The Midnight Marquess: A Sweet Regency Family Saga Romance (Chronicles of the Westbrook Brides Book 3) by Collette Cameron

Author:Collette Cameron [Cameron, Collette]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Chronicles of the Westbrook Brides, Book Three
Publisher: Blue Rose Romance®
Published: 2023-07-02T18:30:00+00:00

Hefferwickshire House Stables

Six days later-late afternoon

One foot hooked on the coral’s lowest rail and his elbows resting on the topmost rung, Adolphus idly observed four of his horses stabled at Hefferwickshire. A brisk wind nipped at his ears as the stable hands exercised the magnificent creatures. Rather than open the house and hire additional servants to oversee the animals at his estate, Hawkshead Court in Sussex, he housed them at the ducal country seat.

God knew Hefferwickshire’s stable had plenty of room. Leaving his horseflesh here also saved him time since he didn’t have to visit two estates. There was something to be said about the convenience of riding his horses while visiting his parents too.

A horse neighed, and another whinnied and stomped. A cow mooed in an adjacent field, calling for her calf. A calf lowed in response.

“There you are.”

Leonidas.

Adolphus glanced over his shoulder to see Leonidas, Fletcher, and Lucius approaching.

Fletcher had spent more time at Hefferwickshire in the past few months than he had in the previous ten years. And he was extremely closed-mouth about why he remained away from London, his gaming halls, and his theater.

“We’ve been looking for you. Grandmama requests your presence for tea.”

“Is it that late already?” Adolphus had lost track of time. Not because watching his horses occupied him, but because he’d been daydreaming about Lymington and a certain pretty neighbor.

“It is.” Grinning, Lucius cocked an eyebrow. “And the old girl generally gets what she wants.”

That was true.

“Just look what she did last December to get all of us here for Christmastide.” Fletcher grunted as he shooed a fly away from his face. “I still haven’t completely forgiven her. ‘Dire circumstances.’ ‘Grave situation,’ she vowed. All a ruse.”

Lucius propped his elbows on the corral and nodded toward the Egyptian Arabian mare. “She’s a beauty. I’ve never seen a coat that shade of gray. It’s almost silver, and she looks quite exotic with that black mane and tail.”

“The moment I saw her, I knew I had to have her.” Adolphus might not be able to travel to Egypt or Arabia, but he could own a horse that reminded him of those places he’d never visit. “I thought Althelia might enjoy riding her, but she prefers her horse.”

Would Aurelie like the pretty mare?

Did she even ride?

Likely she did. Her half-brother had been affluent.

Where in thunder had those musings come from? He nearly cursed aloud, but that would alert his brothers, and he wasn’t up to an interrogation.

Every time Adolphus ordered his mind to stop thinking about her, an intrusive thought wiggled its way inside his head, distracting him. And quite often, leading him into a fantasy where he allowed himself to explore all the delightful things about Aurelie Lemieux forbidden to him in the real world.

If only he could be sure she wasn’t a manipulative, conniving chit. His gut told him she wasn’t, but the evidence suggested otherwise.

Another breeze whipped by, stirring up dust and teasing his hair and his brothers’, as well as ruffling the horses’ manes.

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