Free The Fall of Lord Drayson (Tanglewood Book 1) by Rachael Anderson

had not stayed to supervise the cleaning of it?” There, that wasn’t a lie, was it?
    Mrs. Bidding seemed to accept the explanation, for she nodded and glanced at the painting once again. “It seems, my dear, that your supervisory skills could use some work.”
    “I could not agree more, Mrs. Bidding,” said Lucy. “Thank goodness you are here to point out my lack of observation. I will ask Georgy to clean that painting immediately.”
    Appearing mollified, Mrs. Bidding nodded. “Do have a care, Lucy. You are no longer a child. It would do you well to learn to behave like a competent young woman. Your poor mother will never find you a suitable match otherwise.”
    “Yes, Mrs. Bidding.” Lucy was all too aware of her unsuitability and didn’t appreciate the reminder.
    “Cheer up, now,” said Mrs. Bidding, patting Lucy on the head the way a mother would a child even though she had just proclaimed Lucy otherwise. “I have a wonderful plan to see you married as soon as possible. It may even involve a ball,” she whispered conspiratorially, her eyes bright with excitement. “When your mother returns, I shall bring her into my confidence. You may take comfort in the knowledge that I have things well in hand.”
    With that, she bustled out the door, leaving Lucy in the most uncomfortable state she’d been in since her mother’s departure. She pictured herself being wedded to a tall, tall man who looked at the world through a quizzing glass.
    No. Mrs. Bidding might mean well, but Lucy would never agree to marry a man chosen by her.
    And a ball? Lucy frowned. She had attended a few country dances in the past and had not liked the experience at all. They had made her feel like a fraud. Dressed in a beautiful gown with her hair styled in a lovely coiffure, Lucy appeared like a demure and prettily behaved young woman. She knew how to act the part well, but any attachment formed at such an event would be doomed from the start, for Lucy was far from demure and only sometimes prettily behaved.
    It wasn’t that Lucy was opposed to falling in love. She often fancied herself meeting a suitor in the woods surrounding her beloved Tanglewood. He would stumble upon her as she climbed to the top of her favorite elm, and instead of being shocked by her hoydenish ways, he would find her charming and fall immediately under her spell, accepting and loving her wholeheartedly as the wild and untamed creature she was.
    Deep down, Lucy knew it was a silly fantasy. No eligible man would ever desire a woman like her for a wife. In her heart, Lucy knew that she was destined for spinsterhood.
    But what a glorious and freeing spinsterhood she was determined to have.

    “These horses are in sad shape, Miss Beresford,” was the first thing out of the earl’s mouth when Lucy stopped by the stables to look in on him. He was brushing down Athena’s tan coat with long, gentle strokes. “Do they never get exercised?”
    Lucy was in no mood to be rebuked yet again. “Not often, Collins. My mother will hitch one to the cart whenever she goes to town, but I prefer to walk.”
    “Walk?”
    “Yes, walk,” she snapped. “It is when a person places one foot in front of the other to move oneself along. Even the most dignified of people do it now and again.”
    Lucy noticed that despite his threats, Lord Drayson was wearing another white shirt, which was surprisingly clean, considering he’d been out here for hours already. He brushed the animal a few more times before giving it a final pat.
    “We really ought to take them on a ride this afternoon.”
    Athena seemed to stare at Lucy with an amused gleam in her eyes as though saying, “I dare you to mount me.”
    Lucy took an inadvertent step back and cleared her throat. “I am . . . otherwise engaged this afternoon. Perhaps you could exercise Athena first and come back for Zeus later.”
    “Zeus and Athena?” The earl laughed. “Who gave these poor creatures such impressive names? I’ll allow