was embarrassed, too, to be touching her in her present state. Mr. Prall’s two bachelor sons seemed shy of the fair sex. “I would love to come a little early to see your horses.”
Reyn brightened, making her fear she was only adding to his wishful thinking. “I’d love to show you my girls. My young gentleman, too. Brutus is a new acquisition. He’s very full of himself at the moment, showing off for his harem.”
Like you, Maris thought. A splendid, viral animal, young and sleek. She felt the blush rise to her cheeks, and fought against the confusion she always felt in Reyn’s presence. At least she wasn’t stammering again.
She had fallen in lust, she who should know better. Lust didn’t last. Would friendship, the kind she had with Henry, ever be possible with a man like Reynold Durant? She pictured him over future tea trays, his dark hair silvering, the smile lines on his face deepening, then shook the homey aspect from her head. She was in no position to anticipate a future with anyone but her coming child.
“It’s settled then. Shall we say next Tuesday? I’ll come for you at five o’clock. There will be plenty of daylight for you to visit the stables.”
Maris meant to object. She had a perfectly good carriage, and Stephen or his brother Samuel could drive her to Merrywood. But if Reyn came to fetch her, she’d have some time alone with him, only minutes really as their properties were so close. She didn’t want to deny herself the bliss of sitting close, inhaling sandalwood and leather. She might, if she was very foolish, allow him that kiss he spoke of the other day, One kiss only. Just a taste, like an amuse-bouche to keep her lust at bay.
She was a wicked woman—a widow, pregnant and ungainly—desirous of something she could not have. Could never have. For one instant she cursed Henry for placing her in this untenable position. He must have known how it would be for her, awakened and alone, and still his plan to thwart David Kelby trumped all. They knew Henry would not live forever, but Maris had never fully understood what it would be like. She faced a lifetime of self-sacrifice to the Kelby name and collection if she bore a son. What had seemed natural, given her esteem for Henry, was suddenly a heavy burden, robbing her of whatever pleasure she might have discovered on her own as an unencumbered woman.
Resentment against Henry and her own naiveté would not help her get through the next few months, however. She must be as mindful of her humors as to what she ate and how she exercised. The poor baby had endured enough grief in its burgeoning life, but Maris’s tears were firmly behind her. They had to be.
“Yes, Captain Durant. I shall be ready.” She lowered her eyes so that she would not see the blaze of joy in his.
Chapter 25
Tuesday had inched along all too slowly. It wasn’t as if he didn’t have a thousand things with which to occupy himself. Reyn was nothing if not busy, nearly overwhelmed with calculations on each of the girls. He was keeping notes and an estral calendar for all of them, having sense enough to know he did not want to be up to his elbows delivering their foals all on the same night. Brutus was anxious to begin his work, but would have to be satisfied with a few mares at a time rather than the whole lot at once.
Some of his horses had already been bred before he purchased Merrywood, and Reyn was anxiously anticipating the new arrivals. He’d even forced himself to sit and get through most of a monograph on the delivery of foals, laboring over each sentence.
He would not see any profit for well over a year, but had enough emerald money left over to keep himself in bread and cheese and his horses in hay if he was frugal. With Ginny married, there would be fewer expenditures on Merrywood, too. He could live with the tilting floors and tattered curtains.
He wouldn’t let himself think of Maris moving in.
If she agreed to marry him eventually, they could make their home at Hazel Grange, anyway. He couldn’t subject his countess to less comfort than she was used to. The Grange was a very handsome house, beautifully appointed, a fine place to raise a family. The combined acreage of the two properties would be enough to support