Chapter Nine

I rritation roiled in Broderick's stomach. He hated to be bested. He especially didn't enjoy being outdone by this slip of a woman. Determination settled in his bones. There was no way he was going to lose a horse race to a woman. Even in her outdated riding habit—that actually fit her better than the other dresses had—she was all woman, soft and desirable. Excitement flushed her face, causing her eyes to gleam. Lips, soft and red, turned up in a smile.

When she laughed, her whole face lit up with enthusiasm. Of course, now she wore a panicked expression. Probably because she sensed his frustration.

It took him a few moments, but he finally gained control over his emotions. He sighed deeply and smiled, which made her pretty face light up again.

"Emiline? Would you please call me Broderick?"

The laughter disappeared quickly from her face as she lost her smile. Her forehead creased. "Why?"

He shrugged. "Because all of my friends call me by that name."

"And you consider me amongst your friends?"

His grin widened. "Yes. Don't you?"

The corners of her mouth lifted as if she fought showing him any reaction. "Well, I… Um, all right, Broderick," she ended, giving him her full smile once more.

"Much better, thank you. And now, since we are friends, it's only decent of you to let me have another chance at winning. So, if you will play honestly during our next race, I would like to prove to you that I'm as admirable as you are."

"When was I not playing honestly? I will have you know I am quite ethical when sporting."

"But you got a head start."

When she laughed, her eyes danced with merriment. "No. I think you held yourself back because I'm a woman."

"And what if I did?"

"I don't want you to hold back this time. I want you to push yourself to the limit."

Suddenly, an idea took root, and he held back the mischievous spark of energy within. "Would you care to make a wager on our little race, then?"

One of her perfectly shaped eyebrows rose. "What did you have in mind?"

He couldn't believe what he had in mind, but he would definitely not tell her about his improper thoughts. "If I win, I will require you to dress like a genteel woman for an entire week."

She gasped. "Are you jesting?"

"No. I'm quite earnest."

"You don't think I dress like a woman now?"

"Well, let me rephrase that. I want you to dress a little more… what's the word… appealing ."

She released an unladylike snort. "Appealing? My gowns aren't appealing?"

"Let me clarify a little better. I want you to wear gowns that fit you, and I want to see your hair styled like a young woman your age. I don't want you to dress like an old woman."

"All right, I understand now. So, what if I win? Are you going to wear a bath towel all week for me?"

He howled with laughter. This tiny woman certainly knew how to keep him on his toes. She had a quick wit, and he adored it. "Is that what you want to see me in?"

"No. I was just making a comparison."

"All right, I will do anything but wear a bath towel."

Leaning forward on her horse, she studied him in quiet deliberation. What wild wager would she require? Would he play along? She was sure he would, especially if he won. Seeing her wearing lovely dresses would give her more of a mature appearance—more alluring. Most of the time she looked out of place anyway.

Finally, she smiled wide. "If I win, for an entire week you have to treat me as if I'm a princess."

He chuckled. "How can I treat any woman like a princess if she is wearing baggy and plain dresses with her hair wound so tight?"

"I suppose you will just have to try."

He remained silent for a second, staring at her stubborn—yet pretty—face. He didn't plan on losing, so he would agree. "I will take your challenge. If you win, I will treat you like a princess, but if I win, you will have to wear enticing women's dresses for an entire week." He reached out his hand to seal the bargain. "Shall we close the arrangement with a handshake?"

She smiled, slipping her small hand into his and giving it one good squeeze. "Yes, we have an accord."

Lining their horses up, they prepared for the race.

"On your mark… get set…" he started.

"Go," she yelled, and took off. Broderick was prepared for her trickery and wasn't far behind. He laughed. She really wasn't being dishonest, just sneaky.

The thoroughbreds ran neck to neck along the countryside. At times, Broderick was ahead, but then, discouragingly, Emiline always seemed to catch up. At one point she broke ahead of him, but soon enough he caught up. Obviously, she was determined to win, but so was he.

One mile away at the stream was their ending point, and both reached the bank at the same time. By the time he pulled his horse to a stop, he laughed merrily, and she joined in.

Broderick dismounted first and moved to help her down. "You surprise me, Emiline. I have never known a woman who could maneuver a horse as well as you." He took her small waist and lifted her down from the horse slowly.

"Thank you, sir. That is quite a compliment coming from you."

Still holding her by the waist, he stared down into her huge eyes. Excitement shot through him. He became breathless standing so close. The yearning to kiss her again spread through him like wildfire. The sudden spark of heat confused him, so he released her and stepped back.

Taking a deep breath, he tried to calm himself from the brief contact. "Now what do we do in this situation?"

Her eyes widened. "What situation?"

"The race. We tied."

She blew out a gust of air and smiled. "Yes, the tie. I don't know what to do in this situation, because I'm usually the person who wins."

"You are very good—for a woman." Amazed, he shook his head. "But what I think is done in situations like this is that we both have to pay the consequences."

"What? You still expect me to dress myself as an enticing woman?"

He nodded. "Yes, just as I will treat you like a princess for a whole week."

Emiline bit her bottom lip as silence stretched between them for a few seconds. "I think you are getting the better end of our wager."

He chuckled. "No. I think you are. Can you imagine what my relatives will think when they see me treating you as if you are royalty?" He laughed harder. "Just think about what Lady Sarah will do."

A grimace quickly touched her mouth. "I will explain things to her, so she understands."

He turned and walked to the water. "Is it really difficult for you to dress that way?" He bent and plucked a long weed from out of the grass, noticing a bunch of summer snowflake flowers nearby.

"Hard for me?" Her laugh sounded forced. "I will have you know—" She stopped suddenly, biting her lower lip.

He received the impression she had been about to divulge a secret. Now he wanted her to continue. "Go on," he encouraged her.

"Um, I will have you know that… Well, that I do know how to dress that way." She walked to him. "I have been Lady Sarah's companion for a couple of years, and I have watched her closely. I know I could dress as she does, but I have chosen not to. My father was not very strict with me as a child, and he let me traipse around the estate doing things only a boy would do."

Chuckling softly, he shook his head. "And Lady Sarah still wanted you for her lady's companion?"

A flicker of hurt flashed through her eyes and her expression sobered. She lifted her chin stubbornly. "As I told you before, I was a poor relation, and she wanted to help me out by giving me the position as her companion."

He hadn't meant to hurt her—he thought he was stating the obvious. He reached down and plucked the white snowflake flower and then touched it to the end of her cute little nose. "You must have done fabulously, because look at Lady Sarah now."

She took the flower from him and smelled it as she walked past him toward the stream. "I thank you—I think."

He chuckled. "Yes, that was a compliment."

She knelt by the stream and ran her fingers through the water. Leaning against the tree near her, Broderick studied her, wondering why she had suddenly become quiet. The gentle breeze lifted the wavy strands of her hair that had miraculously escaped her tight bun. His gaze traveled further to her ears and neck, which was actually beginning to tempt him to lean down and kiss her skin. Strange how hard it was to hold back from doing so.

As he studied her, he realized she would be the hit of London if she were a real lady. If she arranged her hair the right way and wore elegant dresses that fit, she would indeed make one very beautiful woman. She carried herself as a lady, and talked as one, too, which was quite surprising—but then, he suspected it was because she had been around the earl's daughter for a few years. Strange, but Lady Sarah didn't speak as eloquently as her companion, nor did she carry herself as well. Yet Emiline was the one who was the poor relative. Very confusing.

Her pretty eyes were surrounded by dark, thick lashes, almost like butterfly wings. Soft skin and high cheekbones made her face appear more delicate. Indeed, she was one very handsome woman. Then again, so was Lady Sarah, yet… There was something not quite right, and he couldn't pinpoint the problem.

"Emiline?"

She didn't take her eyes off the water. "Yes?"

"I was just wondering about something."

"What is that?"

Curiosity got the better of him. "Why do you know more and seem more educated than Lady Sarah? You mentioned earlier you rode a stallion, yet once when I was with Lady Sarah, she said she had never been on one before. Can you tell me why this is?"

Her hand froze in the water, and she stiffened.

Now he knew she had a secret.

*

Emmie cursed under her breath. Dare she weave more into her web of lies? Or could she trust him with the truth? As much as she wanted to trust him, the simple fact was that she didn't know Broderick very well at all. She didn't know the Cramptons, either. Would they frown upon her father's decision to keep his daughter's identity hidden? She doubted they would understand.

She tried to steady her heart as she looked up at him. "I was born to a struggling farmer and his sickly wife. My mother died when I was young, and my father raised me to help him around the farm. He also worked as a horse trainer for the wealthy, and he taught me that trade. When he became ill and couldn't make a living, that is when he sent a letter to his distant cousin—Lady Sarah's father—to ask for help. The earl agreed to have me be his daughter's companion until she married. So, I suppose you can say I received the best of both worlds while growing up."

Broderick's eyebrows rose in curiosity. "That certainly explains why you can ride a horse astride so well."

She nodded. "Exactly."

"But that doesn't explain why Lady Sarah cannot."

"Um… She has terrible allergies around horses."

He knelt beside her, touching another summer snowflake flower to the tip of her nose. "I suppose that is what makes you so special."

"Not being allergic makes me special?"

He chuckled. "No, being raised the way you were."

She gazed back into his eyes, and heaven help her, she couldn't look away. A few minutes ago, his jabbing remarks about Lady Sarah's feelings had really irritated Emmie, and yes, jealousy crept into her mind. Now his kind words were like sweet honey.

She didn't reply to his comment. She couldn't. Trapped in his mesmerizing gaze, she felt her heart hammer faster, shooting vibrations through her insides until they threatened to melt. Something needed to stop, or she would soon find herself swooning in his arms.

He slowly slid the flower petals down the bridge of her nose to drop on her lips, his eyes following the path. Automatically, she parted her lips, and the tip of the flower rested on her lower lip. The urge to kiss him became strong, and she wanted to bring back the heated excitement flowing through her when he had kissed her before.

Her mind argued this wasn't right, but the tingling in her body countered, reminding her how incredible his arms had felt around her.

Unfortunately, she couldn't get involved with a man like him. Her father wouldn't approve.

She forced herself to stand and move away from him as she cleared her throat. "So, is this the only part of the countryside you are going to show me?"

For a minute, she thought he looked disappointed, but instantly the expression was gone. Could he have wanted to kiss her, too? Probably not . Those fantasies were only in her mind.

"You want to see more?"

She nodded.

"Come. I will show my lady princess anything her lovely heart desires." He grinned and bowed slightly.

She chuckled as giddiness consumed her once again. "It would be unscrupulous to start our wager now, since I'm not adorned in a fancy dress."

He scratched his head, his gaze roaming over her length. The familiar chills danced over her skin, bringing back her erratic heartbeat. She tried pushing the feelings aside, but the way his mouth lifted in a grin made her heart sing.

"If you wish, we could always go back to the estate and let you change."

"No. Let us just continue on our way. We shall start the wager tomorrow."

"That is a grand idea." He nodded and held out his hand for her to take. "Then let us be on our way."

He helped her to her horse and set her atop the mare, even though she repeatedly told him she didn't need his help. She realized just how much she'd missed being treated like a lady. This time, she made certain she didn't show him so much of her legs when she adjusted on the saddle.

They rode everywhere, or at least it seemed that way. She had never seen so much land without farms or houses occupying the space. Everything was so green. Red, violet, yellow, and pink flowers sprinkled the fields like a rainbow, but her favorite was the summer snowflake, because it would remind her of this wonderful day. She'd adored every second she was out here with Broderick.

Occasionally he stopped, pointed to something, and told her a little history behind the object. It amazed her how educated he was, and it pleased her more than it should.

They came upon acres of wildflowers and stopped to eat. She was grateful the cook had prepared for a big appetite, because there was enough food to fill her belly. After eating, she walked around the field looking at the different types of flowers, some she had never seen before. She thought it rather funny that he knew the names of every flower.

Soon, they rode away from the field and through a few villages. The people waved and greeted them—some even asked if she and Broderick would like to come into their homes for a cup of tea, but he refused for the both of them.

She conversed easily with Broderick, and she liked how being in his presence comforted her. Not once did their topic turn intimate, and she was grateful that her body didn't react with heated tingles anymore.

It wasn't until the sun began to disappear behind the horizon when she realized the lateness of the day. "Oh, goodness." She pulled her horse to a stop. "Do you realize what time it is?"

"Not until now," he replied.

"How far away are we from your uncle's estate?"

Broderick chuckled. "Far enough away for me to know we will not be able to get home before dark."

The mere idea of them alone together in the moonlight made her panic. After all, she was a lady and had been taught the importance of decorum. "Whatever shall we do?"

He remained silent as she surveyed their surroundings. "If I'm not mistaken, I believe there's another village just west of here that will have an inn for us to lodge in."

"And what if you are mistaken?"

He chuckled and met her stare. "Then we will sleep underneath the stars."

Just thinking about being with him alone, out here in their night-filled wonderland, had her smiling. Tilting her head back, she gazed up at the sky to see if that was a possibility, praying that it was. When she didn't see any stars, she frowned. "What stars? All I see are clouds."

He too looked up. "Drat! I didn't think it would rain on us, or I wouldn't have taken us this far away from home." His gaze met hers. "See what being with you does to me? I can't think straight." He laughed.

Her heart flipped, but knowing Broderick, he was probably just being humorous. "Will we be able to make it to the next village before it starts to rain?"

He watched the clouds for a moment. She glanced up at the sky again. Within seconds, the gray clouds thickened and the sky became darker. Even the air cooled quickly.

"I suppose we will, but just barely, and only if we hurry."

"Then let's be off. We have no time to waste." She kicked her heels into the mare and took off in the direction he had pointed to, praying they would not get caught in the storm. What would they do then? She dared not think of how he'd help her to stay warm.