Page 24 of The Music of Love

“No, Signora, they will be breeding each other.”

Portia laughed, grateful to have something to cover her wild blushing. “What does Snezana mean?”

“Snow queen. Since you evinced some interest in horses on that ride into town I thought perhaps you might like to come watch?”

“Watch horses mate?” she blurted. Was he mad?

His lips pulled up higher on the right, the resulting lopsided smile beyond charming. “I understand if you’d rather not.” There was a distinct note of challenge in his voice and her body tightened in response. Portia had never been able to resist a challenge, a characteristic which had complicated her life more than once.

“In the stables?” she asked stupidly, as though he might have given the horses a room in the house.

He nodded with slow deliberation. “Yes. In the stables, Signora Stefani, where I keep the horses,” he added, straight-faced. He bowed, turned, and strode away before she could say anything else.

Portia retreated into her room before she did something embarrassing, like faint and fall off the balcony. She chewed her lower lip. She should forget everything that just happened and go directly to bed. Yes. Nothing good could come from watching animals breed alongside Mr. Harrington. She gave a breathy laugh at the scandalous offer, her entire body vibrating; there was no possibility of sleep now. A hysterical giggle bubbled up and she clamped a hand over her mouth. Was watching animals mate a normal activity in the country? It must be. Surely he would not have invited her if it wasn’t? After all, breeding horses was a respectable, lucrative business.

Not that it mattered what kind of business it was or how normal viewing such an activity was: wild horses could not keep her away from the stables at this point.

Chapter Eight

Portia was in too much of a hurry to bother with stays or stockings so she slipped on the day dress she’d been wearing earlier. She could wear her cloak; nobody would ever guess her shocking state of undress beneath it. Once she was dressed, she scraped back her hair, pulling it into a severe knot to give herself courage.

“Courage!” She snorted at her reflection, disgusted by the sparkle in her eyes. “You are a fool, Portia Stefani.”

So I’m a fool. What else is new?

Portia flew down the stairs and down the hall toward the side door before realizing a little decorum would not be amiss. She bit back a laugh. Decorum? While watching horses mate?

When she saw her employer standing outside the stables talking to a stranger she balked; just how many people were going to witness this spectacle?

He turned to her and his pale eyebrows rose above his dark spectacles, as if he was surprised to see her. The man he was talking to glanced at Portia, his weathered face registering no surprise at seeing a female. So, perhaps this wasn’t such an uncommon occurrence.

“This is Felix Thompson, Signora. He’s come to manage Geist and Snezana.”

“A pleasure, ma’am.” Felix Thompson tugged his forelock. “I’ll get to it, sir.” He turned and disappeared into the stables.

Portia looked up at her employer. There was a tantalizing curve to his lips and he held out his arm, just as if he were leading her into dinner.

“Shall we?”

Portia laid her fingers on the sleeve of his coat and he led her past a goodly number of stalls to a small area where several men waited with two horses, one a chestnut and one a magnificent white horse who looked remarkably like Geist, but with more delicate bone structure. The animals had their heads together, as if they were having a private discussion.

Hawkins turned at the sound of their approach and grinned, lifting his hat.

“Why good evenin’ ma’am. Beautiful night for it, ’tisn’t it?” He was an earthy countryman who clearly saw nothing amiss with Portia’s presence.

Hawkins turned to their employer. “Lancelot has calmed her down and she’s ready to go, sir. Once he’s done I thought I’d take him to where Thompson’s man is waitin’ with the mare.”

Stacy nodded. “Very well, you can bring Geist in whenever you are ready.”

Hawkins left two men holding and soothing the beautiful white mare.

“Why does she have a blanket on her back and those hoof coverings?” Portia asked, pleased her voice was steady.

“The blanket is to protect her when Geist covers her and the hoof coverings are to protect both of them. This is the first time for the horses and they will likely be skittish; hooves could do a great deal of damage.”

“Who is Lancelot?” Portia asked as they leaned against the wooden railing. When she looked down she realized how close they were, close enough that she caught a faint whiff of his cologne. She inhaled the citrusy, clean scent and stared up at the black disks, as desperate as ever to see his eyes up close.

“Lancelot is a teaser stallion.” His dark spectacles lent a menacing look to his face in the dimness of the barn.