The Devil You Know (The Devil DeVere #3)(34)

Comprehension and stark terror simultaneously washed over Reggie. “How much did he pay you?” he asked. “I’ll double it!”

“Will you now?” The stranger scratched his grizzled chin. “Show me your gold, and mayhap we can strike a bargain.”

“I haven’t any on my person,” Reggie said in a voiced strangled by panic as the man advanced upon him. “But I can provide surety.”

“Can ye, indeed?”

“The horse! Take the horse. He’s a champion, worth at least five hundred guineas.”

The stranger stepped back to appraise the animal. “Aye, sure enough. But trouble is govn’r, a horse like this ‘un be none too easy to fence. Besides, our mutual acquaintance be a gent with a far reach.”

He doffed his hat and shook his greasy head with a mocking bow. “I fear I must decline yer generous offer.”

“Then what do you want from me?”

“Ah, ‘tis nothing personal-like, yer lardship. The question is what our friend wants. Yer a ruined man and far worse, a cheat. Our friend don’t like to be crossed and can’t abide a cheat. Now was you a gentl’man proper and like to conduct yerself as such, ‘e might hae trusted ye to take the gentl’manly solution on yer own, but being that yer a craven piece of shite, I’ve been asked to lend me assistance.” A pistol appeared from beneath the black coat. The stranger consulted his time piece. “They be starting the race any moment now. So, yer lardship, I ask what is your pleasure? Through the mouf or the ears?”

Lord Reggie answered with an incomprehensible whimper. As the muzzle entered his mouth, he suffered the final humiliation of the warm wet trickle of urine down the thighs of his breeches.

To those out on the down, the report of fire was a mere echo to the starter’s pistol that commenced the first race.





Chapter Eleven


“I’m sorry I couldn’t do anything with the officials,” said Edward with an apologetic look to Diana. “I’m afraid Reggie’s entry fee is also now forfeit.”

Diana worried her lower lip.”I cannot imagine what must have happened, unless perhaps, the horse went lame. But to be honest, it makes not the slightest difference to me, as his plans assuredly never included paying off his debts. I’m just glad to see Hew and Cartimandua out there with the mares.”

“This should be an interesting contest, indeed, given DeVere won the first race,” said Edward.

“If we do see DeVere and Hew matched against one another, who would you put your money on?” Diana asked.

“We’ll that’s an interesting question.” Edward laughed. “We’ll just have to wait and see now, won’t we?”

Annalee squeezed Diana’s hand. “Let us just hope Hew and the mare have a great run.”

The contenders jigged and pranced to the starting post, six sleek and snorting specimens of muscle and sinew. At the starting signal, the pack bolted, their thunderous iron-shod hooves quaking the ground and hurling projectiles of turf heavenward in a unified stam-pede that in mere seconds was lost on the horizon. Edward pulled out his timepiece. “By my reckoning, the herd should come back into view in about two minutes.”

To Diana, it seemed an eternity.

The same earth-shaking rumble preceded the herd. Diana shaded her eyes as she strained to determine the color of the lead horse and the jockey’s silks. There were two riders neck-and-neck, lengths ahead of the rest as they approached the finish. Diana perched at the edge of her seat, her heart galloping in rhythm with the hammering hoof beats to see an emerald green rider on a lanky, dappled grey and a red and gold jockey on a horse the color of copper. It was Hew! With just a few furlongs to go, Diana’s fists were clenched, her nails gouging the flesh of her palms. She held her breath until she was lightheaded, and still, they battled for the finish. With only yards to go, she could bear it no longer; she closed her eyes on a prayer.

“She did it!” Annalee shrieked. “Diana, your horse has won her race!”

The two DeVeres

***

dismounted at the stables, handing off their respective horses for hot walking whilst bantering and chiding one another in true brotherly fashion. With a number of lesser matches taking place before the event culmination, Ludovic had planned a grand al fresco nuncheon at Woodcote Park for the owners and other eminent guests, but now all he could think of was Diana and how soon he might get her back in his bed.

She was a damned handsome woman and an enthusiastic lover, but there was much more than that. Something about her appealed to him at a distinctly visceral level he had never experienced. Perhaps it was the raw honesty of her emotions, the vulnerability that she tried so hard to conceal. Whatever it was incited a peculiar and contradic-tory impulse to both exploit and protect her.

He couldn’t remember the last time he’d been so bloody distracted by a woman. He’d barely been able to concentrate on his earlier ride. He would be in no condition to ride against Hew unless he could somehow manage to get her alone for a surreptitious f*ck in the interim between races. Surely that would take the edge off. He returned to the house eager to engineer just that, but was waylaid by well-wishers.

“That was quite a ride, Vic!” Ned clapped him on the back. “Can’t decide where to lay my money now between you and Hew.”