Page 48 of Outrageous

If his words surprised her, they stunned him. He’d never volunteered information of any kind to anyone since returning home. Not even harmless information about his horses.

She opened her mouth, but then closed it.

“Go ahead, you can ask,” he said.

Well. The surprises just kept coming.

“Did you—were they—”

Good God, why had he opened this can of worms?

“Two of them were retired.”

She nodded, her expression somber, so he knew she’d put the pieces together.

“Did you prefer a particular breed?”

Godric laughed rather bitterly and she sat back as if he’d struck her. “I’m not laughing at you,” he said. “I’m laughing because the issue of horse breeds and quality was a major bone of contention for cavalry units. As a regimental colonel I was in charge of purchasing mounts for my men.” And given a pitiful stipend to do so. “You might be aware—as an aspiring breeder—that there is no government stud or formal remount system in place.”

She nodded. “Yes, Papa said the current system was shameful and left soldiers at the mercy of unscrupulous dealers, who often sent broken-down draft horses.”

Perhaps Godric would not dislike his new father-in-law, after all.

“That was true, unless one employed more devious tactics.” Her expression was nearly rapt—and all because he was talking about horse trading. What man could resist a pretty woman regarding him with such a look?

“I frequently found suitable mounts from local sources.” He wondered if she would know what he meant.

She frowned for a moment and then her brow cleared. “Ah.” Her lips pulled up slightly at the corners. “Didn’t that prove difficult at times?”

“Difficult?”

“They would have Portuguese horses—didn’t you have to teach them English?”

Godric grinned at her teasing. “I’m afraid they learned English far more quickly than I learned Portuguese.”

“And did you favor any particular breed?”

“Thoroughbred cross, sturdy—somewhere between fifteen hands to fifteen-three, if it was coming from home.” Wellington had, in fact, tried to insist on no mounts below fifteen hands, but beggars couldn’t be choosers and shipments continued to contain horses much smaller.

“I preferred Hanoverians or Trakehner if I had a choice,” he added.

“Prussian warmbloods.”

Godric nodded. “That was the second to last horse I had—a gelding who was smarter than several generals I could name.” He muttered this last part under his breath, but she heard it and laughed, her expression one of delighted surprise. “What?” he asked rather rudely, and then added, “Why are you looking at me that way?” He left no doubt whom he was mimicking.

“My voice isn’t high and squeaky like that!” she said. Godric laughed and she gave him an amused look. “What way am I looking at you?” she demanded with a smirk he would have called coy on any other woman.

Godric snorted. “It’s not going to happen. I’ve already told you I lack your thespian skills. You never answered my question about why you laughed.”

She shrugged. “I was surprised you would say something so irreverent about the military.”

“It’s not irreverent to state the truth.”

She smiled. “I shall remember that for later.”

This time Godric laughed outright. “Now why am I not—”

The carriage made an awful screeching noise and pitched to one side as the sound of screaming horses drowned out the deafening crack of something striking the carriage.