My Steadfast Heart by Jo Goodman

Author:Jo Goodman [Goodman, Jo]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9780821761571
Published: 1999-03-01T00:00:00+00:00

Mercedes allowed herself to be persuaded to attend a horse auction at Tattersall's the following day. She suspected Colin knew she wasn't proof against the twins and had put them up to asking her to go. He must have also known she wouldn't have accompanied him to London alone.

Although they had discussed the need to restock Weybourne Park's stable with prime horseflesh, it was decidedly low on Mercedes's list of things to be accomplished. A good stud and healthy mares would be outrageously expensive to purchase as well as maintain. When she wondered aloud if he could afford it at this juncture he shot her a sideways glance and asked if she had other plans for his money.

It was not the most propitious beginning for the trip but Britton and Brendan cut through the tension with their antics and good spirits. Mercedes began to believe that Sylvia had made the less wise decision by choosing to remain at the manor.

Once they arrived at the horse market, Mercedes elected to stay in the carriage. The twins' pleas were of no consequence now and when Colin saw she was quite adamant in her decision, he shooed the boys away.

"Shall I have Henry take you elsewhere while I conduct this business?" Colin asked. He stood just outside the carriage, reluctant to leave her unattended. There were few women at the market and he had not considered what might be made of her presence on his arm, even in the company of her young cousins.

"No," she said. "I'll be fine here where I can watch people coming and going. There's no need for me to be in the thick of it." Mercedes leaned forward on the padded leather bench toward the open window of the carriage. "And I know Henry wants to get down from the driver's box and see the animals as well. You won't be disappointed by listening to his counsel. He knows a great deal about good horseflesh."

Colin nodded. He turned to go, then stepped back again. "I didn't mean for this to be a painful or insulting exercise for you," he said quietly. "I thought if you could be persuaded to stay at my side, you would see you have nothing to fear." Before she could reply, Colin turned on his heel and headed across the yard in the direction of the twins. He called out to them and they came up short, fairly dancing in place until he reached their side and could accompany them safely to the stalls.

Mercedes watched them until they disappeared in the milling crowd. The carriage was jostled as Henry climbed down from the box and hurried off to the stalls. She chastised herself for being so weak-kneed. Wasn't it time she confronted her fear, now when Colin had offered his protection? The thought of that brought a rueful smile to Mercedes's lips and her fingers wavered uneasily on the handle to the carriage door. He couldn't have known that standing at his side would have raised almost as many unsettling emotions as standing next to the horses.

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