Let Love Find You by Johanna Lindsey

seems to have that effect on most men—at least at first sight. But it was definitely a profitable visit. Even Lord Goswick talked me out of another yearling before he left.”
    “Sounds like your luck is finally turning,” Reed said with a grin.
    “I’m inclined to agree. In fact, I’m feeling damned good about today. I’d been beginning to wonder, after those setbacks we had. One oddity was bad enough, but two in the span of a few weeks?”
    Reed’s humor vanished. “I know. I’m still not convinced losing three foals plus a mare to a farmer’s carelessness was what happened that day. The stallion, though, falling over dead in the middle of a race, well, incidents like that do happen. But bad hay that could have wiped out all of your mares? That wouldn’t have been just rotten luck, it would have put an end to this farm.”
    “At least you were on hand that day to realize something was wrong.”
    It had been a mad dash to pull back the hay that was beingdistributed in all three stables. The first mare to eat it had died, her foal expiring with her. The others had rallied, but both had mis carried the next day. The farmer who’d delivered the hay had sworn he’d never seen the like. Neither had Devin. But the hay had had a slightly odd smell to it, so obviously something had contaminated it before it had arrived, but no one could figure out what.
    “But that promising stallion, I’d only just bought him!” Devin said angrily, still disturbed about that death. “He’d still be alive if I hadn’t been so eager to test him in that minor race last week.”
    “It wasn’t your fault. He was unproven, you had to test him before putting him to stud.”
    “He was in the lead, you know, could have won easily. Did I mention that?”
    But then the absurd had happened—the animal had simply fallen over, dead. His heart had given out, was the general opinion. It was not unheard of, though rare with horses that young. Rotten luck, again. But at least the rider had survived the fall.
    “I’ve been keeping a close eye on the lads here—just in case,” Reed assured Devin. “But they all seem to be honest hard workers.”
    “I wouldn’t have suspected otherwise, but you’re right, it doesn’t hurt to look under every rock and into every cranny—just in case. I’m glad you’ve agreed to extend your stay here this trip. I appreciate it more than you know.”
    Reed laughed. “Can’t get Amelia off that pony long enough to take them home! And my wife doesn’t mind. In fact, she’s delighted to have enough time on this trip to get that old house cleaned from top to bottom.”
    Devin chuckled. “The bloody thing is falling apart.”
    “But at least it will be a clean shambles!”
    Good friends were a blessing, Devin thought as he rode back to London. But today was definitely a turning point as luck went. He hadn’t just sold a couple horses, he’d made another two hundred pounds for doing absolutely nothing—yet. But he could buy prime horse stock for much less than that, or finally, the champion Thoroughbred, this one already well proven, he’d thought he’d never save up enough money to buy. Or he could finally fix up the house that had come with the property. And another four hundred pounds had been promised if he actually got that temperamental minx married.
    That certainly wasn’t a foregone conclusion. It could have been. If Amanda Locke were a horsewoman, it would have been the easiest six hundred pounds he’d ever earned. And he’d even had a more in-depth talk with Kendall today to see if he had any other interests besides horses. He didn’t. But Devin had already guessed as much. So despite Amanda’s apparent interest in the young lord, that wasn’t going to work out a’tall if she didn’t get her arse back on a horse.
    But he still felt good about being hired by the next Duchess of Norford. That was either going to be an incredible piece of luck, if he was successful, or it could