He didn’t. “We left home with the last two horses our father bred and the few mementos that had more value to us than the pawnbroker. Staying together was difficult, but we managed. We left Ireland after being accused of stealing items we’d never even seen before.” He gave a wry grin. “Turned out the pawnbroker got those items as well, but he didn’t get them from us.”
“After that, we joined the circus,” Miss Fitzroy chimed in, looking from Oliver to Aaron and back to her plate. “You know the rest.”
“That seems rather simple.”
“Living it was complicated.” Mr. Fitzroy took a bite of ham and chewed it slowly, a contemplative look on his face. “I wonder if that’s why people find a lie so much easier to swallow.”
“You were injured.” Aside from the wince and careful sitting, there seemed nothing wrong with the man.
Mr. Fitzroy nodded. “Broken coccyx, according to the surgeon. Nothing to do but wait it out and try not to sit.” He shook his head. “It’s rather difficult to work on a horse when you can’t sit.”
A footman appeared in the doorway. “Lord Farnsworth, Lord Brimsbane has arrived.”
Oliver’s eyes met Aaron’s and widened before he turned to the footman. “Show him in, please.” He leaned forward and hissed, “I did not send for him.”
Aaron ran a hand over his face. This had the potential to get messy.
Brimsbane, otherwise known as Lady Rebecca’s brother and Lord Gliddon’s heir, strode into the room, taking in all the occupants with a sweeping look. “Rebecca will be relieved to know Miss Fitzroy’s whereabouts at least, though it looks like the rest of the story could be far more interesting.”
“We’re not gossiping about our jockey.” Aaron rose to refill his plate. He wasn’t hungry anymore, but he needed something to do.
“I would introduce Miss Fitzroy’s brother, but I haven’t been acquainted myself,” Oliver said.
Aaron rolled his eyes as he selected a slice of ham.
Before Brimsbane could respond, Oliver gestured toward the sideboard. “Help yourself to the food, Brimsbane. How is your father this morning?”
“He’s not meeting with the magistrate, if that’s what you’re asking.” He sent another quick look toward Miss Fitzroy.
Aaron put down his plate and stepped into Brimsbane’s line of vision.
The other man cleared his throat and continued, “That doesn’t mean he’s happy. Rebecca asked me to offer assistance in finding Miss Fitzroy, since no one has seen her since the race.”
“At least you’ll be able to brag of your remarkable efficiency when you tell her you found her before breakfast.”
Everyone in the room turned their attention to Mr. Fitzroy, who was hunched over his plate, eating without an apparent care in the world and leaving only the disheveled spikes of his red hair visible.
“Sisters don’t find efficiency impressive,” Miss Fitzroy added quietly, apparently not as bold as her brother but unable to let him have the final word. “He could roll around in the grass and wait until this afternoon to return and it will look like he put in some effort.”
The only sound in the room was that of the twins’ forks against their plates. No one else moved. Aaron wasn’t even sure the aristocrats were breathing, and he needed one of them to say or do something because Aaron couldn’t hold his amusement much longer.
“There you have it, Brimsbane,” Oliver said as he put his own fork back into action. “I’ll support anything you claim when you report back to Rebecca.”
Brimsbane sat at the table, his expression giving no indication of whether he saw any humor in the moment. “In exchange, should I refrain from saying I found her in your house?”
The implication quickly dissolved Aaron’s laughter. “She and her brother are only here for breakfast.”
Brimsbane’s gaze connected with Aaron’s. “She didn’t stay the night in my house.”
“Nor did she stay in Oliver’s.”
Most of the time, Aaron tried to remember to use Oliver’s title when in mixed company, but in this case, he wanted to knock Brimsbane off balance as much as possible. He really didn’t want the other man to guess Miss Fitzroy had been in Aaron’s home for the night, even though Aaron had stayed at Oliver’s.
The footman came to the doorway again. “Lord Stildon.”
Hudson walked in, his brisk steps faltering as he encountered the tension in the room. His attention flew straight to the jockey.
Oliver stood. “Good, good. You’re here. You can be part of the solution for our current dilemma.”
“I’m at your service.” Hudson gave a nod.
“Lord Stildon, may I present Mr. Fitzroy, Miss Fitzroy’s brother?” Aaron said with a pointed look in Oliver’s direction.
Hudson gave the man a nod, then looked to the jockey. “That was an admirable ride yesterday, Miss Fitzroy. You can count me among your supporters.” He looked at Aaron and nodded before taking a seat at the table. “What do you need, Oliver?”
“Mr. Barley quit this morning. Aaron will be training my horses, but he needs a yard to work from. I was hoping he could use Hawksworth.”
Hudson tilted his head. “I’m sure we could move some horses around and free up the loose-boxes.”
“You’re free to move them here if you need to,” Oliver offered.
“Hmm. Possibly. The weather’s been fine, so we may rotate a few more out to pasture.”
Aaron frowned. Hudson had only taken possession of Hawksworth a month ago. He might not know there was another stable. “There’s also the old—”
“You won’t get the Jockey Club to license you as a trainer in time for the first October Meeting,” Brimsbane said.
“I know, but—” Aaron began before being cut off again.
“It will make my father livid,” Brimsbane continued, “but my trainer would agree to putting his name down for you if needed. He too was impressed by Miss Fitzroy yesterday.”
“Everything is working out nicely, then.” Oliver sat back, a wide smile on his face. “This was easier than I thought it would be.”
It would seem the night Aaron spent staring up at Oliver’s ceiling had been wasted. These titled men could square it all away over breakfast. They didn’t even need Aaron.
His chair scraped along the floor as he shoved it back from the table. “As you have everything under control and I am no longer needed, I’ll be leaving.”
He didn’t look around, didn’t want to know what they were thinking, didn’t want to see the expressions on their faces. He simply headed for the door, intent on retrieving Shadow and getting out of there.
It was obvious that once their lordships got together, his voice would be the last one heard.
“I’ll be at Hawksworth,” he said as he exited the room. At least if he got there before Hudson, he’d get a word in edgewise.
Twenty-Four
Was there a way for Sophia to become a part of the dining chair? If so, she was ready to do it. She slid lower in her seat, giving serious contemplation to going entirely beneath the table.