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With that comment, dread filled Verity's chest cavity like a shovel piling in dirt. She tracked her sister’s gaze, only for it to fall on…yes, one handsome, sweat-dripping, god. Loose fitting cotton shirt that she knew would be open at the neck. Just enough for her to see and want him. Currently, his back was turned to them as he walked one of the mares back toward the stable.

As they approached from behind, his steps seemed to quicken, and then just before he made it back to the stable, someone called out.

“Ash!”

Verity’s head whirled about, looking for both the person who summoned and the summoned in question, Ash Calder.

She found Rafe’s hands cupped around his mouth, and then saw Soren slug him in the arm.

“Do you see the Duke of Quleston?” she asked Rafe in confusion, still scanning the area.

“Uh…erm…no.” Rafe scratched the back of his neck while his eyes darted about everywhere except to her.

And then the horse whinnied.

Verity turned back to see the stablehand soothing the horse. The group was fast approaching him, and even though he was as calm as ever, something about him radiated a restless energy.

Once they reached him, everyone waited in anticipation of what their hostess would do. Which was altogether confusing for Verity. What were they waiting for?

“Shall we continue on our walk?” Her back to the horse, she gestured with one arm toward the path that would lead back to the house.

“Aren’t you going to introduce us?” Corisande’s mother, Countess of Bramleigh, asked politely. Though it was a bit more of a demand than Verity expected.

“You’d like an introduction?” she asked, feeling like a ninny, but unsure of what else the countess could mean. She couldn’t possibly mean she wanted an introduction to the horse, could she? And if she wanted an introduction to the stablehand, that was even more odd, and offputting, for no more significant reason than that she didn’t actually know his name.

“This is Blackmare,” she led the group to the horse. “She has a new foal. Only a day old.”

“How…nice,” the countess answered dryly, still in expectation.

For unknown reasons, she wanted to be introduced to the stablehand. And then it hit her. Of course, the countess found him attractive. It was flouting every rule of decorum, and not only that, it felt as though it was violating every sense of possessiveness Verity had. Which was nonsense. If the countess wanted an introduction to the stablehand, who was she to stop them?

“And this is our new stablehand—”

She’d not gotten the words out when the countess and her daughter burst out laughing. “How very droll.”

And that’s when Verity caught sight of her sisters who both had their hands over their mouths. Tempy’s eyes were wide, and then she removed her hands and was mouthing something. And pointing like a crazy person.

What was going on?

“Your Grace, so good to see you,” Corisande dipped a curtsy to the stablehand. To the stablehand.

What the—

And then he let the reins drop, and he was walking toward her with an outstretched hand. This was pushing every scandalous notion Verity had ever had in her mind—

“It’s just a bit we like to play.” His hand was placing hers on his forearm.

“You mean—” the countess looked back and forth between Verity and the man “—you two?” It wasn’t a full sentence though it was a full thought.

Except in Verity’s mind, she was still grappling with what exactly the thought was.

“I guess the secret’s out,” he said, pulling her a little bit closer. Improperly close.

“Wh—”

“Where have you been hiding him? I thought the duke was supposed to be a guest at your house party?” the countess asked.

“He was—” Verity started to say…something.