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CHAPTER ONE

GRAB THE BULL BY the horns was an idiom all well and good and all, if one knew which horns to grab.

Or how to grab horns. Or how to even find a bull.

Which pastures were best explored in such a search?

Or was said bull even of the bovine variety?

Perhaps it was elephantine. That would be significantly more challenging to navigate.

So Lady Paulina Wentword sat with the hypothetical elusive bull in the room.

The room being the library belonging to the Duke of Ruxbergh whom her sister had wed last year.

Paulina would like to think herself essential to her sister Philomena’s betrothal.

Had it not been for Paulina’s feigned twisted ankle, perhaps the wedding would not have occurred so quickly, and perhaps she would not be in a house filled with the sounds that only newlyweds could make. Several months later.

Such sounds were…well, how could one describe them except to say, perhaps Philomena must know a thing or two about grabbing bulls by the horns.

For Philomena to find such happiness with her best friend after so many years had inspired Paulina to get what she wanted out of life.

Despite being the younger of the two, Paulina had been duchified from a very young age.

The expectation being that she would marry a duke.

She was a duke’s sister. She was beautiful and elegant.

She had an enormous dowry. She could land any man.

But did she want just any man?

Did she really even want a duke?

No. The last man she wanted was a duke. They were all too stuffy, and society dictated how they had to live. She didn’t want that. Not one bit.

But then who did she want?

That was the problem. She didn’t know what she really wanted out of life. Knowing this left a dreaded sense of ennui. Restlessness. And oddly, she felt…adrift.

Even though she wasn’t going anywhere. Nor had she plans to do so. If anything, her life was stagnant and sedentary. Always going through the same monotonous routine. The mundaneness was dragging her down.

Yet, adrift she felt.

Just waiting for something to happen to her. Or more precisely, waiting for someone—a husband—to claim her, when really, she wanted to do some claiming of her own.

Paulina sat in the library with her newsheet, scouring the sheet looking for a bull to claim.

The summer sun was filtering in through the windows, warming her face.

If she couldn’t find her bull today, at the very least she would go for a walk outside later.

Anything to get out of the house full of matrimonial sounds.

It was more difficult than Paulina expected to lose a sister and a friend. Try as she might to view the situation as adding to the family, she was still growing accustomed to thinking of Henry as her brother.

The newsheet blurred before her eyes. This was no time to be maudlin.

If Philomena could find love, so could she.

And if not love, then at least something interesting to fill her days.

She redoubled her efforts and focused on the words in front of her.

Gossip. Gossip. Gossip. There was enough in the scandal sheets, never mind the newsheet, about the notorious Ashbourne engagements.

She couldn’t be sure if all the rumors were true.

But all seven brothers engaged in one summer seemed implausible, even for the handsomest of men.

Weddings, weddings, weddings. Life was basically hopping and skipping from one wedding to the next.

Her cousin Freya was getting married tomorrow, and everyone would be gathering for that fete.

Sometimes it felt as though all she did was step into the church of one abbey and out the abbey door of another wedding.

Her eyes kept scanning. What could she do today to liven things up in her life? It had to be today. Tomorrow she would be at another wedding, and she just needed something today. And then she saw it. And immediately she felt it in her tingling limbs.

Thankfully, fate was being quite transparent. There was a horse race that very afternoon. It was the epitome of excitement.

She rang the bellpull. When the butler arrived, she said, “Tell Gladys, we’re going out. And have a carriage ready, please.” Her lady’s maid would be surprised about the outing, but it wouldn’t do to go on her own. She wasn’t quite that adventurous. Yet.

“Also, please let my sister know that I’ll be out for the afternoon.”

She was sure that Philomena would raise no concerns at the request because she was far too preoccupied with her own bull.

It was a short ride just outside of town, and the moment Paulina showed up at the horse race, she knew she had made the right decision. Despite her lady maid’s protestations to the contrary.

The air was rife with a thrill. Anticipation wrought every face.

Every handshake. Every greeting. Something was about to happen here.

And Paulina would be there to witness it.

No, not witness it. She was going to be part of it.

Even if it killed her. Well, that was drastic.

But then so was life. And right now, she needed to take control of her life. Make it what she wanted it to be.

Without a horse yet in sight, her heart was galloping.

She made her way to the racecourse and convinced Gladys to watch with her.

BANG!

The thundering hooves matched the pace and sounds of heart. Never before had she studied such beauty, strength, and grace.

Horses of varying shades of amber, chestnut, and midnight black tore down the dirt course.

Manes whipped in the wind and legs pounded the dirt to dust. The fragrance of leather, horses, and sweat filled her nostrils.

Shouts came from the men watching. The sounds in and of themselves could have been enough to overstimulate her, had she been able to pick out only the sounds.

But she couldn’t. All of her senses trembled.

Paulina couldn’t help admiring each horse and rider, until one pulled ahead.

Her heart stopped thundering.

The sounds stilled, and it was as if she were the one wearing blinders.

That rider. Dark garb. Silky mahogany locks. The most intense eyes. Powerful posture.

And that horse. Nothing short of perfect. Black from hoof to head. Coal for eyes. Strong strides.

That was the metaphorical bull. That horse. She could feel it in her soul.

She needed that horse.

Immediately after the race, she told Gladys to find them some food, and she made her way to the rider. He was brushing down his horse and patting him softly. Gentle murmurings escaped his lips intermittently, and Paulina had a good feeling about this.

“That’s a fine horse,” she said with a smile. This was going to go well. She could feel it. She was taking control of her life. And it all centered around that horse. All she had to do was offer a charming smile and offer to buy the horse. It was her destiny. Sometimes life just worked like that.

When the rider turned, only his profile mind you, to answer her with a grunt, her heart sputtered to a stop.

God, he was the most handsome man she had ever seen.

Even more handsome up close. His arms muscles were bulging against the seams, and his thighs were too thick for those riding pants.

And the way his forelock flopped over his forehead.

Whew. She wanted to reach up and flop it right back to where it flipped from so that she could stare into the man’s grass green eyes.

Fresh. Alive. Sharp. He was magnificent. He looked intelligent.

Could a person determine that upon appearances? Likely not entirely, but that didn’t stop her from making assumptions.

Realizing she was staring and that he had actually not answered her, she repeated herself, “I said, that’s a fine horse.”

He only grunted. Not the horse. The man. A deep, rumbly grunt that sparked something in her right between the legs.

But before she could say anything (though she wasn’t entirely sure she was capable of speech in the moment), a woman approached the rider and gave him a kiss on the cheek.

A kiss. On the cheek. Right in front of her.

Who was that woman? Paulina glared at her.

Couldn’t she see that she was having a moment with…

well, whatever this man’s name was. Even though he hadn’t really looked at her yet.

When the woman leaned in closer to him, he had to stand upright and his eyes finally caught sight of Paulina. As they did, he scanned her from toe to head, and when he got all the way up to her lips, he smirked. A shiver shook through her body.

The woman was whispering to the rider, but Paulina was close enough that she could hear it. And while the rider listened to the woman he stared at her.

The whisper was not quiet. “That was a nice ride, Broderick. But I’ll give you a better one.”

Broderick. That was a fitting name for him.

Broderick quirked his brow at the suggestive offer and with another smirk, thanked the woman and sent her on her way.

He went back to grooming his horse.

“So you’re selective about who you talk to? Is that it?” Paulina’s temper was bubbling within her.

“Isn’t everyone?” His eyes felt like they were grazing her skin as they traversed her body again, and she could feel his stare draw out her nipples. Those betraying breasts.

The man may be gorgeous, but he was a grump. And a rake. And arrogant. An arrogant, grumpy, rake. Not someone she really wanted to do business with, but that horse was calling her name.

“What’s your horse’s name?”

“Providence.”

As if that wasn’t fate reaffirming her resolve.

“Well, I’d like to buy him.”

Broderick belted out a laugh.

“Oh darling, you know nothing about getting yourself a horse.”

“So you will talk to me? If only to laugh at me.”

“You’re not my style of woman.”

Oooooh if that didn’t rankle her and ruffle up all her feathers.

“I’m not trying to be anything to you, I just want that horse.”

“Not going to happen, love.”

“Don’t call me?—”

“I’ve got a friend to go see.”

“A woman?”

In amusement, his eyes crinkled, “Not sure that’s any of your business.”

And with that, he signaled for a stablehand to finish off with the horse.

So much for Providence.

But.

If he thought that was the end of it, he was in trouble because today was the wrong day to mess with Paulina. Today was the day she was making life what she wanted. She was grabbing the bull by the horns, and she wasn’t letting go.