then.”
“Good night.” Before he left the house, he took a lantern from the entryway table, and then he walked to the small stable where he boarded not only Zeus and Clover, but Smokey as well. When he approached the stable, all was quiet and as it should be, which quieted down his anxious heart. The stable lad was asleep, curled up with a blanket on a pile of clean hay right outside the stall doors. All three horses appeared at the small square openings at their doors, having recognized his footsteps and his approach. Or perhaps it was his smell? Either way, they were greeting him.
Samuel hung the lantern on a hook for safety and reached into a bucket hanging on a wall with apples and carrots inside for just such a visit. He took three carrots out of the bucket and made his way to open the top of each stall so they could poke their heads out. He went to Smokey first, rubbed his head, and fed him his carrot.
“How are you, boy?” After a few more rubs, he moved on to Clover and repeated the same. Then he went to Zeus, opened the lower stall door, and went inside. He rubbed him down and checked him over from head to toe. “You’ve got a big race coming up. Are you ready?” he said softly to his prized thoroughbred. His answer was Zeus blowing out from his nostrils and nodding his head up and down. Samuel laughed. He exited the stall, closed the horses’ doors, and locked them. With one last glance at the sleeping stable lad, he retrieved the lantern, stepped outside, letting the bright stars guide hisway back to the main house, where he went directly to his bedchamber and went to sleep.
*
Once they wereinside their carriage, Clarice asked, “What’s the real reason we left?”
“How well you know me. I suddenly got my courses when I visited the ladies’ retiring room. I was unprepared and had to hunt down a maid for help.”
“I hate when that happens.”
“Thank God nothing got on my dress. I’m not sure what I would’ve done then.” She looked at her inquisitively. “You were gone with Stanton a long time. Did you lose your way in the gardens? I didn’t think they were that big or had a maze to get lost in.”
Heat rose to her cheeks no matter how hard she tried to stop it. “I’m so sorry I disappeared. We were not in the gardens.”
One of Letitia’s well-shaped eyebrows lifted in silent question.
“I’m ashamed to admit we spent time alone in a private drawing room.”
“Don’t be ashamed. You deserve happiness. When you entered the ballroom, you were glowing.”
“Oh my, do you think anyone noticed?”
“No. Only Greyson and me.”
