Winning the Gentleman (Hearts on the Heath #2) - Kristi Ann Hunter Page 0,98

than he was.

“At least Father was unmarried when you were born.”

Aaron hadn’t thought anything could make him smile right then, but there was something humorous about Rigsby finding that particular charge insulting. “I very much hope she’s not related to me in any way,” he murmured. “That would be awkward.”

Rigsby gave a small smile of his own. “That answers my question about the validity of one rumor.”

“Do I need to pull her?”

“It’d be safest.” Rigsby shrugged. “Don’t know that it’s wisest. Some of those jockeys are discussing rather underhanded tactics, but I think they feel safe saying it because they aren’t racing against her. She’s in the two hundred guinea?”

Aaron nodded.

“I’ve got a horse in that one as well and a jockey I trust. I can’t ask him to throw the race, but he’ll keep an eye out for her, try to position his horse between her and some of the others.”

“Why are you doing this?”

“Because it’s the gentlemanly thing to do. No lady deserves to be treated ill.”

“Davers said she wasn’t a lady.” Of all the insults he’d heard, that one cut him the deepest. Sophia only wanted a chance to do what she loved. No one should be disparaged for that.

Rigsby snorted. “Then perhaps it is Davers’s breeding that should be called into question. Sadly, the sport of kings has not enough gentlemen and more than its share of addlepates.”

Stepping away from the fence, Rigsby turned to Aaron. “I received your notes on the three properties. Thank you. I’d rather not have it get around that I’m looking for land.”

“That would increase the price.”

“And get back to Father.” He sighed. “When he gets angry, he tightens the purse strings. At the moment, he isn’t looking into my spending too carefully. He knows I want land, but he hasn’t asked where. I’d like to keep it that way.” With a quick nod, Rigsby strode back toward the stables.

Somewhere along the way, his younger half brother had developed an impressive, refined dignity. There was no question he was a gentleman both born and bred.

Things would be different if Sophia were riding for him.

They would be different if Sophia were kissing him.

Aaron frowned and shook his head free of that thought. Things would be different if Sophia were kissing someone like him. Someone who had the respectability to go with the manners.

The hope for a future that Aaron had allowed to sprout in Sophia’s presence was as substantial as his childhood wish that his father would come back and claim him in truth. Reality had shattered both that dream and him. Hoping for something real with Sophia made him as foolish as the rest of the addlepates in the yard.

No more. He may not be a gentleman, but he still had his wits about him. He’d gone too long thinking he had nothing, but that wasn’t true. What little he had could be pooled together to see that Sophia got everything she wanted. A home. A school. Security.

And he would make sure all of it was safely away from him.

Thirty

At first Sophia had been upset that she was only running one race, but as morning dawned with a dismal grey that could just as easily turn into rain as brighten into watery sunlight, she was glad. Her legs were going to turn to jelly the moment she no longer had anticipation holding them up.

Never would she have dreamed that turning up that day, defiantly holding aloft Aaron’s job offer in desperate hope, would turn into this. There were reports of people sleeping outside last night to ensure a good position from which to watch today’s race.

She didn’t want to know if that meant they wished her well or ill. Of much greater concern was whether there were any among them who wanted to hire a female riding instructor and horse trainer.

Lord Trent parked his carriage atop the dike near the course she would soon be barreling down. She watched two races from the confines of his vehicle.

All too soon she was slipping out of the carriage, the calls of “Good luck!” from Lord Trent and Lady Adelaide echoing in her ears as she made her way toward Aaron and the horses. Thankfully, she was wrapped in one of Lady Adelaide’s coats and a bonnet that was large enough to shield her from any onlookers.

Aaron was waiting with the horses, his attention fixed on her from the moment she came into view until she stood next to him, shucking the coat and