Surrender of Trust (First Volume of the Surrender Series) (18 page)

Her fellow riders and their mounts gathered
around Lucy. The crowds in the stands overflowed. Turning toward
the teeming throng, she observed men pointing and gesticulating
wildly, frantically making wagers at the betting posts, with the
local bookmakers, and with each other.

Most people were laughing and appeared
excited. Lucy turned her head to survey the spectacle and froze in
horror. Even with his broad back to her, Lucy knew that shock of
wavy, dark hair. Standing taller than almost anyone else in the
throng, Chalifour's head turned, slowly scanning the crowd as she
had just done.

Now what!
Would Chalifour recognize
her or would he think she was Lucien? With a gasp, her hand flew to
her mouth. If Chalifour thought she was Lucien, he would be furious
with Lucien for not receiving him due to his injuries but then
showing at the Oaks to race.

For some stupid reason, it had never occurred
to her Chalifour would attend. Of course he would attend! He was a
member of the Jockey Club. Chalifour probably already knew Lucien
was racing today. It was imperative she win now because Chalifour
would be furious with Lucien. This race was going to create more
trouble for her and Lucien and it would be entirely her fault.

Lucy looked around wildly. There was no
hiding. She couldn't withdraw from the race either. Lucy and the
other riders were on the verge of being led to the starting line.
It would look unusual for Lucien to drop out of a race just as it
was about to begin, not to mention the attention her defection
would draw. No, there was no way out of this. Chalifour was going
to see her and believe Lucien had been deceiving him.

It was in that moment their eyes locked. A
chill coursed down Lucy's spine. She was imprisoned by his stare.
Chalifour strode purposefully toward her, eyes never wavering. Each
long stride brought him closer, his gaze penetrating. Lucy couldn't
read Chalifour's expression, though she knew he must be furious.
Her heart was hammering in her chest. Lucy watched him approach,
unable to move. In an instant Chalifour was standing before
her.

Before Lucy could utter a word, Chalifour
seized the bridle from her hands, hauled her bodily from the horse,
and snatched her cap from her head. Lucy's hair tumbled to her
shoulders in a profusion of auburn curls. The nearby crowd gasped
in shock and went still. A moment of awkward silence followed while
the crowd realized the import of what they had just witnessed.

Outrage swelled within Lucy and she choked
with outrage. Lucy wanted to pummel Chalifour with her fists. The
only thing stopping Lucy was the very real possibility of
imprisonment which could result from striking a peer. Particularly
with so many witnesses. Otherwise she might have launched herself
at Chalifour and clawed his eyes. Instead, she stood stock still
with her fists clenched at her sides. They stared silently at each
other.

Chalifour's eye's dropped, his gaze
impenetrable. His eyes raked her. His jaw tightened and his lips
compressed. The silence thickened. Lucy turned to see the leers of
the men around her. It occurred to Lucy that every curve of her
body was revealed in Lucien's Riding Silks. Nothing was left to the
imagination. Lucy might as well have been naked. Instinctively she
shrank back against Chalifour.

Wordlessly, Chalifour whipped his coat from
his broad shoulders and draped it around her. She was mercifully
swallowed in the large folds. Grabbing her hand, Chalifour drug her
and Heather Mist through the jostling crowds which had grown even
more dense with people trying to get a better glimpse at the
spectacle she had made.

Chalifour propelled Lucy and Heather Mist out
of the crowd and into a clearing. Chalifour threw the reigns down,
thrust Lucy's hand away and whirled on her. "Just what the bloody
hell do you think you were doing?" Chalifour stood, legs wide and
hands on his hips.

"Racing! Or rather, I was racing until you
ruined it!" Lucy spat back, her posture mirroring his. Chalifour
stepped closer to her and she moved backwards a step.

"I'm trying to keep you from breaking your
pretty little neck, not to mention that of your horse!"

His words stung. Of course Chalifour was
concerned about her horse. He had a vested interest in their
horses. The horse was obviously the main reason for Chalifour's
concern. "I can take care of myself! I didn’t need you to save
me!"

"The hell you didn't. You would likely have
been killed if you had raced. You're a skilled horsewoman, but not
riding with those jockeys, Lucy, and not riding astride."
Chalifour's jaw was set and his eyes glared at her.

"I'll thank you to address me properly, Miss
Goodwin, please."

Chalifour's hand lashed out and pulled Lucy
roughly against him. He brushed the curls from her face. "Don't
play games with me, Lucy. I'm not in the mood," he said.

Lucy tried to push herself away from him, but
Chalifour held her tightly. "Let me go."

"No. Tell me what this is all about, Lucy.
Why would you pretend to be your brother?"

Lucy twisted in Chalifour's arms and he
abruptly released her. Lucy stumbled backwards a few steps, oddly
deflated.

"You have no right to question me!"

"The hell I don't. My name is linked with
yours now."

Lucy fumed. Naturally Chalifour was concerned
that her actions might cast some aspersion on his name. "Now that
you've ruined my chance to participate in this race, please return
Heather Mist to me so that I may take my leave."

"Oh no, you don't Lucy ... "

"Miss Goodwin," Lucy interrupted.

"Oh no, you don't Lucy," Chalifour repeated
himself slowly and distinctly, his eyes locked on hers, daring her
to interrupt again, "you'll be accompanying me into Town."

"I'm not going anywhere with you," Lucy said
flatly.

In one swift move Chalifour stripped his coat
from her body, leaving Lucy horribly exposed in her brother's
clothing. Chalifour's eyes lingered on her appraisingly, his
eyebrows raised. A mocking smiled tugged at the corner of his
mouth. "Oh, but I think you will. Unless, of course, you'd like to
continue parading around Epsom dressed like that."

Lucy seethed inside. Chalifour knew she
couldn't very well go anywhere in her current state of dress, or
more accurately, state of undress. He was blackmailing her!
Unbelievably, she was being blackmailed yet again! Lucy's view of
the world reduced itself to a red haze.

Lucy's anger ebbed during the trip into Town.
Weary and exhausted, she leaned back in the seat of the coach and
closed her eyes. The weight of Chalifour's stare penetrated her
eyelids. She just couldn't open her eyes to meet his. Lucy didn't
have the strength to evade his questions right now.

How was this all going to end? In addition to
forging documents, she had now created an embarrassing blemish on
Lucien's reputation and the inquiries regarding the fiasco at the
racecourse would be endless. If that wasn’t enough, she had misled
Chalifour and still had no way to pay off Perdan. Tears welled up
in Lucy's eyes. A hot tear trickled down her cheek. She was making
a bigger mess of things than they already were.

Chalifour's strong, warm hand covered hers. A
thrill coursed through her body at his touch. Memories of only a
few nights ago seared across Lucy's mind causing her heart to pump
wildly. Taking a deep breath, Lucy opened her eyes to meet his.
Chalifour's blue eyes peered into her soul.

Maybe she couldn't face him after all
.
Lucy quickly closed her eyes again and the unwanted tear continued
its course down her cheek. What about her growing feelings for
Chalifour? Chalifour didn't know she was a forger. In forging that
contract, Lucy had linked his name with theirs, knowing full well
about the allegations against her brother. The same accusations
which could taint Chalifour's reputation. How would Chalifour feel
about her if he was aware of her duplicity?

"Lucy, what is wrong?" Chalifour placed a
pocket square into her fist which lay in her lap.

Lucy didn't dare open her eyes and look into
those cobalt blue eyes again. Eyes squeezed tight, she sniffled and
blew her nose into Chalifour's pocket square. "Nothing is
wrong."

"Yes, I can see that," Chalifour said
dryly.

Lucy was so conflicted. She was ridiculously
attracted to this man. He had seduced her and made love to her. He
had proposed marriage to her and yet she had refused. She had to
consider the prospect that perhaps she was an idiot. Heaven forbid
her brother ever discover she had refused an offer of marriage from
a peer. Chalifour had not been sincere in his proposal and to
accept the offer would have been disastrous for them both.

Lucy was going to have to face Lucien and
tell him everything. Would he be able to forgive her? She had
forged documents and committed him to the breeding business with
Chalifour without obtaining the concessions he wanted. She had made
a blackmail payment to Perdan and significantly depleted his
accounts. She had only wanted to help Lucien and protect him.
Instead, all she had succeeded in doing was making matters
worse.

Lucy needed to talk with Lucien and to
confess her deeds. She needed to understand what had happened and
why Perdan had accused Lucien of cheating. Before she could return
home, though, Lucy had to visit Monique and see Perdan. Lucy was
lost in her soul. She needed to share her troubles with someone. It
would help her to talk to Monique before she faced her brother.

A disconcerting thought formed in her mind.
Could Monique have betrayed her secret? "How did you know I would
be there today?" Lucy opened her eyes to peer at Chalifour.

Chalifour's eyes shifted from her face before
he answered. "I was at a meeting with the Jockey Club when I was
informed that Lucien would be racing. Since the extent of Lucien's
injuries have prevented him from receiving me in the comfort of his
home, and yet he was planning to race ... ," Chalifour's voice
trailed off and he returned a questioning gaze to Lucy's face.

"Well, now you know it was me and not Lucien
that was racing."

"What did your brother have to say about your
racing and why was he not here himself?"

"Lucien doesn't know about this. He's just
now regaining his strength and I didn't want to worry him."

"But why?"

"Why what?"

"Why were you planning to race to begin with?
Surely you can't be in such desperate financial straits that you
must win prize money."

"That is not your concern."

"My name is now associated with yours so it
is very much my concern."

Without answering him, Lucy turned to stare
out the window, refusing to respond. What would Chalifour say if he
knew his name was now linked with theirs because she had forged
that document with full knowledge of Perdan's accusations against
Lucien. Even though Lucy knew in her heart those allegations were
false, they could still dishonor Chalifour's name, particularly
with the Jockey Club. Lucy could not endure the thought.

It was late when Lucy and Chalifour arrived
at his townhouse near Hanover Square in Mayfair. Chalifour assisted
Lucy from the coach, enjoying her small hand tucked into his, even
if only for a moment. They passed through the front door and into
the stately entrance hall.

Lady Elizabeth's feet pattered on the stairs.
She called out, "Chali, how good that you're home. I wanted to ...
," catching sight of Lucy, Elizabeth stopped short. Her mouth gaped
and her eyes widened in obvious shock over Lucy's attire. "Miss
Goodwin! This is a ... surprise! I didn't know to expect you,"
Elizabeth said, glancing at her brother.

Obviously uncomfortable, Lucy shifted from
one dainty foot to another, her color rising. Sparing Lucy further
embarrassment, Chalifour said, "The visit is unplanned. We met by
chance at the Oaks Stakes. An unfortunate accident deprived her of
her clothing."

Elizabeth's eyes widened even further and her
mouth flew open again.

Seeing his sister's askance look, Chalifour
protested, "No, not me! I wasn't the unfortunate accident. I
rescued her from what could have been a difficult situation."
Glancing at Lucy, daring her to contradict him, he continued, "She
ended up in her brother's clothing. I didn't have time to return
her home, so I brought her here. I promised her she could borrow
some of your gowns."

"But, of course you can! I have plenty of
gowns. Besides," Elizabeth said, throwing a jaunty smile at
Chalifour, "my brother can certainly afford to buy me more!"

"I'm sure Miss Goodwin would like to retire.
Perhaps you could arrange for her to settle into a guest room and
see she is attended to?"

"No need to remind me of my hostess and
chaperone duties. I know them better than you do," Elizabeth said
tartly. Turning to Lucy, she said, "You look all done in. You've
apparently had a trying day. We'll look at my gowns in the
morning."

Chalifour knew his sister was aching for the
details, but was far too polite to ask about the situation, at
least in front of Lucy. He suspected Elizabeth would corner him
later and the inquisition would begin.

Lucy hadn't been very forthcoming during
their long ride together. Lucy tried to hide her feelings, but
Chalifour sensed Lucy's sexual awareness of him. He also perceived
a different kind of tension in her. This tension had nothing to do
with him. Something was very wrong and he was determined to find
out what. It was time to talk with Dr. Willets.

Rising early the following morning, Chalifour
left to pay a call on Dr. Willets' aunt, Lady Kathryn Deerdan. The
first problem would be locating the good doctor. The second problem
might be getting Dr. Willets to discuss matters he might consider
private. Lady Deerdan could help him solve the first problem. The
second he would just have to work out along the way.