Finally...it's race day. My thanks to those of you leaving your reviews, and I hope you enjoy how this works out.

Chapter Ten
May the Best Man Win

"You're sleeping at the stable?" Meredith asked, as Derek pulled on his long coat and riding gloves after dinner. "Seriously?" She was seated at the dressing table, drawing the brush through her hair. The children had been tucked in and had been full of questions about the race in the morning. Now she twisted around on the seat to look at her husband, as he readied himself to go outside.

Standing behind her, his hands on her shoulders, he leaned in to kiss her cheek quickly. "Quite serious, love. You know that I am not going to sacrifice Midnight for this. And by tomorrow, it will be all done, thank god."

"And you will be all right?"

"Of course." He winked at her. "You can sleep well here in the comfortable feather bed, tucked in all warm and cozy, while I am out there, trying to get settled in the hay."

"But William...?"

"Cannot be everywhere at once, and even the guards can be bribed. I, on the other hand, am the owner and incorruptible." Derek had shared the incident of the leather strung across the trail, and she had been horrified at the implication. The thought that Derek could have been injured or worse filled her with dread.

"Is this really worth all of this?" she asked him, covering his hand where it still rested on her shoulder.

"I keep asking myself the same question, but at this point, there's no stopping it."

"Do you believe Rhys?"

"For what it is worth, yes. He may be a rake, but ultimately he holds himself to a certain level of honor. I do believe he wants to win legitimately. I heard some talk in the stables that he has lost quite heavily at the races in Newcastle, however. His losses have been covered, of course, but still it may not sit well with his family that he has been gambling away that much. Perhaps he sees this race as a way to gain some good favor with his family – after all, gaining Midnight would be quite a coup for his stable."

"Oh that does not sound good," Meredith agreed. "So if he wins Midnight from you, he could make a small fortune breeding him."

"Indeed, so he would not want to injure him, love."

"He may wish to injure you, however," she pointed out.

"Again, that would look bad, and rather suspicious..."

"Then who would do such a thing as try to trip your horse up?"

"Someone trying to make it look like Rhys is behind it. Or someone just malicious, and taking advantage of the situation. There may be others who are jealous of my position right now, after all."

Meredith shuddered slightly at that implication, and Derek drew her up to her feet. He folded her into his embrace, and kissed her forehead. "I should go. Please go to bed, and do not fret about me. I will be careful." He pulled her even closer, lifting her up while he gave her a deep, searching kiss. It set her senses reeling, and she clung to him tightly, caught up against the lean muscle beneath the leather coat. By the time he released her, she was feeling breathless.

"I'm going with you," she murmured, suddenly determined not to let him out of her sight.

"What? No..Meredith, that isn't a good idea."

"Why? It makes sense...two sets of eyes are better than one. And I promise to keep out of the way if someone does show up. Please, Derek...you know it will only keep me awake thinking about what may be happening."

Derek sighed, and tried to think of something to say to dissuade her. He could tell by the determined set of her chin that she was not going to back down, however. In retrospect, he should have just gone to bed and then left for the stables after she was sleeping. "I love you, Meredith, but..."

"No buts, Derek. I love you too much to let you do this without me. I want to help." She crossed her arms over her chest, and he had to smile at the sight of her in her long dainty nightgown, at odds with the look in her eyes.

"Oh, very well then. But keep out of sight, and keep down if someone shows up," he told her sternly. "And hurry...we're running late..."

"Yes, of course!" she agreed happily, spinning around to find her riding outfit and boots.

In the cool stable later, Midnight shifted in the stall, looking over his shoulder at Derek and Meredith where they had settled into the corner of the space. William had only shaken his head when the two of them appeared to stand watch, but kept his thoughts to himself. He and the stable lads were awake as well, in various locations throughout the building. At Derek's request, the lamps had been dimmed somewhat– if anyone wanted to take advantage of the situation, it would be an irresistible lure.

"It's getting late," Derek murmured, checking his pocket watch. His breath fanned her cheek as he leaned forward. He tightened his arms around her, as they waited together.

Meredith yawned slightly, resisting the urge to close her eyes. "Mmm..."

"Wishing you were in bed instead of here?" he teased her.

"Only if you were there with me," she replied.

"And even better if we were tangled in the sheets, sleeping together after making love..." he added, his voice rich and dark in her ear. She turned to look up at him, and he gave her that smile that always warmed her heart. No matter where they were, that smile told her she was loved and they would never be parted.

The stables settled into late night quiet around them, and for she wondered if this was going to be an exercise in futility. She was about to speak, when Derek put his finger to his lips, tilting his head to listen. Her breath quickened, and she felt a jolt of fright. Derek jumped to his feet quickly to shield her, keeping them both into the dim shadow of the corner of the stall. She placed her hands on his back, listening carefully. From the corridor, there was a muffled swish of leather, and slight clip of heels across the floor. Midnight's ears flicked forward, and he shifted, scenting something with his sensitive nose. The door to the stall eased open slowly, and a dark form slipped quietly through the open space.

Derek tensed, letting the moment play out, but prepared to move quickly. Midnight, however, was not about to let anyone get close to him that he didn't know, and he snorted in annoyance. In the next moment, just as Meredith felt she was going to explode from the anxiety, Midnight reared upwards, raising his forelegs towards the intruder. Swearing under his breath, Derek rushed forwards, while Meredith watched in shock. Dodging the flashing hooves, he grabbed the bridle in one hand, while pushing the intruder to the floor with his other. There was a shout from the corridor, and William came running in, brandishing a pitchfork.

"Hold on there!" William said roughly, crouching down to keep hold of the person on the ground, as Derek brought Midnight under control. Meredith joined Derek beside Midnight, too anxious to keep back any longer.

"Are you all right? He could have kicked you," Meredith touched his arm in concern.

"He knows me, Meredith. I was in no danger from him." He held Midnight closely, though. "Who is it?" Derek demanded. "And what was he trying to do?" There was a small vial on the floor, tossed aside by the squirming figure under William's hand. Meredith scooped up the glass container, while William pulled away the scarf. There was a squeak of protest, and then Rowena's black hair came into view. Her eyes darted from William to Derek and then Meredith, before she slumped down in resignation.

"Rowena!" Meredith gasped. "What are you are doing here?"

For a second, the young woman said nothing. Meredith dropped down to her knees, and spoke quietly. "Please, Rowena, tell me what you are doing here with this..." She indicated the vial that Derek had taken. "Did you mean to poison Midnight?"

"Speak up," Derek prompted. "My patience is at the end of its tether, young lady."

Rowena blew out a puff of exasperated breath. "I was only going to make him a little off his feed so that he would be sluggish in the morning. Rhys wants to win so badly. I wanted to help him."

"This is not the best way to go about it," Derek said dryly. "And just what did you hope to prove by setting that hazard across the trail? You could have caused a great deal of pain and that would not have helped your brother in the least."

"I knew someone would find it before anything happened," Rowena hedged, biting her lip.

"Ah, and that someone wouldn't happen to be the lover you have been seeing?" Meredith guessed.

"Gyles?" William snorted. "That explains his inattention lately."

"Oh dear..." Meredith sighed. "Will you chastise him for this?"

"I will deal with him, my lady," William told her.

"He only did it for me! He thinks he loves me..." Rowena said. "And I only wanted to scare you. You two are such a loving couple it makes me jealous, I suppose. You turned me down, Lord Shepherd...I was angry."

"Good lord, Rowena. I cannot believe you have gone to these lengths. You know I must speak with the Queen about your behavior," Meredith told her sadly.

Rowena clutched her arm. "Please, my lady. Do not tell her. I promise I will behave from now on, just give me another chance. My mother hoped I would find a good match here at court; we are in rather dire straits thanks to Rhys and his gambling habits."

Meredith exchanged a look with Derek, uncertain of what she should do. He wanted nothing more than to send the girl packing, but he steadied his thoughts. "It is getting late, and we should sleep on this. We can discuss the situation after the race." He held his hand out to Meredith, and drew her up next to him.

William nodded, and helped Rowena to her feet as well. "Very good, my lord. I will speak with Gyles as well then." He pocketed the vial. "And I will take care of this also."

"Good." Derek patted Midnight's neck. "All right then. We should get some rest before morning. I trust you will manage to keep to your own bed tonight, Rowena?"

"Yes, Your Grace. Thank you." Rowena studied the oak planking, unable to meet anyone's eyes at the moment.

"Save your gratitude for tomorrow; it may not be warranted," Derek warned her.

"I will take her back myself," Meredith offered, touching his arm. She knew just how angry her husband was, and she needed to take the girl away while she could. "I will see you back in our suite, Derek."

He nodded curtly. "Soon, love. I will settle Midnight in again and be there as soon as I can."

The morning of the race between Derek and Rhys dawned cool and misty. Derek moved quietly through the stable, greeting the grooms as they went about their early morning duties, yet there was an air of undisguised excitement in the air. As Derek eased into Midnight's stall, the black stallion nickered softly and tossed his head. "Good morning, handsome. Are you ready to race?" Derek asked softly, running his hands over the horse's back. "Of course you are. You're in fine form." He continued to murmur encouraging words as he inspected the horse's legs carefully. There seemed to be no lingering effects of the late night activities thankfully, except for his own tiredness. Even after returning to their bed, he had been unable to sleep, only finding solace in Meredith's arms as they made love in the early pre-dawn hours.

"Mornin' Lord Shepherd," William called out, bringing in the saddle and bridle. "All set to go?"

"Good morning, William. We are ready as we'll ever be, I suppose."

"I have faith in you, sir, as do the rest of the grooms. No one cares much for Lord Huntington," William said confidentially, lifting the saddle onto the horse's back. Derek slipped the bridle on, knowing that Midnight wouldn't tolerate anyone else doing that.

"Thank you, Will. I don't much want to lose Midnight by losing the race," Derek frowned. "Not after everything else that has happened so far."

"It will turn out well, I'm sure. Horses can be intuitive, but so long as you are confident he will be also."

"Thank you William. Have you seen young Gyles this morning?"

"Not yet, but I am sure he is somewhere."

"Papa!" Michael appeared at the open doorway then, followed closely by Meredith carrying James, with the twins at her heels.

"Well, this is just what I needed!" Derek swung Michael up in his arms before kissing Meredith's cheek. He had left her in their bed earlier, her hair tousled and her cheeks flushed from the vigorous morning lovemaking they'd shared. Now she was dressed in a dark blue riding habit, her hair swept up demurely with a small hat at a rakish angle on her head.

"We thought you might like to see us," she smiled. "Besides, Michael was beside himself with excitement about the race."

"Of course I want to see you," he replied. "I can use all the support I can get."

"Midnight can beat any other horse!" Michael said confidently. "And you ride better than anybody!"

"You do, Papa!" Hannah echoed.

"Good luck, Papa," Ella smiled bravely. She was a little nervous around the big horse, and she clung to Meredith's skirts, peeking around her mother carefully.

Derek crouched down to her level, setting Michael down as he did so. "Thank you, Ella. I appreciate that you came out here when I know you are a little frightened of the horses."

"They won't hurt you, Ella," Michael offered helpfully.

"He's just so big..." Ella retreated a little further behind Meredith, and Hannah joined her in support.

"I know, sweetheart," Derek soothed her. "You're safe there."

"We should go and let you prepare," Meredith said. James reached for Derek as well then. He was content with his mother, but he was definitely his father's boy in many ways. "Oh you will need to wait awhile longer, Jamie."

Derek grinned and ruffled James' hair. "Be good for your mother, all right?" He dispensed hugs and kisses to all of the children, as Midnight looked on with rare patience. Then he pulled Meredith in for a quick embrace, kissing her lips with a lingering sweetness despite the surroundings.

"Good luck, Derek. I love you," she murmured.

"I love you, vixen. I'll talk to you after the race."

Derek watched his family walk out of the stables, to join the rest of the group waiting for the race to start. Then he turned back to Midnight, and stroked the horse's strong neck. "This is your moment, my boy. Make me proud..."

"Saying your last good-bye?" Rhys observed from outside the stall. He leaned negligently against the wooden door.

"Hardly," Derek grinned. "Just making sure he understands that he is going to win."

Rhys shook his head. "Prepare to give up the stallion, Shepherd..."

Derek moved closer to the other man. "Rhys, there is something you need to know. Last night, the culprit was revealed..."

"Well, that is good news then."

"Not so much for you, I'm afraid. It was Rowena."

For a moment, Rhys was speechless, and Derek could see the emotions playing over his face. Shock, confusion, and chagrin were all there. "Rowena? Why did she...?"

Derek shrugged elegantly. "Apparently to bail your family out of money trouble. She wanted you to win Midnight in order to recoup some of your gambling losses." He raised one eyebrow as Rhys fidgeted uncomfortably. "Exactly how badly have you been losing?"

Rhys sighed. "More than I can say, unfortunately. However, I had no idea she would stoop to sabotage."

"Oh she knew just where to draw the line. Her erstwhile lover was part of the plan, a young groom named Gyles who 'discovered' the leather strung across the trail. It was a ploy, in more ways than one."

"Damnit, Shepherd, you know I want to win, but not by cheating. Rowena took things out of hand. I apologize."

"Still, we need to deal with her later. Meredith must decide whether to inform the Queen. This is not acceptable behavior for a lady in waiting."

Rhys nodded. "Of course. And I would understand if we canceled the race, in light of this..."

Derek thought for a moment. "We should go forward with it – too many people are anticipating this." He glanced outside where the royal couple was approaching amidst great fanfare, to take their seats in the stands. "We will deal with everything else later, Rhys. I'm willing if you are."

"Very well."

"Good." Derek gave one last pat to Midnight's neck, before pushing past Rhys. "See you at the starting line."

"Good luck, then..."

"I'm always lucky."

Rhys frowned as Derek walked away from him. "Damn him..." he muttered, stalking towards his own stallion, his mood somewhat less enthusiastic than before. Yet he was still feeling somewhat confident about winning, and he whistled softly to himself.

"My lady Meredith," Rowena observed, managing a brief curtsy as Meredith approached. "You look lovely as always this morning."

"Thank you, Rowena. Would you be able to hold James for a moment while I make sure the other children are settled?" Meredith asked sweetly, handing over her youngest without waiting for an answer.

"Oh...yes..." Rowena looked askance at the child thrust into her arms, and James immediately began to wail at being given over to her. "Oh...shush..." She rocked back and forth ineffectually, as Meredith hid a smile at her predicament.

"He will quiet in a moment, I'm sure...he actually prefers my husband over me sometimes..."

"Really? How...interesting..." Rowena wasn't sure how to hold the wriggling child, this was completely not what she expected. Her usual tolerance of babies was negligible at the best of times, and she gritted her teeth while she feigned interest in James. For his part, he had stopped crying, trying to put his pudgy fists on her face and pull at the veil on her hat.

"Rowena, I appreciate that you are here, I'm sure it was difficult for you."

"My lady, I truly did not mean any harm to come to you or His Grace..." Rowena murmured. "It got out of hand, and I do apologize."

Meredith nodded. "Thank you. Let's just enjoy the race for now and discuss the consequences of your actions later."

Her interest was diverted then by the fanfare of the King and Queen arriving, sweeping over the damp grass, with a retinue of servants following behind. "Thank you, Rowena," Meredith murmured softly, taking James back into her arms. "I attended to the Queen personally this morning, so that you and the other young maids could prepare for the race."

"Thank you, my lady..." Rowena couldn't help but notice that Meredith was just as well turned out as any other woman, and looked radiantly happy with her children about her. Despite the late night, and whatever time she had taken to attend to the Queen had not interfered with her looks or mood, while she herself had needed to urge her maid to spend more time to perfect her appearance. It just wasn't fair, somehow, along with the knowledge of her impending fate added to her dismal mood. But Cordelia was waving at her, beckoning her towards the rest of the group, and she made her way there slowly.

As the royal couple settled into their seats on the platform that had been erected for the occasion, the group of on-lookers quieted down. Meredith spotted the large stallion belonging to Lord Rhys being led to the starting point for the race. The racing silks provided for him were crimson and gray, and the groom leading him was also wearing the same colors. The horse danced along the groomed pathway, bobbing his head as he made his way towards the starting position. Lord Rhys was standing there waiting for him, tapping a slim riding crop in one palm. He cut a dashing figure, dressed in the usual riding boots, fawn color breeches and fitted riding jacket over a white shirt – Meredith had seen the same outfit many times on Derek, and she preferred his looks much more. There was an air of masculine appeal about Rhys, and she could see where some women would be interested, but she really did not care for him. He was too polished, too arrogant for her tastes.

The crowd was still hushed, but murmurs broke out when Midnight was led out of the stables. The black stallion was in his element, prancing eagerly towards the starting line, eager to get going. His silks were indigo and cream, and they looked striking against the black of his coat. His mane rippled in the morning breeze that had picked up, and the little groom was having difficulty keeping him in line.

Derek appeared then, dressed in his own black boots, grey breeches and dark blue jacket with a snow white cravat at his throat. He tugged on his riding gloves, and bowed briefly towards the King and Queen, his expression calm and confident. Applause broke out in the crowd, and Meredith smiled, wondering if Derek had a bit more support than Rhys. The children all clapped loudly, jumping up and down in excitement, while James waved his chubby fists in the air.

Then she looked over at the Queen, and the older woman beckoned with one regal wave of her hand. Meredith nodded, and glanced towards her children. The Queen smiled quickly and nodded in return, waving them over. The children in tow, Meredith made her way to the side of the Queen, with the rest of young ladies in waiting following in their wake. She curtsied, before settling into the chaise alongside the Queen. The younger ladies all gathered around behind them, minding their manners, for which Meredith was grateful.

"Your husband is favored to win," the Queen murmured. "That horse of his looks very strong."

"Yes, my lady. Midnight is strong and very fast."

"Then we will wager that he wins, since some of our mares are carrying his foals."

"Indeed."

At the far end of the track, Derek and Rhys were waiting on their horses, holding the spirited animals back. "Are you ready for this?" Rhys asked, raising one eyebrow.

"I should ask the same of you..." Derek commented, holding Midnight in place.

"May the best man win..." Rhys saluted him with the riding crop.

Derek nodded briefly. The young groom in charge of the starting line grasped the bridles of both horses to hold them in place, while the King rose to his feet. Holding his hands out for silence as the two men reined in the powerful animals, and the crowd silenced once again. Derek's heart thundered in his chest, and he could only hope that Midnight was ready to give his all. He knew the animal was primed to run, the crowd didn't bother him and his ears were pricked forward in interest. Beside them, Rhys and Storm shifted, just as eager for the command to start.

Meredith bit her lip, nearly unable to breathe in anticipation, willing the race to turn out well. After everything else that happened, Derek just couldn't lose Midnight, it would be unbearable if that would happen. Beside her, the twins were just as tense as she was, and Hannah patted her knee. "Mama, will Papa win?"

"I certainly hope so, Hannah."

"He's going to win!" Michael scoffed. "Midnight can run like the wind!"

"Shhh...let's wait and see..." Meredith hushed her son, as the rest of the crowd quieted. The King raised his arm, signaling the riders to be ready. The small scarf in his hand fluttered in the slight breeze, and seconds ticked by before he dropped his hand.

The grooms had backed away from the horses as soon as the King stood up, and now that the signal had been given to race, the crowd erupted in cheers and the two horses sprang forward simultaneously. Derek leant low over Midnight's neck, encouraging him to race, just as Rhys tapped his crop on Storm's flank. Derek never used a crop on his horses, preferring to use his body and his hands to indicate what he wanted. Now Midnight surged forward eagerly, finding his stride and charging down the track. Derek was dimly aware of the other horse and rider, but he focused his attention on the track and the horse beneath him. Everything else was just a blur.

Meredith jumped to her feet, and along with everyone else, she was caught up in the moment and the excitement. She could see Derek was clearly in the lead, with Midnight galloping easily down the track. Rhys was pushing his horse hard, hitting the poor animal with the crop, and kicking him to go faster. Still the distance between them was not close, and as they thundered past the King and Queen, she could see that Derek had complete control. Both he and his mount were moving as one, just as she had seen him riding for the first time many years ago...he would always have that uncanny ability to bond with the horse, and look dangerously attractive while doing so. For a moment, her thoughts drifted to that image of him...

He was shirtless, his black hair rioting in the wind. His torso, damp with sweat, was as lean and well defined as she imagined from the way his wet shirt had clung to him. The muscles in his arms and back flexed as he reined in the spirited stallion. His riding breeches only accentuated his tight, muscular legs as he moved as one with the horse, clamping the animal between his powerful thighs. Pure ecstasy burned in his eyes from the joy of riding.

Meredith licked her dry lips, her body tingling again as she watched him pull up and dismount with easy elegance. As he walked towards her, she admired the play of his muscles beneath the breeches, the bulge of his calves in the polished boots. Once he was close to her, she felt faint from the intoxicating male scent of him, a combination of soap, leather and sweat. He leaned closer to her, to look at the filly behind her. "You like Mistral?" he asked, nodding at the filly behind her. "Perhaps we should go for ride together one day. She needs to be exercised." His body heat enveloped her like a warm blanket, and she forced herself to breathe. She closed her eyes for a second, resisting the urge to reach out and touch his chest. She stared at him, the ridges and planes of muscle, swirls of dark hair, the brown nipples. Somehow she dragged her gaze back to his face, her thoughts scattered. What had he just asked her? Oh, yes, the horse, riding with him…

The sounds of the cheers brought her back to the present, but she smiled to herself at the memory. She glanced over at Michael, who could barely contain himself, clapping his hands and whooping in delight as his father continued to lead the race. Clods of dirt flew from the horse's hooves, as they raced towards the finish line. Rhys continued to push his mount hard, edging somewhat closer, and Derek managed a quick look over his shoulder. Midnight stretched out even more, sensing the imminent arrival of the other horse, and managed to pull ahead just a little more.

"That's it, boy..." Derek muttered, "just a little more...that's it..." Midnight's ears went back, and then he gathered himself, moving even faster, responding to Derek's urging. They left Rhys and Storm behind, crossing the finish line easily, much to the delight of the watching crowd.

"He won! He won!" Michael's eyes shone with delight, as he bounced on the balls of his feet. "I knew he would win!"

Meredith smiled happily too, just relieved that it was over and it ended well. The rest of the small crowd cheered loudly as Derek reined Midnight in, before wheeling around to greet Rhys. Midnight was prancing happily, as if knowing he had done well, and accepting the cheers as his due. From their vantage point, she could see that Rhys looked disappointed and vexed, but the man still managed to nod graciously at Derek when they reached each other to exchange a brief handshake.

"Congratulations, Shepherd..." Rhys muttered. "I will make Storm available to you as soon as possible." He dismounted, handing the reins over to the waiting groom.

Derek nodded shortly. While he didn't necessarily need another stallion, he would be willing to take the horse if only to keep him from being beat again. He didn't agree with that line of thought. "You raced well, Rhys. We can meet in my suite in a few hours to discuss the rest of the situation. Does that meet with your approval?"

"Of course," Rhys assured him, before stalking away. This day was not going well, and he had a feeling that it would only get worse...