Pride and Retribution by Lyndsey Norton

and wrapped it around her waist, tying the tapes over her stomach. She reached in the wardrobe and removed an old tricorn hat, still with her riding cloves inside. She adjusted the hat until it was comfortable and hooked the chin strap under her chin. She pulled on her gloves and picked up her riding crop from the chest of drawers. She appraised her appearance in the mirror and smiled as she realised she looked like a boy!
    The n she left her room and met Robert on the stairs as he was heading down. ‘Mother is with Aunt Edith.’ She said softly.
    ‘That’ll be pleasant for her. I’ve hardly seen her this last week.’ Robert murmured and looked at Lucy. ‘Last one to the stables is an idiot!’ Robert whispered and she giggled as they ran down the st airs, through the servant halls and out of the back door. ‘Come on, you can run faster than this!’ he egged her on and then the race truly began as they ran like a couple of hares to the stables. Lucy had her skirt gathered in her fist and her legs were free to fly. Of course, Robert won as he was stronger and fitter than Lucy. The stable lads had already saddled their mounts as Robert had sent word ahead of them and they were both in the saddle quickly.
    Lucy kicked her grey mare into a gallop as soon as she was out of the yard. Within a few yards, her hat was bouncing on her back and the pins fell out of her hair. Robert was always surprised just what a hoyden his utterly proper and decorous sister could become in the saddle. He pushed his stallion to get up beside her and the pair raced neck and neck to the end of the field.
    Lucy squealed as her mare flew over the hedge beside Robert’s stallion, which pulled away in front as he had the greater strength and depth of pace. As she thundered along behind Robert, she was being pelted with grass turves and muddy water from the stallion’s hooves. Lucy adjusted her position and laid her face alongside the mare’s neck, to protect it. She whispered in the horse’s ear and waved her crop in its peripheral vision. The mare lurched forward and soon they were neck and neck again. They raced until both horses were blowing. Robert reined in and smiled at his sister.
    ‘What do you know of the Earl of Buxton?’ Lucy asked softly. She had thought of nothing else in the carriage, how he’d apologised, what his voice sounded like and particularly his arresting lavender gaze.
    ‘As far as I know he’s an honourable man.’ Robert replied evenly. ‘He keeps his estates in good order and is diligent to the House, according to Uncle Rupert.’ He looked at Lucy and raised an eyebrow. ‘I thought you didn’t like him.’
    ‘I don’t think I said I didn’t like him, because I don’t really know him.’ Lucy responded absently. ‘Baron Nairn thinks very highly of him.’
    ‘That in itself is a validation of his personality!’ Robert sighed. ‘Nairn is rather particular about who he calls friend.’
    ‘What about the Duke of Markham?’ Lucy asked the question she really wanted an answer to. She saw Robert tense up, straightening his shoulders and shuffling his backside in his saddle.
    ‘I don’t think Markham is a subject we should talk about.’ He muttered.
    Lucy pulled her horse to a stan dstill and climbed down. She led the mare to a gorse bush, tied her up and then started to walk down the lane. Robert sat on his horse and waited. Lucy thrashed the hedges with her riding crop as her frustration overflowed. ‘She tells me to stay away from him and then doesn’t explain why!’ she shouted and swiped at the hedgerow again. ‘IT’S REALLY BLOODY ANNOYING!’ she shouted even louder. Robert watched her horse’s ears twitch as he patiently waited for her to finish her tirade. He knew Lucy well enough to know she would never swear so coarsely in front of somebody else. Robert had been her sounding board since she was old enough to talk. She turned on her heel and stomped back to him. ‘Why did she tell me to