"What a beautiful weekend for Lady Pettigrew’s birthday. I’m certain the celebration she has planned will be creative. As birthdays go, I was thinking of attending Edmund Crane’s birthday celebration next week. That dashing boy will have the ladies at his feet. Why, he’s nearly what, twenty-one?"

Roth sent James a quizzical look. "Twenty, I believe."

James was ready to throttle her. Roth donned a thoughtful expression as Calliope rattled off some of the incessant banter that she used as part of her Esmerelda guise. She continued a diatribe about the ladies of the ton, regaling him with anecdotes and the latest gossip. But Roth was no fool. Social intrigue was second nature to him.

"By the by, have you seen Ternberry this morning? I remembered something I must tell him," she said.

"My dear, Ternberry would scoff at getting up before noon. There is to be a hunt and croquet later. He will likely rouse in time to ride."

"Oh, good. Well, I will leave you two gentlemen to your breakfast and see if Lady Pettigrew has stirred."

She breezed out of the room. Roth raised his brows at James. "Well, she certainly has energy and spirit this morning. What happened to you?"

James scowled and pushed his untouched plate aside. He didn’t reply as he rose to follow her. He was going to wring her beautiful neck.

A swirl of lemon skirts rounded the landing at the top of the stairs.

She was heading to her room.

He took the stairs two at a time. He heard a door close as he gained the top step. She had been moving quickly. Reaching her door, he knocked. There was no answer. A door opened down the hall and he heard a lady titter. He gritted his teeth. "Let me in."

Still no answer. "I swear I am going to-"

The door opened and Calliope stood, panic-stricken, tears in her eyes.

He stepped inside and closed the door. Softening his voice he said, "What’s wrong?"

She pointed to the bed. He followed her gaze and saw a slashed Adelphi Theatre playbill.

She threw herself into his arms. "I locked my door this morning while at breakfast. It was on the bed when I returned. I’m so relieved you stayed here last night."

James was suddenly glad for the uncomfortable, sleepless night.

"It’s merely a threat. Someone’s trying to scare you. If anything had happened to the Dalys, I’d already know. " He rubbed her arms. "Lock the door after me. Check to see if anything is missing. I’ll be back soon. If anyone enters the room before I return, scream."

James walked a few paces down the hall and knocked on Ternberry’s door. There was no answer. He turned the knob and was surprised it opened. The room was completely empty.

James headed for Pettigrew’s study.

Pettigrew motioned for him to enter. "Morning, Angelford, I expect you spent a pleasant evening. Delightful girl, Esmerelda. And quite talented?" The last was said as a question and Pettigrew had raised a brow.

"It was quite a night." James inclined his head. "I was hoping to speak with Ternberry this morning. Do you know where I might find him?"

"There was an urgent summons directing him to return to London. His valet relayed the message. Didn’t even see him myself. "

James swore internally, but kept his face calm. "Too bad, I’ll speak with him back in town. I heard there is a twist to the hunt. I’m quite looking forward to it."

"Good, good. Should be just the thing. The wife has plenty of entertainment planned for the day."

James finished the small talk and returned to Calliope’s room. He knocked on the door. "I’m back."

As she opened the door, the panicked look was still in evidence. "What are we going to do?"

We . Something warm washed through him. "Do you have a riding habit?"

She nodded.

"Good. I’ll wait in the hall while you change into your riding gear, and then escort you downstairs. We’re going to eat breakfast and converse with the other guests as if nothing unpleasant has occurred. You aren’t to stray from my side."

She nodded again. She must be terrified, to have agreed to that.

Betsy arrived minutes later to assist her. She changed quickly. The riding habit fit her well. All of those buttons would make the thing damn hard to remove. James caught hold of his thoughts and escorted her downstairs. Roth had left the breakfast room. They served themselves and sat down.

He was much hungrier than he’d been earlier and quickly devoured the sausage and biscuits. Calliope was pushing the food around her plate.

"Eat your eggs or you aren’t leaving this house."

A defiant light appeared in her eyes but she ate the eggs. Some of her spirit was returning.

Many of the guests were up and about by the time they pushed away from the table and headed toward the stables.

Guests milled about the yard, some conversing and others waiting for their horses to be saddled. James and Calliope walked into the stable and over to the stalls holding the two horses James had brought from London.

"This is Apollo and the mare is Damsel."

"Apollo?" She smirked over some secret thought as she brushed a hand along Damsel’s smooth neck.

He was about to demand to know what she was thinking when she turned the full force of her smile on him. He forgot what day it was.

"Are you participating in the hunt today?"

Yes, that was why he had come here, he remembered now. "Do you know how to ride?"

"No. I never thought I’d actually use the riding habit." Her voice was wistful.

James pointed to a stable lad. "Saddle these two horses."

The lad jumped up and ran to the tack room.

Calliope chewed on her lip. "I don’t know if this is a good idea, James. I don’t mind staying at the house. It’ll be safe in the common rooms."

The same warm feeling rushed through him at her use of his name.

"Where’s your sense of adventure? And how are we ever going to win the hunt if you aren’t on horseback?"

She grinned widely.

The lad had the horses saddled and in the yard quickly. James helped Calliope into the saddle.

"It’s rather higher than I thought."

She sat awkwardly with her legs to the left side and almost slid off the horse.

James observed her for a moment and then looked to the stable lad. The lad nodded.

James grabbed Calliope and pulled her down. The lad led Damsel back into the stable.

"I know I can do better. " Her voice was laced with disappointment. She thought he had changed his mind.

The lad re-emerged minutes later with a different saddle cinched on Damsel’s back. James hauled her back onto the horse. Calliope looked disgruntled. "A little communication would be a good thing."

James dismissed the lad. "One of the keys to riding side-saddle is the saddle itself. Needs to fit both the rider and the horse. The last saddle was too small for you. You have lovely long legs."

Calliope blushed and inspected the saddle beneath her. She looked to the left and right, and then patted the horse’s head.

"Don’t lean. Sit up straight. Don’t sit back. Balance on the center. Good."

Calliope looked like a marionette, jerking back and forth as he gave commands. She gave him an irritated glance, but the color was high in her cheeks and the horse was already interpreting her movements, excited to be off.

"If we were alone, I’d teach you to ride astride. However, some of the ladies would probably slip off their horses into a faint, so you are stuck side-saddle for today. " He grinned.

A light appeared in her eye and James had the odd feeling she was trying to record his exact words.

James gave her rudimentary instructions on controlling her mount and she started to look more comfortable, her back straight, her right foot relaxed. She looked natural in the saddle.

They walked across the yard and he steered her to a path leading into the sun-dappled woods.

"This is my favorite trail on Pettigrew’s estate. It’s a roundabout way to get to the lake. We can meander and maybe do some cantering so you can get the feel for Damsel’s stride."

He looked back. Her eyes were big and she had a dazed smile on her face. It pleased him.

It was a canopy trail, the sunlight mildly pierced the trees here and there, but the feel of the forest was all-encompassing. Unidentified foliage was dripping from every corner. Stephen was the green thumb, the one who always explained the assorted flora…

"Oh, look!"

He pushed aside the direction of his thoughts and turned to see her pointing at a leggy fox scampering into the trees. Hadn’t she ever been out of the city?

They rode for a while in silence, enjoying the trail. As the path widened, she nudged Damsel and shot past him, laughing in delight. She looked like a woodland fairy. He wished she didn’t have the damn wig on, or the bonnet perched on top. The thought of her hair loose and flowing freely down her back was enough to make him shift uncomfortably on Apollo.

The trail was wide enough for two and he caught up and rode alongside her. The path led across a bubbling brook and through an open field. He pointed to different animals and birds, their legs brushing, her happily bemused expression invoking feelings he thought long dead.

Their ride ended at the lake. All of the trails eventually wound to the lake. Guests were gathering for the games. He could see people walking from the house to join them, although they were far enough away to be unidentifiable.

Lady Flanders cantered over. She was a skillful rider and always made the most of her riding habit, matching it to her mount and tack. James found he preferred Calliope’s lack of affectation and pure enjoyment.

"Angelford. I was disappointed in you last night. Perhaps you will be up for more entertainment tonight?"

" Perhaps. "

She smiled and opened her mouth to say more when their host interrupted.

"Ladies and gentlemen, please gather ‘round."

Pettigrew was in the gazebo motioning for everyone to join him.

"Lady Pettigrew has developed a twist for today’s hunt. It is to be a treasure hunt so that the ladies can participate. You will receive your first clue here. In groups of two, you will unravel the clue and proceed to the station revealed in the puzzle. At each station you will be required to successfully complete a task before receiving your next clue. Detailed maps of the grounds will be given to each pair."

"This sounds like fun." Calliope smiled at him.

Lady Flanders looked down her nose. "I would. I have much preferred the original fox hunt, but since the Pettigrews are bound and determined to play these little games, I think it only proper we form teams. Angelford, you and I-"

"Penelope, I believe your husband is motioning to you."

Her lips tightened, and she turned to see Flanders indeed motioning from the other side of the gazebo. She gave James a determined smile. "I will talk to you at the finish line, dear."

Calliope muttered but her face remained excited as Pettigrew pointed to the croquet sets on the lawn. "One person from each team will play. Once your ball passes through each of the wickets, you and your partner will gain possession of your first clue."

James played for their team, and Calliope cheered loudly as he finished first. Pettigrew handed Calliope a packet of instructions as soon as James’s ball cleared the last wicket.

"Angelford, Esmerelda, here is your map and first clue. Have a good time and try not to lose your way." Pettigrew winked suggestively.

Calliope read the clue aloud. "It’s a riddle, James. ‘Crumble and fall, prayers of old. Find the flame, fight the cold.’ "

"The old abbey. Let’s go."

She sprinted to Damsel. James hoisted her into the saddle and they were off. They raced to the abbey hidden in a copse of trees, dismounted and hurried inside the collapsing facade. Two servants awaited them. One smiled and lit a candle. "My lord, one of you will need to balance on the log while not spilling a drop of wax from this taper. Otherwise you must begin anew. "

"I’ll do it," Calliope volunteered.

She gingerly took the candle and mounted an ancient ceiling beam that had fallen to the floor. Moving one foot after another, she gracefully crossed the beam. As she reached the other side, a smile wreathed her face. "Done!"

The servant nodded and handed them a sheet of paper. Another pair of participants ran into the abbey as James and Calliope rushed to their horses.

"Another riddle," Calliope said, bouncing up and down. " ‘The sweet bloom of a maiden fair. Pluck one for your lady’s hair.’ "

"Lady Pettigrew’s rose garden. "

They set off. A series of six additional stops led them to the maze, the kitchens, the stable, a copse of trees in the shape of a hand, the carriage house and the conservatory. The last clue sent them galloping back to the lake. Calliope was so eager to be the first team back that her wig was in danger of falling off. She had thrown herself aggressively into the challenges. And she had acquitted herself adequately as a new horsewoman, if a bit enthusiastic.