Rogue Countess by Amy Sandas

Author:Amy Sandas [Sandas, Amy]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Tags: Fiction, historcal romance
ISBN: 9781619210806
Publisher: Samhain Publishing, Ltd.
Published: 2012-07-23T21:00:00+00:00

Chapter Seventeen

The familiar scents of horses, leather, hay and oats mingling in the cool mist greeted Anna as she entered the stables the next morning. She took a deep breath and the earthy aroma recalled her to a sense of comfort and certainty.

Disturbing memories had kept her awake through most of the night. Without a solid night of rest, she awoke feeling cranky and out of sorts, as if the world had tilted a bit beneath her and she couldn’t find a steady foothold.

She murmured soft greetings to her horses as she passed their stalls with her head slightly bent in thought. Usually, she stopped to give each of them a moment of personal attention, but this morning she was far too distracted by deeper concerns.

She would love to lay the fault on Jude and his shifting manner, but the heavy darkness she fought against came from within herself and demanded recognition. What she needed was time to think and sort through the concerns that continued to weigh on her mind.

Hearing something ahead, she realized she wasn’t alone in the stables and she lifted her head in alarm. No one else was ever with the horses so early in the morning. A thrill that was both excitement and trepidation raced along her nerves when she saw Jude settling a saddle atop his favored mount.

Time to think? Sure, if she could manage to turn around in her own home without running into her blasted husband.

Her surly mood grew surlier.

He turned as she came near and offered an easy grin that crinkled the corners of his eyes and caused her breath to catch uncomfortably in her lungs.

Damn his captivating smile.

“Good morning,” he said pleasantly enough.

“Do you plan to intrude on my ride every morning?” she asked peevishly.

“Absolutely.” The brief arch of his brows suggested he wasn’t the least bit put out by her rudeness.

She decided to ignore him as she readied George, an old racer that had sired a long line of winners. The task was more difficult than she had imagined. In the dark and narrow space of the stables, her senses seemed to be extra sensitive to Jude’s movements as he readied his horse. Then, when he murmured words of encouragement and praise, the softened tone lifted the fine hairs on Anna’s skin as her body reacted viscerally to the velvet quality of his voice. What would it feel like if he were to whisper love words against her skin while holding her close in a warm and intimate embrace?

Cursing her weakness, Anna focused on thoughts of horses and races and business. She had several appointments this week that appeared promising. Apparently, Lord Peney had spread word of his success on the track to other gentlemen race hobbyists of his circle. She also needed to make a point of visiting Tattersalls. She still needed to acquire a fitting mare for Charles.

She managed to keep up a steady stream of thought that did not involve Jude during the entire ride to the park.

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