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cess. It is most enlightening, you know. Perhaps you will learn something.”
His sneer became only more pronounced at her disbelieving expression.
“You have never seen a stallion cover a mare before, have you, Frances?”
She shook her head, mute. Such a thing wasn’t allowed. She’d never considered, never thought that ...
“You will be present, my dear.”
“I can’t, you know that! It isn’t proper, only men should—”
“Why, my dear wife, I thought you were intensely interested in every facet of this enterprise. It doesn’t bother you that only men watch a stallion mount a mare? Such insensitive brutes—the men and the stallion, of course. Perhaps you could demand that the stallion cover the mare in the dark. Spare the poor mare’s sensibilities and all that.”
“Stop it, Hawk!”
His voice hardened. “You will be present, my dear, and I will stand right beside you. If you have questions, I will be delighted to answer them for you. For example, you might wonder what the stallion uses to impregnate the mare. I will point out all his endowments. Perhaps you will notice some slight parallel, who knows?”
Her face was washed clean of color. It wasn’t done, she couldn’t imagine standing, watching, with men about, knowing that ... “I can’t,” she said. Her chin went up. “I won’t.”
He was fairly amiable now. “If you refuse me, I shall tie you up and bring you here. Then I wonder what the men will think?”
“This is my punishment,” she said slowly, looking toward the paddock.
“A lesson, certainly. When is our mare to arrive for her, ah, experience?”
“Soon,” said Frances, “very soon. Lord Danvers will remain the night, of course. He wishes the mare to remain until ...” Her voice dropped off as a stone from a high sheer cliff.
“Until she is impregnated. Of course, the mare is willing to be impregnated, and even if she weren’t willing, she would be forced to accept the stallion. She would be held quite securely so he could mount her. And men, of course, do the holding ... and the guiding, as it were.”
Frances realized there was no hope for it. She couldn’t begin to imagine what Lord Danvers would think about a lady’s presence at the mating. It was a humiliating thought. Perhaps he would protest, perhaps he would force Hawk to allow her to leave. No, that wouldn’t happen.
“Usually, the mare is ... well, you will observe firsthand, won’t you, my dear?” He didn’t expect an answer. He released her arm, and she quickly stepped away from him.
“Frances, attend me.”
She turned unwilling to face him.
“You will be present. If you flee, I swear that you will regret it. Do you understand me?”
“I understand,” she said. She added under her breath, “You miserable bastard!”
Hawk laughed. “Oh, my dear,” he said, “of course Lord Danvers won’t be present at your education. We will wait until he is well gone from Desborough Hall.”
At least, she thought, he was sparing her some humiliation, but not much.
Lord Danvers and his entourage arrived within the hour. He was a bluff, good-natured man in his early fifties. He greeted Frances graciously, then turned immediately to Hawk. “Pleased, I am, my lord, that you’ve started the stud up again. My Miss Margaret is ready to breed, and I don’t mind telling you, I’ve always wanted Gentleman Dan to sire a foal. Eh, that’s a steady fellow, I’ve heard! Always ready to—” He broke off, reddening just a bit as he realized there was a lady nearby.“
“Yes, indeed,” said Hawk smoothly. “Allow Otis to show you to your room, my lord,” he continued after a moment. “Then we will have luncheon. Is your mare ready to continue this afternoon?”
“Always ready, you know,” said Lord Danvers in a low but very carrying voice.
After Otis had escorted Lord Danvers from the drawing room, Hawk said to his wife, “We will journey to the attic now.”
She stared at him.
“In preparation for tomorrow. Come, Frances, I cannot allow you to appear as a woman, you must realize that. I fancy, though, that Nevil and I have some of our boys’ clothing in the trunks. You, my dear, may garb yourself as a male. A cap also,” he added, studying her hair.
Frances didn’t tell him that she and her father-in-law had already visited the attic and found her boys’ clothes. Unfortunately, there was still quite a selection.
