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Eliza remembered his family’s crest; wrinkling her brow with concentration, she recalled Taz’s translation and quoted it. ‘“ Venus, like Fortune, favours the bold” – what of your family motto now?’

Raven Purfoy looked startled, then amused. ‘So you’re an advocate as well as an equestrian artist and outrageous beauty!’ He was once more serious and said with intensity, ‘Miss Gray, can I hope that you might grace me with your affection, and teach my poor heart to love?’

Overwhelmed with feeling herself, she wished to answer, ‘Yes, yes, yes!’ but before she could utter a word, a man on a striking grey horse cantered up to them. Eliza snatched her hand away and turned her face so her heightened colour was obscured by the flaring brim of her bonnet.

‘Why, if it isn’t the Winged Venus and my haughty Lord Purfoy.

I hope I’m not interrupting anything.’ Ignoring Raven Purfoy’s thunderous look, Lord Davenport continued in his suave way, ‘I have had some good fortune. Through a stroke of unruly fate, I have become the Marquess of Bathwick and lord of the Bathwick estates in Somerset. My pecuniary embarrassment is over, thanks to the vagaries of family inheritance.’

‘So you are no longer under water with the clubs?’ Lord Purfoy enquired with a sneer.

‘No indeed. I shall return to the game, my pockets filled with gold.’

‘No doubt there will be many gamesters glad to hear that.’

Then as Lord Davenport wheeled his horse round to return the way he had come he said, ‘I’ll see you at the races, Purfoy.

I think it’ll be a battle between the black and the white, and this year my ambition is that my ghostly beauty will beat the invincible Horatio.

’ As he gathered his reins to leave he said, ‘I hope you bring your pretty little filly with you.’

Eliza gasped at his wanton talk. She stole a glance at Raven Purfoy. His jaw was set hard and she could see a muscle twitching as if he were attempting to keep his emotions in check. Through gritted teeth he hissed, ‘Davenport, that is no way to speak of a lady. Apologise to Miss Gray, now!’

Lord Davenport drawled with his furtive smile, ‘I had no intention of disrespecting you or anyone. My apologies, Miss Gray.’ He inclined his head and then in an instant he had spurred his horse and was gone.

This crass interruption had broken the mood between them. Eliza was shaken by the news of Lord Bathwick’s death, so casually imparted, and said to Lord Purfoy, ‘The Bathwick title and estates were my legal father’s.’

His face had lost none of its grimness. ‘I’m sorry you had to hear of his demise like this.’

‘I did know it was close. A friend, my half-sister as it turns out’ – she still could barely believe the words – ‘told me Davenport had sped down to Bath to ensure no legal deflections in his inheritance.’

Lord Purfoy looked at Eliza with a brooding expression.

‘My newly sensitised heart means I now hate as passionately as I love. And I am disconcerted to find how much contempt I have for that man. I intend to deprive him of as much of the Bathwick inheritance as I can. I shall set to work with that purpose tonight on the gaming tables at White’s. ’

Davey approached with the horses and they both set off in silence back to Brook Street.

As they reached the mews, Lord Purfoy drew Eliza aside to say, ‘I’m sorry about that rude interruption.

I hope this time I’ve made my feelings clear.

With you I have come to see what life is, what love can be.

Is it too much of a burden to place in your hands? ’

A wave of the emotion of the last few days broke over her. Family loss and gain had wracked her spirit, but most miraculous of all, the man she thought could never be hers was offering her his life.

Her voice shook as she answered, ‘From the moment I first saw you my heart was yours. If you will have it.’

He took both her hands and pressed them to his lips. Taz had emerged to unsaddle Horatio and, seeing this last gesture, smiled.

As Eliza ran upstairs to change, a feeling of dread fell heavily on her spirit.

She could no longer ride Ohio for Mr Flynn in the race.

After Lord Purfoy had opened his heart to her, she could not humiliate or betray him by masquerading as a jockey to compete against Horatio.

It was necessary to find Zadoc Flynn immediately and tell him.

Dressing quickly, she asked Polly, ‘Have you seen Mr Flynn?’

‘Don’t think he’s up yet. He was out late last night.’

Eliza grabbed her copy of The Corsair and went through to the dining room where breakfast was still laid out, ready for any latecomers.

Agitated, she poured herself some coffee and started to read, trying to calm her spirit.

The house seemed strangely silent. No voices from the Wolfes, no high fluting giggle from Emma, no sound of industry from the kitchens; it was as if she had been left alone on a desert island.

She closed her book; the richness of Byron’s poetry was drawing her into an imagined corsair’s world.

Zadoc Flynn came through the door as silently as a cat. ‘Oh, Mr Flynn!’ She jumped. ‘I didn’t hear you.’

‘I’m not feeling the best. Don’t talk too loud, my head is pounding.’ He slumped into a chair and Eliza looked closely at him. His skin was pale, with a yellowish tinge, and his eyes were bloodshot.

‘You look sick as a dog.’ She quickly poured him a cup of coffee and thrust a currant bun into his limp hand. ‘Eat something, Mr Flynn, it might help.’

‘I don’t think I could let anything else pass my lips without casting up my accounts.’ He looked rueful. ‘If you’ll forgive the vulgarity, Miss Gray.’

Eliza’s heart sank. He was not in the best condition for her to deliver her blow, but deliver it she must. ‘Mr Flynn, I have something important to tell you.’ He cast her a bleary look and she continued, ‘I’m sorry but I cannot ride Ohio in the race.

’ She clasped her hands together to strengthen her resolve.

This news had an instantly sobering effect on Mr Flynn who sat up erect and said, ‘Why ever not? It’s all agreed. A gentleman’s agreement between us.’

‘I’m sorry, I should never have said I would in the first place. I did it out of pique with Lord Purfoy and I’m ashamed of my pettiness.’

‘Well, Miss Gray, this is no time for finer feelings. It’s too late to get out of it. The race is in two days’ time and I’ve already transferred ownership to you. Ohio is entered for the race and you are her owner and rider. You can’t back out now!’

‘I’m mortified at the trouble I’ve caused you, Mr Flynn, but I can’t beat Lord Purfoy. It’s his race to win.’

‘Ah, so he or Taz have got to you, have they?’

‘No, no! Lord Purfoy has no idea I’m riding in the race. That’s the main trouble.’

‘Well, there’s not much likelihood you’ll win. Horatio is a mighty brute of a stallion, strong and fleet of foot. Davenport’s flashy grey, Eros, is a likely challenger, not our little filly.’

‘But Horatio is being ridden by a big man; he’s probably half as heavy again as I am. And Ohio is so light and fast.’

‘Then hold her back. I just need her to have been placed in an English race before I take her back to Kentucky. Please, Miss Gray. You’re my only chance.’

Eliza’s head dropped. He was right. She had given her word and could not renege on their agreement so late. She would have to ride Ohio as if they were in a social race and make sure she did not win and that Lord Purfoy would never find out.