Winning the Gentleman (Hearts on the Heath #2) - Kristi Ann Hunter Page 0,15

suppose Margaret did that?” she asked softly.

“Because she knows we’ve been taken advantage of? Because she hates Mr. Notley and thinks this will make him lose money? Maybe she thinks her daughter can do what you do.” He sighed. “To be honest, it doesn’t matter.”

Jonas was right. What mattered was that a window of hope had opened through unexpected means and Sophia was going to crawl through it.

“If I’m good enough,” she whispered, “other people will hire me. This is the beginning, Jonas. This is what will create the foundation for us to reestablish Father’s school.”

Jonas grunted but said nothing. Did he also feel the danger of speaking their real dream too loudly?

Neither of them had a watch, so they weren’t sure of the time, but the rising sun gave them a good idea. The increasing number of homes and the distant estates indicated they were nearing Newmarket. The Heath, her destination, had to be close.

Jonas pried the reins from Sophia’s fingers and then pressed her bag into her arms. “I’ll take her. You’ll want your bag with you since it will be a day or two before we can meet up.”

Reality hit her hard in the middle, and she hugged her bag closer. How long had it been since they’d spent a full day apart—much less two?

Her brother’s callused hand covered hers and squeezed. “It’s going to be all right, Soph. God promised to never fail us nor forsake us.” He gave a twisted grin and a one-shouldered shrug. “Since Israel got that promise, besmirched though it was, what we’re doing isn’t going to send Him running.”

That Jonas had said we gave her some comfort. They might be apart, but that didn’t mean they weren’t still in this together. “How will I find you?”

Jonas looked around and then pointed to a knoll with a cluster of trees. “I’ll meet you there tomorrow. I’ll head that direction to find a place, then return in the morning and hide in those trees. If things go badly this morning, you can stay there until I find you. If they go well, you meet me there as soon as you can. I’ll go every day until I see you.”

Sophia swallowed. As always, Jonas had constructed a plan that saw to all the flaws she’d been in too much of a hurry to consider. From here, she was going to be on her own, though.

Jonas wrapped his arm around her and pulled her into a tight hug before giving her one last nod and leaving the road to cut across the fields still wet with morning dew.

She would not cry. If she was going to claim this job, she had to be tough. Resilient. Mr. Whitworth wasn’t going to like that she was female. Others might not like it either. Some didn’t even care for a woman performing in the circus. Were racehorse owners likely to be more inclined to accept female riders?

She didn’t need anyone’s approval, though, only their money.

Wiping her hands against the rough fabric of her skirt, she shifted her bag so that it rode more easily on her shoulder and walked on. Fabric bunched around her legs as her loose trousers rubbed and clung to the fabric of the overlying skirt. It wasn’t an outfit made for walking, but she didn’t think there would be time or a place for her to change before the race. This outfit allowed her to ride astride with modesty. Riding sidesaddle at length wasn’t always comfortable. She doubted it was the best way to race, either.

She felt every wisp of breeze, heard every twitch and rustle in the grass. As she approached the Heath, a trembling worked from her knees upward, making her stumble as she left the road. The Heath was beautiful, but the small gathering coming into view held her attention and kept her from taking in the full expanse.

In the distance were several clusters of people. Some were standing, others were seated in open carriages. A scattering of men on horseback trickled toward her across the expanse and ended at a grouping of two horses and three men, one of whom held the reins of a sleek black horse with one hand and his pocket watch in the other. His clothing was crisp, though his hair bore the disarray that comes from spending a great deal of time without a hat on while atop a horse.

The coat was blue today instead of burgundy, but it was the same man who had