Page 16 of The Bookworm and the Pegasus Tamer

“When did the Earl plan the house party, do you know?” Aurelia asked.

“Did you only get asked yesterday as well?” Malia asked, warming to Aurelia when she showed no indication of demanding the meaning of the girl’s earlier comment. “It was all frightfully last minute, I believe. He told my mother that there was some business at his estate that needed his attention, but he didn’t want to drag his sister away from all the parties in the capital only to spend the week alone.”

They all looked toward Phoebe, who had plonked herself on the grass to one side of the croquet hoops and was busy reading Fable’s pages.

Lucia laughed. “I don’t care what his reasoning is. It’s the first house party he’s ever hosted, and he invited us. That’s all that matters.” Her pleased smile included both Malia and Aurelia, but Aurelia could barely manage a return smile.

The entire house party had been arranged at the last minute? She had been assuming she was a last-minute addition after her conversation with the Earl at the royal stables. But now it sounded suspiciously like there had been no house party at that point.

It had been bad enough that the Earl had asked Phoebe to invite her without admitting to their connection. But it was another thing altogether for the Earl to have planned an entire house party—upending the plans of so many—just to get Aurelia to his estate.

She swallowed, retreating back to her seat as she tried to convince herself she had misunderstood the situation. Because she didn’t know which was worse—that the Earl had gone to such lengths to get her there, or that deep inside she was suspiciously close to feeling flattered. What would Lucia and Malia say if Aurelia told them she was the reason for the house party?

She gulped down the rest of her tea, horrified at the rogue thought. The Earl hadn’t invited her because of her personal charms. He needed her for either his sister or the pegasus herd, and she would do well to remember it. Front and center of her thoughts. For the whole week.

But when she entered the drawing room where the guests were gathering before the meal, the Earl’s gaze jumped straight to hers from across the room, as if he’d been waiting for her appearance. And the light that sprang into his eyes made her stumble slightly, the reminder already fading dangerously.

The Earl’s brow creased—the barest hint of movement, quickly wiped away—and she couldn’t misread the significance in his look before he turned back to the man beside him. The Earl hadn’t yet made his request for help, and he didn’t want her to forget that he meant to do so at the first opportunity.

She wasn’t seated anywhere near him at the meal, however—her social rank ensuring she was seated far from the places of honor near the head of the table. And when the gentlemen joined the ladies afterward, the guests stayed clumped together, split between two card tables and the piano. Private conversation would be difficult, and the Earl didn’t attempt to approach her.

But she felt his eyes on her too many times to believe she was imagining it, and when she escaped to bed in the wake of her mother’s withdrawal, she did so with relief. She could only hope the Earl managed to find her in the morning because she had no idea how to find him. And if she didn’t find out what he wanted soon, she might explode from the pressure of his silent attention.

Eight

The Earl made no appearance at breakfast the next morning—or perhaps he had already eaten and left the table before Aurelia arrived. She picked at her food, wishing she had risen earlier. But it had taken her a long time to fall asleep, and she had consequently slept late.

Lucia arrived even later than Aurelia and began to talk almost immediately about another game of croquet. Aurelia knew perfectly well what was motivating the noble girl and privately thought she was likely to be disappointed for a second time.

But to her surprise, when they arrived at the croquet lawns, an entourage in tow, the Earl was already waiting for them with a resigned-looking Phoebe. He greeted his guests with easy smiles, and Aurelia pretended not to feel the least disappointed when he paid no special attention to her.

When everyone hurried to select mallets, however, the Earl appeared at her side.

“Is it true that you’re a beginner to the sport, Miss Aurelia?” he asked with good cheer.

“It is true, my lord. And I’m afraid I showed no great aptitude yesterday.” She wasn’t going to pretend she could impress him as Lucia no doubt could.

He merely laughed. “Ah, but if you had Phoebe for a teacher, you can’t be blamed for that. She has no great love for the sport and therefore cannot be considered an ideal mentor.”

“You mean I have no skill at it.” Phoebe grinned as Fable ran up her side and draped himself around her neck. “I like it well enough—better than any other sports that come to mind, at least.”

The Earl grinned back. “Your words, not mine, sister dearest.” He turned to Aurelia. “Would you accept me as a humble substitute for my sister? I’ll endeavor to give you better instruction, to the best of my ability.”

Aurelia caught movement in her peripheral vision as Lucia’s head whipped around to stare in their direction, Malia only a beat behind. But she accepted the Earl’s offer anyway. Had he come to croquet this morning in order to talk to her?

It was such a heady idea that she should have refused his help. She didn’t even consider it, however. She needed to know why he had brought her to his estate so she could get a good night’s sleep. Or so she told herself.

The game began, and the Earl stayed close to her side the whole way through, not playing himself but instead dedicating himself to her instruction. This time, Aurelia made no attempt to escape in the direction of the cups of tea, and Phoebe, her partner, remained book-free. Instead, Phoebe poked fun at her brother the whole way, critiquing his teaching techniques at every opportunity. He took it all in good part, laughing and showing no signs that his pride was stung.

Watching them joking and laughing made Aurelia wish she had an elder brother of her own. But somehow she knew they wouldn’t have shared the same dynamic. Danton and Phoebe had grown up in unusual circumstances and had developed a unique bond as a result.

The Earl was quick to include Aurelia in their laughter, however, demonstrating his adroit social skills as he ensured she didn’t feel on the outer with the two siblings. And she realized just how disastrous the morning had been when he finally declared he would have to show her how to hold the mallet properly. Before she knew what was happening, his arms were around her, his hands warm on hers as he guided them into the correct hold.

His breath made her skin prickle as he leaned down and murmured instructions against her hair. She could only be grateful he was physically moving her into position because her mind had gone completely blank—at least as far as croquet was concerned. She had even forgotten their audience as her heart hammered against her chest, every part of her aware of his nearness. If she turned around, they would be in an embrace.

She swallowed, trying to regain control of her mind. She was not going to turn around, and they were not embracing. He was teaching her.

And she had been right that it was a terrible idea to spend time with the Earl. He was far too captivating.