Not Quite A Gentleman

at the corners of his mouth. He looked altogether unperturbed, unconcerned, and certainly not in the throes of brooding over their time in the cave.

Unable to keep from asking, Victoria said, “May I ask your thoughts?”

He rubbed his hand over his stomach. “I was wondering what Cook planned for lunch. Hopefully something hearty. I’m famished.”

Food. The blasted man was thinking about food. Clamping her jaw shut to prevent her from asking any other questions to which she didn’t want to hear the answers, she remained silent for the remainder of their journey back to the house. As they neared the stables, she noted Lords Sutton and Alwyck standing in the wide doorway, watching them approach. Both men were looking at her intently, and she realized what a disaster her hair must look from the brisk breeze. And Nathan’s long-fingered hands, her inner voice added slyly.

Humph. The wind had wreaked havoc with her coiffure long before Nathan had touched her. Indeed, she was grateful for the gusty wind, for without it she would have no other explanation for her disheveled state.

Sitting astride Midnight, Nathan observed his brother and Gordon watch Victoria approach and decided he didn’t like what saw. Gordon looked at her as if she was a delectable confection and he’d suddenly developed a sweet tooth. Colin’s expression was equally rapt. By the looks of it, neither man would object to taking over his duty of protecting Victoria. A decidedly unpleasant sensation, which he told himself was hunger, gripped his gut.

Nathan’s jaw tightened as he noted that Victoria had barely reined in Honey before Gordon greeted her with a wide smile. “How fetching you look, Lady Victoria.”

She laughed. “You are either excessively gallant or dreadfully nearsighted, Lord Alwyck, for I know I must look a fright. The wind at the beach stole my bonnet, and I fear my coiffure as well.”

“I’m not the least nearsighted,” Colin said, joining them and smiling up at Victoria, “and I agree, you look most fetching. Did you enjoy your visit to the beach?”

“Very much. The scenery was breathtaking and I filled my runaway bonnet with the most lovely shells.”

“I enjoyed myself as well,” Nathan said dryly, reining Midnight next to Victoria’s mount.

“But where is your chaperone, Lady Victoria?” Gordon asked, casting a disapproving glare at Nathan.

“Since when is a chaperone required for a horseback ride in broad daylight?” Nathan cut in, looking at Gordon with a cold expression that dared him to suggest either he or Lady Victoria would act in an untoward fashion. “The rigorous ride and walk to the beach would have been exhausting for Lady Delia.”

Both Gordon and Colin returned their attention to Victoria. Gordon helped her dismount, and Nathan grimly noted that his hands remained on her waist a fraction too long. And that a becoming blush stained Victoria’s cheeks as a result.

He swung down from the saddle. Colin, who held Honey’s reins, handed them to him as if he were a stable hand. Disgruntled in a way he couldn’t ever recall feeling before, Nathan led both horses into the stable, the sound of Victoria’s delighted laughter as she basked in the attention of her two new admirers following him into the shadowy interior. It appeared he’d have to pry her away from Colin and Gordon to get her back to the house to fetch his note. It suddenly occurred to him that if Colin had accompanied Victoria to the cave, his brother’s talented fingers most likely could have already relieved her of the note, but damn it, the thought of Colin putting his hands on her did not set well at all.

“Enjoy your ride, Dr. Nathan?” Hopkins asked, coming from the tack room to greet him.

“It was… stimulating.” And intriguing. He inwardly winced. And painfully arousing.

“Stimulating, eh?” Hopkins nodded thoughtfully. “A ride with a beautiful woman is often just that.” He jerked his head toward the doorway where Colin, Gordon, and Victoria were engaged in a lively conversation. “Seems like there’s some competition fer her attention.”

Nathan’s shoulders tensed. “I’m not in competition for her favors.”

“ ‘Course yer not. She’s got eyes only for you.”

Nathan’s head whipped around to face Hopkins. “What do you mean?”

Clearly his voice was sharper man he’d intended because Hopkins eyed him with a combination of hurt and surprise. “Beg yer pardon, Dr. Nathan. Meant no disrespect. ‘Tis just we used to always speak plainly to each other.”

Nathan dragged a hand through his hair and silently cursed his thoughtlessness. Hopkins had been with his family since before he was born, and he’d always viewed the kindly man who loved horses as much as he did as a friend. “We still can speak plainly,” Nathan said, clasping the older man’s shoulder. “Forgive me. It’s just that your words startled me.”

Hopkins acknowledged the apology with a nod, then said, “Surprises me, that does. Usually yer keen observant. Ye didn’t see the way she looked at ye?”

“As a matter of fact I did. She looked as if she wanted to skewer me then roast me over a slow flame.”

“Yep, that was the look.” Hopkins chuckled. “Got it bad fer ye, she does.” He narrowed his eyes at Nathan. “Wonder if she noticed the way ye look at her?”

“As if I wanted to toss her into the first coach leaving Cornwall?”

“No, like she were a ripe peach ye wanted to pluck. Then feast on.”

Damn it all, when had he become so bloody transparent? Before he could voice a denial, Hopkins chuckled. “And ye don’t look happy about it, either. No point in denyin‘ it. Been able to read ye like a book since ye were a lad.” He squinted toward the now empty doorway. Obviously the trio had walked away. “A well-favored filly, Lady Victoria is. Spirited-I can tell. And a fine rider. Still, a pampered London diamond… not the sort of lady ye used to fancy. And would be my guess that yer not the sort of man she usually takes a shine to.”

“Oh? And what sort of man am I?”

“ ‘Tis more the sort of man yer not. Yer not one of them fancy London swells with yer nose hoisted in the air traipsing from party to club to gamin’ hell and back again. Yer a decent, hardworking man. No offense meant to the lady, but I doubt she’s ever looked twice at someone as lowly as a doctor. Understandable. But she’s lookin‘ now.” He shot Nathan a pointed look. “And yer lookin’ back.”

“You seem to have divined an awful lot in a short amount of time,” Nathan said.

Hopkins shrugged. “ ‘Tis my nature to study folks.”

Before Nathan could make any further reply, a commotion was heard outside, followed by a loud cry that unmistakably came from Victoria. “Oh! What are you doing? Stop!”

Nathan raced toward the doors, Hopkins directly behind him. When he emerged, he skidded to a halt, his gaze raking over the tableau before him. Gordon and Colin, both looking chagrined, knelt next to Victoria, who was crouched down and clutching her hem of her gown. Her face was devoid of color. All three were staring at Petunia, who stood near them, her fuzzy chin working back and forth as she chewed.

Nathan strode forward and crouched next to Victoria, alarmed at her pallor. Grasping her upper arms, he asked tersely, “Are you all right? What happened?”

“That idiotic goat of yours is what happened,” Gordon said, his tone dripping with disgust. “Not only did the beast scare poor Lady Victoria to death, it gnawed a hole in her riding costume. That animal is a menace. Why, it could have bitten her.”

Nathan’s gaze shifted to Petunia, who flicked her tail then sashayed toward the pen. Returning his attention to Victoria, he said, “You’re not hurt, are you?”

After she shook her head, he rose, helping her to her feet. “My apologies. Petunia is famous for nibbling on things she shouldn’t. I’m sure your riding costume can be repaired. If not, I’ll see that it is replaced.”

“It is not my riding costume that concerns me,” she said in a choked voice. She stared up at him with stricken eyes. “It is your note.”

“What about my note?”

“Your goat just ate it.”

Ten