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“Perfectly all right, Your Grace.” Poole had already straightened his uniform. “Would you or the young marquis care for some refreshment before I take my leave?”
“Nothing, thank you.”
“Then I’ll be going. I shan’t be long, my lord,” Poole added with a meaningful look at Dustin. “If you need anything, just ring for Quinn.”
“Quinn?” Ariana repeated in surprise. “Isn’t he Lord Tyreham’s driver?”
“He is, Your Grace. But prior to that, he was a footman. And, given the onslaught of guests we expect to arrive in conjunction with the races at Epsom, we’ll need additional assistance in the manor. Thus, Quinn has been reassigned and a temporary replacement driver engaged. I’m off to fetch him now.” Poole bowed. “Your Grace, Lord Tyreham, if you’ll excuse me?”
“Of course. Thank you, Poole.” Dustin bit back a smile. If Poole ever tired of his role as a butler, there was definitely a place for him in the theatre.
“Dustin?” Ariana glanced from the now empty doorway to her brother-in-law, looking totally perplexed. “Have we come at a bad time? I know that May is the heart of the spring meetings, but when Trenton returned yesterday, he announced that you wouldn’t be participating in any other races until that jockey you were seeking, Nick Aldridge, had recovered and was back in England.”
“Trent didn’t stay long enough for me to update him on the situation,” Dustin responded smoothly. “I’ve found another jockey, Nick Aldridge’s protégé, as luck would have it. He’s superb. Better than that. He’ll be riding my stallion Dagger in the Derby. Not only riding,” Dustin amended, “but winning.”
“That’s wonderful.” Ariana transferred a wriggling Alexander from Dustin’s arms to hers. “But, in that case, Alexander and I will be on our way.”
“Nonsense. I’m not entered in the second set at Newmarket, nor any other race prior to Epsom. Further, I’m always delighted to see you—and my favorite little tyrant.” A speculative pause. “Although I am a bit curious as to the timing of your visit. After all, Trent was here only yesterday.”
“Alexander and I were en route to town,” Ariana explained, averting her gaze to kiss her son’s brow. “We stopped at Tyreham first.”
“Ah.” Dustin tapped his chin. “Interesting, the last I recall, Surrey wasn’t a convenient stop when traveling from Sussex to London. Have they rerouted a few roads since last I visited Broddington?”
Ariana relaxed into a sheepish grin. “Very well. I used Alexander’s adoration for you as a ruse. Trenton said you seemed a bit preoccupied. He mentioned something about a woman. He thought I might be able to help.”
Dustin’s lips curved. “I see. So you’re here as my advisor.”
“If you recall, you’ve acted as mine,” she reminded him softly. “At a time when I most desperately needed one.”
“I remember.” Dustin nodded, sobering. “Although I sometimes lose sight of the fact that your marriage to Trent wasn’t always as harmonious as it is now.”
“Harmonious?” Ariana shot him an incredulous look. “Quite the opposite. At the onset, it was grim and mercurial, at best. But whenever I reached my lowest point, when I hadn’t a shred of strength or objectivity left, you were there.” She squeezed his forearm. “Let me offer you the same. Please.”
Affection and relief converged inside Dustin’s chest. “Truthfully, I could use some advice,” he conceded. “Lord knows, I’m not doing too well on my own.”
“Say no more.” Ariana gestured toward the window overlooking the drive. “Mrs. Hopkins is waiting in the carriage. Suppose I have her take Alexander to that wonderful playroom you built for him. That will give us time to talk.”
Another grin. “While giving Alexander time to demolish the new toys I’ve added.” Dustin caught Alexander’s fist in his own. “What do you say to that? You and Mrs. Hopkins can play for a bit, and then we’ll all go to the stables. To see the horses,” he added pointedly.
That had the desired effect.
Squealing, Alexander began to pump his arms and legs so vigorously that Ariana had to dodge to avoid his blows.
“I thought so,” Dustin teased. “We now get to the real reason you want to see ‘Un’l’—my thoroughbreds. Very well, you may do both. First toys, then horses.”
Ten minutes later, Alexander and Mrs. Hopkins were settled in the playroom, and Ariana and Dustin were comfortably seated in Tyreham’s green salon.
“Tell me about her,” Ariana began without preliminaries.
Dustin rubbed his palms together, considering the question carefully. “Ariana, this is a very complex situation. There’s a great deal I can’t say, simply because I’ve given my word not to. So I’ll answer what I can and defer what I cannot.”
“All right.” A spark of curiosity lit her turquoise eyes, but she didn’t question his odd conditions.
“I’ve never met anyone like her,” Dustin began quietly. “She’s the utter antithesis of every women I’ve ever been involved with—warmhearted, unaffected, and selfless. Quite frankly, I’d all but abandoned hope that such fineness of character, such inner beauty truly existed—at least for me.” Images of Nicole—astride Dagger’s back, gazing at the stars—flashed through his mind. “We have the same passions, the same dreams. We’d scarcely met, spoken, when I knew she was the one.” Awed, he shook his head. “I never imagined feeling such intense emotion. I think of her constantly, spend most of my waking hours—which, over the past fortnight, have become numerous—devising schemes to make her mine.” His fists knotted in his lap, his voice dropping to a hoarse whisper. “And, while I’m determined to succeed, I’m also terrified that I’ll fail.”
Tears glistened on Ariana’s lashes. “If what you’ve described isn’t love, I don’t know what is.” She rose, came to sit beside him. “Can you tell me her name?”
“No.”
