Free Let Love Find You by Johanna Lindsey Page B

horse fancier and rider.”
    “Is he?”
    “Yes, according to Devin, extremely so. So I’m not surprised that instead of asking to call on you, he asked to ride with you. You do realize what that suggests, don’t you?”
    “What?”
    “That he wants to be sure you love riding as much as he does. That he could well consider it a mandatory requirement—for a wife.”
    Amanda slumped in her seat.
    Ophelia scolded lightly, “Don’t give up! I was assured today that with the right guidance and instruction, you can be back on a horse and enjoy it. We’ll have you riding with the earl in Hyde Park in no time!”
    But Amanda’s fear had kicked in and she said hopefully, “Perhaps that isn’t mandatory a’tall. It might be helpful to find that out before I risk breaking my neck again.”
    Ophelia tsked. “That would be putting off an opportunityto see the Earl of Manford again soon, or when he comes for tea will we have to decline his invitation because you didn’t start your lessons immediately? You might never see him again if I have to tell him that.” Amanda chewed her lip, prompting Ophelia to add, “Really, Mandy, there won’t be any neck breaking with the right guidance.”
    “Baldwin you mean?” Reminded of him, Amanda said again, “Pheli, you never should have tried to hire him, and it’s a good thing he declined.”
    Ophelia refrained from mentioning that he hadn’t declined after all. There was no point in discussing that when it looked as if it might not even be necessary now! So she merely said, “I was just trying to help. The man has clients from all over England, men you might never meet otherwise yet could be just what you’ve been waiting for. Like Lord Kendall. Who would have guessed we’d meet someone like him there today? Are you going to cross him off because of a simple little fear that you could easily conquer? Most men love to ride. Most husbands enjoy riding with their wives. You know, I ride with Rafe every morning when we’re in the country. It’s fun, it’s exhilarating, and occasionally we even race, though I probably won’t be winning any more of those races after I give him his new stallion!”
    “Did Baldwin agree to teach me to ride?”
    “No, but I’m sure he can be persuaded. He was the one who said it would be easy.”

Chapter Ten

    “F ORGOT TO MENTION YESTERDAY when we arrived that Miss Hilary is getting married.”
    Devin glanced up to see Reed leaning against a post, watching him saddle his stallion for the ride back to London. “I haven’t heard that name in ages,” Devin replied. “I’m surprised she’s waited this long. It’s been nearly two years since I left Lancashire.”
    Reed sighed in relief. “So it doesn’t disturb you? I thought it might, since you seemed to be courting her—unofficially, of course.”
    Devin shook his head. “I wasn’t courting her, merely enjoyed her company on occasion.”
    He had been attracted to Hilary, though. He just didn’t love her and couldn’t have married her even if he’d wanted to. He’d tried to make it clear to her that they could never be anything other than friends. But he was afraid that she’d held out hope anyway that they could be more, and that was why she’d waited so long to accept a proposal of marriage from another man. Hehoped she’d be happy now. She would never have been happy with him once she learned the truth about him.
    To prove he wasn’t harboring any regrets, Devin added in a lighthearted tone, “Her mother’s cook was the best in the county! Truly, that was what really lured me to her house.”
    Reed laughed and remarked with a teasing light in his eyes, “Well, those were certainly lovely ladies who visited this morning, beautiful enough to make a man forget every other woman he’s ever met!”
    Devin chuckled. “You noticed that, did you?”
    “Knocked me on my arse, the married one. Can’t remember ever being that stunned by a woman’s beauty.”
    “Lady Ophelia