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Excerpt: Never Dare a Hellion
Neverhartts Book Three
Prologue
A warm summer breeze tousled Lady Christiana Neverhartt’s loose, pale blonde curls. Not that she cared. Her maid would have a fit when she had to disentangle them later, but for now, it was worth every second she spent outdoors. She hated being cooped up inside. Most days, her parents didn’t pay her any attention. They were too embroiled in their own affairs, and that suited Chris fine.
“Where are we going?” Carolina asked. Her twin sister’s blonde curls were plaited, and no strands dared come undone. Chris and Carly were identical in appearance, but Chris tended to be more unruly in personality and form. “Shouldn’t we go inside?”
“Carly I am disappointed in you.” Chris wrinkled her nose. “There are more adventurous things than burying your nose in a book.”
“I could say I’m equally disappointed in you. A well-educated mind will help you far more in life than all these schemes you devise.” Carly lifted her chin. “Besides, some adventures can only truly be discovered inside the pages of a book. Ladies are not given the same choices as men.”
“Well, I don’t care,” she told her sister. “I’m going to do whatever I choose, and all the gentlemen who stand in my way will rue the day they tried to stop me.”
Carly chuckled. “Somehow, I think you’ll do it too.” She shook her head. “I’m not as brave as you are.”
“But you’re much smarter,” Chris told her. “We have to use the gifts given to us if we hope to have any say in our lives.” She hugged her sister, then stepped back. “Don’t worry. I’ll be brave enough for the both of us.”
She fully intended to. Their older sisters, Billie and Teddy, tried to look out for them, but there was only so much they could do. It was the way things were. Chris and Carly were barely five and ten. Teddy was two years older, and Billie three. Their parents hadn’t been the best and often neglected them. Chris feared what would happen if their father managed to bankrupt them completely.
“I don’t need you to be brave for me,” Carly said, bringing Chris out of her own thoughts. “I need you to be a little more considerate of the consequences to your actions.”
“I can’t make any promises,” Chris said solemnly. “I’ll break them, and you know it.”
Carly sighed. “Fine. Let’s do something less risky today, and then I can return to my book.”
“What did you have in mind?” Chris lifted a brow. It wouldn’t be as daring as something she’d plan, but Carly could surprise her from time to time.
Her twin tilted her head to the side and tapped her chin with her forefinger. “We haven’t been riding in a while.”
“We only have one horse.” Chris rolled her eyes. For their birthday the previous year, their father had given them a horse to share. It was irritating because they couldn’t go riding together. It was a surprise that he’d given them something so extravagant to begin with. On any other birthday, they’d been lucky he’d remembered it at all. They did adore that horse though.
“We can ride together. It’ll be fun.”
“You don’t think that would be too risky?” She lifted a brow. “We won’t be able to ride properly if we do.”
“Then we won’t,” Carly replied and then shrugged. “We’ll ride like men and have Calliope run at a full gallop.” She leaned close and taunted her, “Unless you’re too afraid.”
“Nothing scares me.” Chris would not admit if she were. She had to act the part even when she was terrified. Sometimes she was scared, but didn’t feel as if she could actually show any weakness. With the constant turmoil they lived in she didn’t believe she could afford to give in, and let her fears rule her. She had to be strong, for herself, and for her family. “Let’s do it.”
They walked side by side toward the stables. It took them a quarter hour to reach them. Most of the horses and carriages had been sold to pay household bills. They had one carriage and matching pair, and Calliope. The mare was a deep chestnut with a black mane and tail. She was beautiful.
“This was a grand idea,” Chris said. “I’m glad you suggested it.”
They walked into the stables and stopped short. Their father was inside by Calliope’s stall. There was a younger gentleman with him. He had dark hair so black it was the color of the night sky. He had a lean build and held himself with a confidence that was almost disconcerting.
“She looks pretty enough,” the man said.
“She’s the best. I promise,” their father told him.
The man stared at Calliope and frowned. “I don’t like this. I’d prefer you pay your debt in another way.”
Their father shook his head. “Unless you want me to give you one of my daughters as payment, the horse is all I have.”
Chris had never been so appalled in her life. Surely he wasn’t serious? Would he really consider selling one of them to pay a debt. Her stomach churned, and she felt as if she might lose the contents within it. She couldn’t let her father do it. That was her horse, and she wanted to keep it. She stomped forward and demanded, “What are you doing?”
“Go inside,” her father ordered. His eyes had widened with surprise when he first caught sight of them, but it had quickly turned to anger. Chris was famililar with this reaction. He was embarrassed he’d been caught doing something his family wouldn’t approve of. Not that he’d apologize. Her father didn’t believe in saying he was sorry for anything. “This has nothing to do with you.”
“It has everything to do with me,” she told him. “That’s my horse.”
“I do not have time for your theatrics. Go. Inside. Now.” Her father’s tone was harsh and unrelenting. Chris knew she shouldn’t push him, but she couldn’t stop once she started.
“No,”
