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she
could see was looking at her from the top of her head to her booted
toes. She felt her cheeks get hot and told herself it was not
because he recognized her but probably because he was a libertine
that subjected all the ladies to such scrutiny. Her temper flared
and she took a moment to beat it down as she said, “He is fit
because Vern has been very diligent about riding him.” She released
a short laugh as she remembered the last ride she had on him. “Vern
must ride him, you see, for I won’t. He is too much horse
for me.”
    “Who do you think you are trying to
bamboozle?” Jules returned on a snort. “You forget the first time I
saw you, you were taking Choice over that line fence.” He pointed
at the pasture rail in the distance.
    She laughed. “No, Mr. Stamford. Choice
took me over the line fence, for I had no say in the matter. I
lived through that ride and when I dismounted and touched ground, I
thanked the heavens I was in one piece.”
    She allowed her gaze to casually take in the
well-dressed man astride one of Jules’ hunters. He sat his horse
quietly to one side and for some inexplicable reason she trembled
when she thought of his touch last evening. Faith! He was staring
at her. How rude. She gave him an arched brow and instead of being
deterred, he grinned like a wayward boy.
    She turned away from him a bit too quickly
and very nearly lost her balance on the rail. She became flushed as
she attempted to right herself, all the while Jules kept up a
steady stream of banter.
    He was explaining to his friend that she had
a wonderful sense of humor and recounting yet another anecdote that
had taken place in town when he remembered his manners and said,
“Ah, but though I am sorry for it, good manners insist that I
introduce this fellow to you. My very good friend, Sir Edward,
allow me to introduce you to Miss Star Berkley.” He laughed and
added, “Pay him no mind though, Miss Berkley.” He smiled broadly in
his easy style. Star liked Jules Stamford but found she wasn’t sure
she liked his friend, Sir Edward.
    Sir Edward merely did the perfunctory. She
could see he was not impressed with her. Well, why should he be?
Her hair was a mess. Her clothes were worse. She must look like a
hoyden. Why did she care if he was impressed with her? She didn’t,
but he needn’t be so obvious about it.
    Her quick first observation of Sir Edward
decided her that he was what her brother would call a Corinthian,
pink of the ton, a top sawyer. Well, well, what did she care for
that? No doubt he thought a great deal of himself.
    He tipped the beaver top hat borrowed from
Jules, and expressed in a tone of ennui, “Enchanted, Miss
Berkley.”
    Sensitive to his obvious dismissal, she took
immediate affront, however, her sense of humor kicked in and she
answered, “Oh… I can see that.”
    She saw his eyes as they snapped with
interest and smiled to herself as she returned her attention to
Jules, “Do you come to visit poor Vern? I am afraid I left him
sleeping soundly. He has had such a bad night that I really do not
want to disturb him.” She bit her lower lip. Should she have said
that? Yes, indeed, why not?
    “A bad night?” Jules offered with a frown. “I
am sorry to hear that.”
    Sir Edward stuck in at this point, “Miss
Berkley…do you also have a younger brother?”
    “No. Why?” She felt her body tremble.
    Edward’s eyes narrowed as he answered, “Ah, I
bumped into someone who had your look.”
    “Ah, perhaps a cousin,” she suggested. Anyone
who knew her well knew she and Vern had no cousins in the
vicinity.
    “I am sorry to hear that Vern is still
unwell,” Jules stuck in. “I was hoping by now he would have
recovered.”
    Relieved to get off the subject of cousins
she said almost too brightly, “He gave himself a setback by going
out before he was well enough. Stubborn man, for I warned him how
it would be.”
     “Indeed,” agreed Jules with a nod. “In
the short space of time since I