jockey.”
“You are aware that the entry fee is two hundred fifty
pounds?” he asked.
Diana fingered the strand of pearls at her neck. “I was hoping
you could make me a loan against these.”
Edward gave her an apologetic look. “I’m so sorry, my dear,
but I just don’t have that much available to me at such short no-
tice. Had I only a day to send to London...”
“There’s no time.” Her spirits plummeted. “The race is to-
morrow.”
“Then I’ll speak to DeVere,” Edward said. “I’ll ask him for a
personal loan. He need never know what it is for.”
“No,” Diana protested. “I won’t presume on your friendship
like that. If anyone must go to DeVere, let it be me.”
Edward colored. “I don’t know if that is the wisest course, Di-
ana. Although he’s my closest friend, he’s not to be trusted where
women are concerned.”
“What I propose is a simple business transaction,” she argued.
“Simple?” Edward laughed. “That’s where you are wrong my
dear. Nothing is ever simple with DeVere. I fear any transaction
made with him will be much more than you bargained for.”
45
The Devil You Know
“I thank you for the word of warning, dear Edward, but rest
assured, I am not susceptible to such men. DeVere may accept or
decline my proposal as he wishes.”
Diana didn’t have to w ***
ait long for an answer to her message.
Within an hour of DeVere’s return, he sent word via a footman
for her to meet him in his private withdrawing room. She was
surprised to find him waiting for her, looking like he had just fin-
ished his toilette. His black hair was damp and hung loosely about
his shoulders. He was informally clothed in a dressing gown over
his smallclothes and devoid of cravat over his fine lawn shirt. Di-
ana struggled to pull her gaze from the strong column of his neck,
a sight that seemed almost illicit in its visual appeal. His state of
casual undress made her oddly uncomfortable, as if he implied
they were on terms of some intimacy, rather than near-strangers.
DeVere swept her an almost-mocking bow.
“A thousand pardons for interrupting you,” Diana said. “But
I have a personal matter that Edward felt you might be inclined
to assist with.”
He replied with his sardonic smile. “And you have come to
me? How extraordinary. Whatever it might be, you may consider
me at your disposal.”
“While I appreciate your graciousness, my lord, I would nev-
er accept such a blank check from anyone.”
He inclined his head to a velvet-covered settee. “Then pray
tell me what I can do for you.” He waited for her to settle her
skirts and then joined her, draping an arm casually over the back.
Diana shifted forward on the seat, all too aware of the tantaliz-
ing and unsettling fusion of sandalwood shaving soap and musky
male. His proximity and scent were a combined assault that jan-
gled her nerves and made her breath quicken. Diana fussed with
a fold in her skirts, not daring to meet his gaze straight-on for fear
he might be able to read her lustful thoughts.
“It concerns the races tomorrow.” She glanced up to find De-
Vere studying her with an inscrutable expression. “I wish to make
a late entry.”
“But hasn’t Lord Reginald already entered a horse to race?”
“He has, but there is another...a mare. I want to run her.”
“There can only be one entry per owner.”
46
Victoria Vane
“But I am the owner,” she said. “The mare is mine. We had
brought her to Epsom for breeding, but now I wish her to race.”
He looked puzzled. “You would wager against your own
husband?”
“Yes. My mare is the better horse.”
His brows shot up. “That’s quite an extraordinary claim.”
“She is an extraordinary mare. I raised this horse, my lord,
bottle-fed her when her dam rejected her. She was such a puny
thing, we never thought she’d survive, let alone race, but she’s
fleet as a gazelle. In truth, I was glad to
“You are aware that the entry fee is two hundred fifty
pounds?” he asked.
Diana fingered the strand of pearls at her neck. “I was hoping
you could make me a loan against these.”
Edward gave her an apologetic look. “I’m so sorry, my dear,
but I just don’t have that much available to me at such short no-
tice. Had I only a day to send to London...”
“There’s no time.” Her spirits plummeted. “The race is to-
morrow.”
“Then I’ll speak to DeVere,” Edward said. “I’ll ask him for a
personal loan. He need never know what it is for.”
“No,” Diana protested. “I won’t presume on your friendship
like that. If anyone must go to DeVere, let it be me.”
Edward colored. “I don’t know if that is the wisest course, Di-
ana. Although he’s my closest friend, he’s not to be trusted where
women are concerned.”
“What I propose is a simple business transaction,” she argued.
“Simple?” Edward laughed. “That’s where you are wrong my
dear. Nothing is ever simple with DeVere. I fear any transaction
made with him will be much more than you bargained for.”
45
The Devil You Know
“I thank you for the word of warning, dear Edward, but rest
assured, I am not susceptible to such men. DeVere may accept or
decline my proposal as he wishes.”
Diana didn’t have to w ***
ait long for an answer to her message.
Within an hour of DeVere’s return, he sent word via a footman
for her to meet him in his private withdrawing room. She was
surprised to find him waiting for her, looking like he had just fin-
ished his toilette. His black hair was damp and hung loosely about
his shoulders. He was informally clothed in a dressing gown over
his smallclothes and devoid of cravat over his fine lawn shirt. Di-
ana struggled to pull her gaze from the strong column of his neck,
a sight that seemed almost illicit in its visual appeal. His state of
casual undress made her oddly uncomfortable, as if he implied
they were on terms of some intimacy, rather than near-strangers.
DeVere swept her an almost-mocking bow.
“A thousand pardons for interrupting you,” Diana said. “But
I have a personal matter that Edward felt you might be inclined
to assist with.”
He replied with his sardonic smile. “And you have come to
me? How extraordinary. Whatever it might be, you may consider
me at your disposal.”
“While I appreciate your graciousness, my lord, I would nev-
er accept such a blank check from anyone.”
He inclined his head to a velvet-covered settee. “Then pray
tell me what I can do for you.” He waited for her to settle her
skirts and then joined her, draping an arm casually over the back.
Diana shifted forward on the seat, all too aware of the tantaliz-
ing and unsettling fusion of sandalwood shaving soap and musky
male. His proximity and scent were a combined assault that jan-
gled her nerves and made her breath quicken. Diana fussed with
a fold in her skirts, not daring to meet his gaze straight-on for fear
he might be able to read her lustful thoughts.
“It concerns the races tomorrow.” She glanced up to find De-
Vere studying her with an inscrutable expression. “I wish to make
a late entry.”
“But hasn’t Lord Reginald already entered a horse to race?”
“He has, but there is another...a mare. I want to run her.”
“There can only be one entry per owner.”
46
Victoria Vane
“But I am the owner,” she said. “The mare is mine. We had
brought her to Epsom for breeding, but now I wish her to race.”
He looked puzzled. “You would wager against your own
husband?”
“Yes. My mare is the better horse.”
His brows shot up. “That’s quite an extraordinary claim.”
“She is an extraordinary mare. I raised this horse, my lord,
bottle-fed her when her dam rejected her. She was such a puny
thing, we never thought she’d survive, let alone race, but she’s
fleet as a gazelle. In truth, I was glad to
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