Odds On An Earl - Anna St Claire

The last thing he wants is a bride.
Nicholas de Lorris, the fifth Earl of Crewe, vowed to avoid the marriage noose after a betrayal left him scorned. When his mother persuades him to escort her to a house party, he reluctantly agrees, despite learning that self-proclaimed matchmaker, Lady Pansy Osborne, has organized it. Hardened to the ploys of marriage-minded mamas and their daughters, Nick is unprepared when he meets a beautiful young woman who seems completely indifferent to him and his title.

The last thing she needs is a husband.
Lady Alora Owens finds Society oppressive and marriage frightening, having lost her mother in childbirth. Accepting spinsterhood, she avoids Ton gatherings in favor of riding her horses and other outdoor activities. Exasperated, her father accepts an invitation to a house party, forcing her to attend and promising to join her later. Upon arriving, Alora hears the cries of a young colt being mishandled by two stable hands and runs to its rescue. Her frustration leads her to accept a wager proposed by Lady Osborne to ride the temperamental colt, belonging to the Earl of Crewe, in three days' time—unwittingly making herself and Lord Crewe the latest targets in Lady Osborne's matchmaking scheme.

Continually paired during the house party, Nick and Alora discover a conspiracy to steal his horse, which has direct champion lineage. As they work to discover who is behind the plot, they find unexpected feelings growing for one another. Can Nick and Alora survive the danger they uncover and find the love they both crave?