Page 27 of His Stolen Duchess (Stolen by the Duke #7)

There was so much that Georgina wanted to know. She knew Lysander had pain in his past, and much of that came from the war, but she dared not ask him directly. She knew he didn’t want to talk about it. Thomas might know, but it didn’t feel right to ask him behind Lysander’s back.

At the conclusion of that thought, Lysander returned with some refreshments.

“I apologize for taking so long. I bumped into some lords I had been meaning to talk business with.” He looked over at Thomas. “And I apologize doubly for having left you in the company of this man. I hope he wasn’t shocking you with his bawdy tales.”

“Not at all,” Thomas said before Georgina could speak. “I had to finally meet your wife, and we were having an entirely pleasant conversation, which will now come to an end upon your return, Lysander.”

“He is supposed to be my friend,” Lysander grumbled as he took his place in the box with Georgina. He handed her a glass of white wine, keeping the glass of port for himself.

Thomas remained on the outside of the box, looking in. “The only one of its kind.” Thomas stuck his thumbs under the shoulder loops of his waistcoat. “The Duke’s friends are going extinct at an alarming rate.”

“We might see a pantomime nearer to Christmas,” Lysander snorted. “I didn’t come here today to see one. I would prefer to see the horse racing.”

“Do you see what I mean?” Thomas asked Georgina. “He borders on being witty now.”

“The next thing you know, he’ll be conversing with parrots,” Georgina added.

Lysander turned and glared at her, although she didn’t feel anger radiating from him, only embarrassment. He wasn’t annoyed that she was teasing him, but worried that she might reveal the truth about his early morning interaction with Mr. Squawksby.

“Yes, and pigs might fly,” Thomas said. “Do you know, I was once at a garden party with Lysander, during which he attempted to smile to appear gracious. The lavender bushes nearby wilted in shock, and the rose bushes had to turn away to hide their alarm.”

Georgina giggled. “The day Lysander laughs will be the day they declare a holiday in London.”

Thomas chuckled jubilantly, enjoying having someone on his side in the testing of his friend. “I mentioned Lysander being almost witty, but it seems he doesn’t need to be when his wife has enough for the both of you.”

“Is this what I have to deal with now?” Lysander growled. “I was under the impression that I was taking you out for a pleasant afternoon, only to get ambushed by the two people closest to me. I hate to think what my enemies have in store for me.”

Georgina smiled as Lysander spoke, especially on seeing the slight curve at the corner of his mouth as he suppressed a smile. He was clearly enjoying the ribbing.

“Someone has to bring some light into this man’s life,” Thomas said, gesturing at Lysander. “Goodness knows he needs it.”

“I bring something to his life, but perhaps it is more chaos than light,” Georgina admitted.

“Whatever it is, it is clearly working,” Thomas said. “Now, I have done what I set out to do and formally met your lovely wife, so I will bid you good day. Perhaps I shall see you at the winner’s enclosure later this afternoon.”

“I look forward to it,” Lysander said dryly.

Georgina waited until Thomas was gone before she spoke again. “I didn’t mean to say anything out of turn. I hope you know that?—”

“Pay it no mind. I have thicker skin than most, and only Thomas knows how to get under it. That is his way of interacting with people, and I am heartened that you connected with him. No matter what he says, I know he is my friend. If it were someone else attacking me, he would turn on a penny and attack them back. You need not worry about anything you said.”

Georgina smiled again. Now that she thought about it, she could also detect some changes in Lysander since they’d wed. They were subtle and slight, and hard to define or quantify, but he was more open. He was easier to be around.

“Ah, this is the race I’ve been waiting for,” Lysander said. “Number seven.”

Georgina took up her small pair of binoculars and examined the starting line. The horses and jockeys were all in the starting enclosure, but the numbers on the horses were all visible. Each also had varied colors of cloth covering some of their bodies under and around the saddles.

“They all have names, don’t they?” Georgina asked.

“Our horse is Afternoon Teatime .”

Georgina smiled again. Not just at the funny name given to the horse, but at Lysander for calling the beast our horse. He had taken to calling things theirs instead of his , even though they were rightly his possessions, and she didn’t want to lay claim to them just because they were married.

The connection was quite pleasant. It made Georgina feel they were joined by more than just an arrangement, and that they were a unit, not simply two individuals who happened to be married.

The enclosures at the start line opened, and the horses shot out. Georgina had no idea how long the race was or what jumps they were required to leap or avoid, but that didn’t matter. What mattered was Lysander’s excitement and animation, and she couldn’t help but join him in his merriment.

When Lysander stood up and cheered on the horse, so did Georgina.

“Come on, Afternoon Teatime!” she screamed.

Lysander was a little more reserved but still cheered his horse home. “Come on! That’s it!”

The finish line was directly in front of them. They both shouted and clapped excitedly as the horses crossed the finish line. Georgina stuck her hands up in the air in celebration, then turned to Lysander when she realized she hadn’t seen which horse had won.

“Second place,” he confirmed. “Nearly first, but a good result all the same. He’s a young horse, so he will only improve from here.”

Georgina’s smile faltered. She looked past Lysander to a small tent at the far end of the racecourse and spotted Lady Eastbeck staring back at her, not moving from her spot in the tent.

“Come,” Lysander said, taking her hand. “We will go down to congratulate everyone who made the result possible.”

Georgina’s eyes shifted back to Lysander as he spoke to her, then looked at the ground as she was led from the private box.

When she looked back at the tent, Lady Eastbeck was no longer there.