Legendary Lover (21 page)

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ing
master, for heaven's sake." Her voice turned cajoling. "Come now, darling, give me a little kiss and forget all this fuss." Rolling over, she slid an arm around his neck and smiled up at him. "Just because I'm married doesn't mean I can't see you anymore."

He hadn't been in England long, but he understood the ways of the aristocracy in his own country, and fidelity wasn't a requirement in marriage—although generally an heir was required before a wife could take lovers. "What if you have my child?"

"But I won't."

"But what if you did?"

"Then your child would be a very wealthy Fitz-James."

"It won't look like him."

"Really, darling, this is all irrelevant. I can't think of having your child. And if you'd stop talking, we could find something much more pleasant to do. See, you still
want
to play," she whispered, reaching out to languidly stroke his erection.

He drew in a sharp breath against the carnal rush spiking through his body. "I should beat you,
cara
mia
,
for being a wanton minx."

"I never said you couldn't beat me, darling." Moving over him, she lay atop his heated body, her seductive smile close and suggestive.

"I may not let you marry him," he whispered, swiftly rolling over, pinning her beneath him. "What do you think of that?"

"I think you have to stop talking and make love to me instead. I have to be
back
home in two hours."

"We'll talk later, then."

187

"
Vincenzo
. . ." she whispered, spreading her thighs wide and arching her pelvis upward. "No more talk."

He couldn't resist—but then, what man in his position could?

G?ILL
   
SPECULATION
   
AND
   
DISCUSSION
   
IN
   
THE

next
fortnight were concentrated on the Derby—in London, in the country, in every pub, and on every village green, all of England in readiness for the great national event.
⁵
Horse racing pervaded every grade of society, every walk of life, every age. No business appointments were made for the Wednesday of Epsom Week. The House of Commons adjourned. All of London deserted for the sacred hill of Epsom.

Why the Derby was more important than other races could be accounted for by the enormous amount of stakes and bets. And while the major part of the denizens of "the sporting world" had never seen a race or a racehorse, they knew all the horses' names and pedigrees, their public performances, their private trials, the state of their health and of their temper.

While the favorite horses had nominal owners, in reality they were public property.

Jack and Venus had come down to his racing stud,
Lawley
Mill, the previous day, although the marquis hadn't entered any of his horses in the Tuesday races. He and Venus had kept to themselves, ignoring the several dozen invitations that had come from his friends who were at Epsom for the races. While Venus hadn't again mentioned leaving after the Derby, both were aware of the unspoken stipulation.

As a concession to the occasion, Venus had had her

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maid
bring down some suitable gowns from London. The style of the Derby, unlike the easy country manners at
Castlereagh
, was
haute monde,
and she had no intention of being seen in one of Mrs. Pritchett's creations. Always dressed by the best Parisian couturiers, Venus selected a jonquil silk walking dress ornamented with jet beading and black braid for the festivities.

Since Jack's recent purchase, Fortune, was the hot favorite, the moment he and Venus arrived at the track that Derby Wednesday, they were thronged with well-wishers. Jack accepted all the goodwill with a smile and a pleasant response, his progress through the crowd slowed by dint of the great number of people who wanted to speak to him.

"You're almost as great a celebrity as your colt," Venus remarked, smiling as they approached the parade ring where Fortune was showing signs of temperament.

Jack shook his head. "It's not about me. A lot of money is riding on this race. Two hundred thousand pounds, last I heard from my friendly bookmaker. And from the looks of it," he murmured, glancing at his colt
who
was beginning to sweat up, "Fortune is feeling the pressure."

Greeting his jockey and trainer, the marquis exchanged a few casual words, nothing that couldn't be overheard by the press of onlookers and handicappers. The men had already discussed their strategy that morning; short of Fortune coming up lame, he wasn't the favorite without good reason. If Woods, the marquis's jockey, could keep off the rail and not get boxed in by the very large field, it was only a matter of giving Fortune his head and letting him gallop away.

I&)

The morning sky had been overcast, but the rain seemed to be holding off and on that cloudy day,
Ve-nus's
bright-hued gown struck a dramatic chord. Not that her gown alone drew the eye. She was as much the center of attention for her beauty. And those in society who had heard the latest on
dits
concerning the marquis's new liaison were piqued by Lord
Redvers's
continuing attention to the lovely Frenchwoman.

He wasn't a man who had ever shown undue regard for a woman.

And it had been upwards of three weeks now since society had last seen him.

With the flood of foreign visitors to the Great Exhibition, the course that day was graced by more than the usual number of aristocrats. Among the more distinguished were the Duke and Duchess of Nemours, Prince Henry of the Netherlands, the Duke of Cambridge, the Prince of
Saxe
-Weimar, Lord Waterford, Lord Worcester, Lord Stanley, Lord
Eglinton
, Lord
Zetland
, Lord Granville, Lord Glasgow, and Lord Enfield March; Sir J. Hawley, Sir W.
Codrington
, Sir H. Campbell, Sir R. Peel, Colonel Peel. Everyone had come out to see one of the premier races of the season.

Including Lady
Tallien
and the entire Palmer family.

And Trevor, too.

Both of whom were well aware of the marquis's unusual attention to Miss
Duras
, and each of whom had individual plans to see that their own aims were achieved.

(9 HE RACE GROUNDS WERE FILLED WITH SPECTA-

tors
; the betting was spirited, the number of horses

i
go

running
a record thirty-one and, although there were distinct favorites, the race was still considered an "open" one. On the other hand, Fortune was still steadily in the lead, leaving off at very short odds, in some few cases backed at evens.

It was a full, high-class field of three-year-old colts that day, all bred for stamina and speed to go the mile and a half. Some said Derby thoroughbreds were freak horses; racers were generally bred for speed or distance, but not both. And while the best jockeys were up when the stakes were so high, the incalculable and unpredictable were always a factor on a course as tough as Epsom.

The pressure on Jack's jockey was immense. Woods was riding a horse
who
had been built up as all but unbeatable, and that kind of report always made the other jockeys resentful. There was a possibility they might try to keep him from winning. To cap it all, some days before, an offer of ten thousand pounds to stop Fortune had been making the rounds.

As was usually the case, Fortune had settled by the time he reached the starting gate. There was no delay; the moment the tapes went up, all thirty-one mounts surged forward. Woods had to literally fight his way through the crowded field to get out on the course. Lord
Enfield's
racer, Hernandez, immediately took the lead, and Woods tracked him, holding his own against the rough riding and gamesmanship of the other jockeys.

At
Tattenham
Corner the order hadn't changed. A press of six or eight horses raced down the descent in tandem behind Hernandez, the rest of the field strung out behind. Then, as so often happened, the race shifted. Hernandez began to hang out distress signals,

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and
as Woods shifted his weight to take Fortune past him, he found himself suddenly boxed in by a wall of horses.

Someone had paid off somebody, he thought; there was nothing to do but sit and suffer until he could pull out and make his run on the outside. But he understood it was more desirable in the Derby than in any other major race of the same distance to be well placed throughout, and usually of paramount importance to hold a good position on the steep descent to
Tatten
-ham Corner. Shut in behind the leaders, Fortune was going to be put to the test once he had a chance to break free.

Woods also knew that very few horses won the Derby after being among the back-markers at
Tattenham
Corner, and he intently watched for his chance to escape. The instant the opportunity arose, he took it, but Fortune, unbalanced for a few strides after being switched sharply for a clear run on the wide outside, briefly floundered. Woods eased up on the reins; Fortune rallied, regained his balance, and answered him with tremendous courage. The big chestnut slipped by one horse and then another, coming around that wall of thundering beasts with great fighting spirit. The cheers went up the minute Fortune swung over for his run, increasing in volume as he passed one racer after another, each powerful stride bringing him closer to the lead. Woods did his best, but there was no holding Fortune once he was given his head, and he galloped right away from his field, ears pricked, nostrils distended, his great, powerful frame, and limbs moving with the rhythm and force of an express train.

192

He won by twenty lengths.

The roar of the crowd rang out across the downs, through the grandstand and private boxes. The best horse had won the best race of the season.

"Fortune has made me a very tidy sum," Venus cheerfully said, her face wreathed in smiles, her color still high after cheering on the huge chestnut in his valiant victory.

"Both of us," Jack replied, bending
to
kiss her rosy cheek. Gossip later had it that Lord
Redvers
had won seventy thousand pounds in those two minutes fifty-one seconds.
⁶
"Now, come," he urged, taking her hand. "And we'll give our congratulations to Woods and Fortune."

Epsom was like a huge picnic on Derby Day, and it took a deal of shouldering through the crowds before the marquis and his companion could reach the winner's circle.

"Well done." Jack's voice was neutral as he offered his praise to
Woods's
fine riding. "Under the circumstances," he casually added.

"A bit rough out there today, sir."

"You and Fortune slammed your way through nicely."

"He's a right prime stallion—a
smasher
, sure enough," Woods proudly said. "And I had a bob or two riding on his shoulders, too."

"Always an incentive," Jack pleasantly said. "Here come the Jockey Club stewards. It won't be much longer now, Fortune." He stroked the stallion's lathered neck. "Soon we'll have you away from this throng."

"And me, too," Venus whispered.

The marquis glanced down at Venus and winked.

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"You more than anyone."
His voice was low, insinuating. "We'll have to celebrate this Derby win tonight."

"Alone?"

"Definitely alone."

"Then you're going to have to be rude to a great many of your friends." She nodded her head in the direction of the royal box, its occupants bearing down on them as they spoke.

"Watch me and learn." His grin crinkled the corners of his eyes.

Jack was inexpressibly charming to all the dignitaries who came to offer him their congratulations, his manners without reproach. And to those of his friends who wished for his company as well, he refused with grace. The ladies pouted at being denied Jack at their entertainments after the race, but the men understood. If they had the delectable Miss
Duras
on their arm, they wouldn't be in the mood for fashionable society, either.

Ned Darlington spoke for them all when he quietly said to his friend, "I won't ask you to our party tonight. It sounds as though you're better entertained at home."

Jack dipped his head in acknowledgment. "Come and see me in town next week instead."

Within the hour, Jack and Venus were returning to
Lawley
Mill. The sun had come out from behind the clouds, bathing the green countryside in a warm glow. The landau moved slowly in the narrow hedge-lined country lane, its top down, the coachman trained to ignore the sounds behind him of the marquis and his lady .kissing and laughing and kissing some more on the drive back.