“Yes. It’s nice and straight here until the bend.” He pointed to a place far down the road.
Georgie gazed in the direction he indicated. “I can barely see it from here.” She glanced around, pleased to find no hedgerows. There was a sparse planting of trees to one side and a meadow beyond. On the other side was the river. Neither would prove dangerous if one fell from a horse. “It is almost perfect.”
Turley flashed her a boyish grin. “We used to think so. Isn’t that right, Johnson?”
The groom was sitting on the grass with his back against a tree. “Aye, it is, Master Gavin.”
Georgie could not stop the laughter that came bubbling out. “I see he is used to you and Frits and your antics.”
“When we were boys.” Turley narrowed his gaze at the groom. “But that was a long time ago.”
“Not that long ago. Remember it like it was yesterday, I do.” Johnson tapped his nose. “And that’s a good thing too. Won’t be long afore I have another young’un to train to a pony.”
Now, that was interesting. “I had no idea you and Frits learned to ride together.”
Turley swung onto his horse in one fluid movement, and her heartbeat quickened. “My mother and his mother were great friends. We used to spend a lot of time together as boys.”
“That must have been wonderful.” Georgie’s best friends were her sisters—when they were not squabbling. “I would have loved to have had a good friend when I was growing up.”
His brow furrowed. “Why didn’t you?”
“There were no girls around my age, and I did not attend school.” Then she smiled. “I had my sisters, and I do have good friends now, and that is what matters.”
Turley gazed at her with a considering look. “I had not thought of it before, but my sister was in the same position of not having friends when she was growing up. Unfortunately, we had no other brothers or sisters. It was just the two of us.” He gave himself a shake. “Are you ready to race?”
That was more than he had ever told her about himself. What more could she learn while they were here? “Yes. Let’s race. On the count of three?”
“Johnson?” Gavin called.
“Aye, Master Gavin.” A smile cracked the groom’s weathered face. “One, two, three.”
Lilly threw her heart into the race and they ran neck and neck until the end. Georgie brought her mare to a walk. “That was fun!”
“She’s a lot faster than I thought she would be.” Turley gave Lilly a long appraisal. “What is her lineage?”
“She is a descendant of Eclipse. Her mother is descended from the Byerley Turk.” Georgie leaned over and stroked Lilly’s neck. “I had the opportunity to have her trained to race, but I decided I would rather she remain my riding horse.”
“I can almost understand that.” Turley gave Georgie a rueful grin. What gentleman would not want such a horse to race? Fortunately, neither her father nor brother were interested in the sport. “Yet, you two appear to have a strong bond. I doubt she would have been a happy racehorse.”
She could not but agree. “I think you are right. She much prefers to be a pampered hack.” They turned by mutual consent and walked the horses back to the start of the path. His horse, although much larger, was a good match with Lilly. “Would you like to have one more race?”
“I’d like that.” He glanced at Lilly and sighed. “What I could have done with a horse like her.”
Georgie chuckled. “I will eventually breed her. Perhaps you would like one of her offspring.”
He took several moments before he responded. “Perhaps.”
When they returned Johnson seemed to be asleep. “We will have to count for ourselves.”
Turley glanced at the sleeping groom. “Don’t be so sure about that. Let’s start back down the lane and see what he does.”
They had not got the length of a horse when the older man said, “If you’re goin’ back, you’ll have to wait for me.”
Once again, Georgie started to chuckle. She had not laughed so much in a long time, and it felt good. “I think Lord Turley was teaching me a lesson. You see, I thought you were sleeping. We have decided to race one more time.”
“Well then.” The groom gave Turley an approving look. “Get ready, and I’ll count.”
On the count of three Georgie gave Lilly her head. The mare dashed down the track but Lochinvar stayed right with her until just before the bend in the road when he drew ahead. The mare gave a neigh and tossed her head. “She doesn’t seem happy that your horse won.”
