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Authors: Anne Mallory
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off!"
Shouts and cries greeted the announcement as the gate went up. Prime horseflesh rounded the track. The crowd urged the riders on and the riders drove the beasts forth.
" Come on, Devil’s Own!"
" Get in there, Cypress Tale! "
"Knock it loose, Credinburgh’s Bane!"
The stands were full of people actively engaged in betting and cheering, seeing and being seen. It was a gorgeous spring day with a crisp breeze and no clouds in the sky. The day reflected the crowd’s mood.
Calliope lapped up the excitement. She wished Deirdre had been able to join them, but rehearsals were in full swing for the new show set to open next month, and the weekend trip to Newmarket had been out of the question. Robert was in the crowd somewhere, but was keeping his distance in public.
"Let’s look at the horses in the next race," Stephen suggested.
Calliope put her hand on his arm and they joined the crowd of onlookers. The horses fascinated her. She had never learned to ride, and the powerful beasts were captivating on the track.
They didn’t look nearly so primal when they were being danced in the park with delicate ladies perched side-saddle.
A gorgeous, spirited black stallion caught her attention.
"I like number five."
Stephen smiled and rolled up the sheet of statistics. "Excellent choice. I believe I will also choose five."
Stephen escorted her back to their seats and left to place their bets. He usually read all of the statistics aloud. Odd he hadn’t this time.
"Esmerelda, a pleasure to see you."
Calliope turned in her seat and smiled at Marcus Stewart, who always managed to appear somewhat of a fallen angel with his dark hair and golden eyes. "Good afternoon, Lord Roth. I haven’t seen you since the Campton party last week. Are you enjoying the afternoon at the Heath?"
Marcus unrepentantly sank into Stephen’s chair. "I am. And how have you fared? Are you winning or will Chalmers be required to pawn his new townhouse?"
Calliope grinned. "I am up twenty pounds."
"Good to hear. Where is the boy, anyway?"
The "boy" was only a few years younger than Marcus.
"He is placing our bets."
"Ah, yes, the feature race of the afternoon. Should be a good one. Which horse did you choose?"
"Number five."
Marcus cocked a brow. “Thor? Speaking of which, I haven’t seen that boy either. Where is he?"
Calliope didn’t hide her confusion as Marcus scrutinized the other spectators. "Would have thought he’d be here to watch Thor." Marcus snorted. "The names he gives his animals. If I didn’t know better I’d say he had vanity problems."
"Who?"
"Roth, get out of my chair."
Stephen nudged Marcus with his foot. Marcus winked at her, ignoring her question. "Chalmers never did like competition from the older folk."
Stephen rolled his eyes. "Yes, Grandfather. Now out of my chair."
Marcus took his time unfolding his long legs and standing up. "Ah, there’s the other youngling. Think I’ll go put a bee in his bonnet, too. "
Calliope followed his gaze. Angelford and Stella were strolling through the crowd. Stella was beautiful in a pale yellow day dress. Calliope would have bet all her winnings it was the garment Angelford had ordered from Madame Giselle.
Marcus moved toward them, and Stephen sat down.
"All set. I put all our winnings on number five. "
"All our winnings on one horse? All on Thor?"
Stephen looked surprised. "I thought you didn’t know the horse."
.
"I didn’t, but Marcus volunteered the name. Said something about the owner and his vanity."
Stephen laughed and hit his knee with one hand. "I wouldn’t put it past Roth to say it to his face either."
"Who?"
"The race is beginning ! "
Calliope focused on the gate. The gun sounded, the gate opened and eight magnificent beasts surged forth. The riders leaned forward, their bodies moving in unison with the
Shouts and cries greeted the announcement as the gate went up. Prime horseflesh rounded the track. The crowd urged the riders on and the riders drove the beasts forth.
" Come on, Devil’s Own!"
" Get in there, Cypress Tale! "
"Knock it loose, Credinburgh’s Bane!"
The stands were full of people actively engaged in betting and cheering, seeing and being seen. It was a gorgeous spring day with a crisp breeze and no clouds in the sky. The day reflected the crowd’s mood.
Calliope lapped up the excitement. She wished Deirdre had been able to join them, but rehearsals were in full swing for the new show set to open next month, and the weekend trip to Newmarket had been out of the question. Robert was in the crowd somewhere, but was keeping his distance in public.
"Let’s look at the horses in the next race," Stephen suggested.
Calliope put her hand on his arm and they joined the crowd of onlookers. The horses fascinated her. She had never learned to ride, and the powerful beasts were captivating on the track.
They didn’t look nearly so primal when they were being danced in the park with delicate ladies perched side-saddle.
A gorgeous, spirited black stallion caught her attention.
"I like number five."
Stephen smiled and rolled up the sheet of statistics. "Excellent choice. I believe I will also choose five."
Stephen escorted her back to their seats and left to place their bets. He usually read all of the statistics aloud. Odd he hadn’t this time.
"Esmerelda, a pleasure to see you."
Calliope turned in her seat and smiled at Marcus Stewart, who always managed to appear somewhat of a fallen angel with his dark hair and golden eyes. "Good afternoon, Lord Roth. I haven’t seen you since the Campton party last week. Are you enjoying the afternoon at the Heath?"
Marcus unrepentantly sank into Stephen’s chair. "I am. And how have you fared? Are you winning or will Chalmers be required to pawn his new townhouse?"
Calliope grinned. "I am up twenty pounds."
"Good to hear. Where is the boy, anyway?"
The "boy" was only a few years younger than Marcus.
"He is placing our bets."
"Ah, yes, the feature race of the afternoon. Should be a good one. Which horse did you choose?"
"Number five."
Marcus cocked a brow. “Thor? Speaking of which, I haven’t seen that boy either. Where is he?"
Calliope didn’t hide her confusion as Marcus scrutinized the other spectators. "Would have thought he’d be here to watch Thor." Marcus snorted. "The names he gives his animals. If I didn’t know better I’d say he had vanity problems."
"Who?"
"Roth, get out of my chair."
Stephen nudged Marcus with his foot. Marcus winked at her, ignoring her question. "Chalmers never did like competition from the older folk."
Stephen rolled his eyes. "Yes, Grandfather. Now out of my chair."
Marcus took his time unfolding his long legs and standing up. "Ah, there’s the other youngling. Think I’ll go put a bee in his bonnet, too. "
Calliope followed his gaze. Angelford and Stella were strolling through the crowd. Stella was beautiful in a pale yellow day dress. Calliope would have bet all her winnings it was the garment Angelford had ordered from Madame Giselle.
Marcus moved toward them, and Stephen sat down.
"All set. I put all our winnings on number five. "
"All our winnings on one horse? All on Thor?"
Stephen looked surprised. "I thought you didn’t know the horse."
.
"I didn’t, but Marcus volunteered the name. Said something about the owner and his vanity."
Stephen laughed and hit his knee with one hand. "I wouldn’t put it past Roth to say it to his face either."
"Who?"
"The race is beginning ! "
Calliope focused on the gate. The gun sounded, the gate opened and eight magnificent beasts surged forth. The riders leaned forward, their bodies moving in unison with the
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