The Lady And The Military Man_Conquer My Heart

by Penelope Redmont

  "Certainly," Jane agreed instantly.

  When they were close to the location, they left their horses several fields away, then took shelter in a covert. Within half an hour, rabbits emerged from their burrows and began to feed.

  Doyle had brought his own guns, as had Cormac. Doyle glanced at Lady Jane. “Ready?”

  She nodded.

  Jane quickly realized that Kelly wasn't at dinner, and was once again annoyed at herself because she looked for him.

  After dinner, most of the men retired to the card rooms, as did many of the ladies. Jane encouraged Lady Margaret to take her turn entertaining the remainder of the company by playing several pieces on the pianoforte.

  However, when Jane looked at Henry, Henry shook her head, and smiled. “No Jane — not I. I’m not having a season next year, am I? Besides, I think I’ll go to the card rooms, and watch the play.”

  Catherine strolled over to Lady Margaret and Jane. “You bagged five brace of rabbits," Catherine said to Jane. She spoke in an undertone, and linked her arm with Jane, to draw her to the side of the room. “I was amazed.”

  "Henry spoke to you," Jane said.

  Catherine looked startled. "No, she didn't. I happened to be with Lady Ferrymore and the cook. They were counting the game from the days’ shooting. I was surprised when someone pointed out that you'd bagged more rabbits than anyone else — as was she. And that got me thinking."

  Catherine tapped her chin with her finger, and looked intently at Jane. “Are you aware of Ferrymore’s Grouse Shoot? It’s held each year at his hunting box on the moors. He offers a prize of £1,000 for the gun who shoots the most grouse.”

  "When?"

  “I thought that that would intrigue you. It’s next week. Anyone who wishes can travel in the party, which leaves the day before the shoot, then returns the day after it. Ladies rarely accompany the guns, but Lilly says that you can stay with some friends, close by the hunting box, should you wish to attend.”

  When Jane remained silent, she went on, “there’s a £10 entry fee, and half the county arrives to take part in the sport. As you might imagine, there's a great deal of betting — and I’ve have already placed a bet on you.”

  “But —”

  “Of course you’ll take part,” Catherine said, and strolled away to speak with a friend who’d beckoned her.

  Several hours later, Jane was reading in bed when Henry tapped lightly on her door.

  “Oh good — I’m glad you’re not asleep yet,” she said when Jane opened her door. She walked past her into the room. “Did Catherine tell you about the Grouse Shoot?”

  "You didn't know?”

  "Indeed not. I didn't know about the £1,000, otherwise I would have told you. You’ll be pleased to know that I've already placed a bet on you — as has Catherine. I wanted to make certain that you placed a bet on yourself. The man holding the book is still downstairs, so I’ll place the bet for you, if you like. You’ll need to be quick, so that you get the best odds."

  Jane shook her head. “There’s a £10 entry fee — I can manage that, but to bet as well —”

  “Don’t trouble yourself. Catherine’s already paid the entry fee for you. And for me! She insisted… So I’ll need to do some target shooting before then.”

  “She paid for me?”

  Henry shrugged. “She did. I was with her. So, give me whatever you have, and I’ll place your bet for you.”

  She couldn’t refuse. Could she win? £1,000 was a lot of money, and would make all the difference to Kennystowe, Jane thought.

  She gave Henry £12.

  After the girl had gone, Jane climbed back into bed. She was relieved that Henry had given up trying to arrange a shooting match between her and Kelly.

  However she was mistaken.

  Jane was writing letters in the library next morning, when Kelly entered. He bowed to her. “My lady… Will you walk in the gardens with me? It seems that you wish to offer me a challenge."

  Jane looked around. Several other people were in the library, either reading, or writing letters as she was. Kelly had spoken in a soft voice, but she was aware that they'd already attracted several curious glances.

  “No,” she said glancing up at him. “I need to finish my letter to Lady Delmere.”

  He raised his eyebrows at her, and bowed. “Just for a moment.”

  Jane glanced around. “Very well.” She laid her letters aside took his proffered arm. It would be simpler to walk with him than to refuse.

  He escorted her from the library. The day was cloudy, so Kelly sent a footman to fetch her cloak.

  They'd reached the orchard before he spoke again. "I gather that you don't wish anyone else to overhear."

  "Major, you mustn't take Henry seriously. It's just a little foolishness on her part. I don't wish to challenge you at all."

  "As Henry pointed out to me – that girl is no one's fool – Ferrymore Manor is packed to the gunwales with desperate gamblers. They’ll wager on anything at all, and a match between us is bound to arouse some attention."

  “You don’t mean that you're taking it seriously?"

  His grey eyes gleamed. He chuckled. “Doyle told me that you shot five brace of rabbits, and could have shot more. He says you're an excellent shot. I take that very seriously indeed. However, if there is a match between us, I suggest that we schedule it for after the Grouse Shoot. Otherwise Henry will be most annoyed. She intends buying Ferrymore’s horse… And, as she pointed out, the odds on you are shortening by the hour… people are realizing that you're a very good shot."

  Jane inhaled deeply. “I should tell you that I don’t approve of wagering.”

  “Be realistic, Jane. You need money, and people wager. Where did you acquire your Mantons?”

  "That I can't tell you… I'll merely say that someone employed me, and was very pleased with the results of my tutelage."

  He chuckled again. "Yes I've heard that you're very good — so, what do you say? Will you agree to a match between us? We'll announce it for the week after the Grouse Shoot. Of course there will be a prize.”

  "A prize?”

  “A match always has a prize. That’s most necessary. A gun, perhaps — no, not one of mine. I’m sure someone will offer a suitable prize, if there’s enough interest.”

  She laughed. “Let's wait until after the Grouse Shoot. I’ll not challenge you if I don't have a good shoot.”

  He chuckled. “Jane, you're full of surprises.”

  Chapter 12

  Catherine and most of the other ladies wouldn’t travel to the grouse moor; they would remain at Ferrymore Manor.

  Catherine insisted that Doyle and Cormac accompany Jane, Lady Margaret, and Henry. “Kelly will be there too of course,” she said. “And you’ll have your maids and grooms. Otherwise I wouldn’t allow it.” She frowned for a moment. “A party of gentlemen means a party of drinkers.”

  Jane nodded. “Indeed.” Her tone was grimmer than she’d meant it to be. She was well aware of what could happen with men in their cups. “I’ll see that the girls are never alone.”

  A decade had passed since her first engagement to tutor a young lady in preparation for her season. It had taught her a great deal. Luckily, Alex who was always practical, had shown her how to manage men who forgot themselves. “I’m concerned that the girls and I will be the only ladies. That may cause chatter.”

  Catherine smiled. “No. Lady Ferrymore will be with you. She won’t countenance idle gossip, and neither will I.”

  In the week before they left for the moor, Doyle and Cormac took Jane and the girls out for target practice each day.

  Although Catherine had given her permission to make one of the shooting party, Henry injured her shoulder during one of the practices, so wouldn't take part in the grouse shoot. She wasn’t disappointed, because she’d grown to love shooting for its own sake. “Next year,” she said to Jane. She watched Jane’s practices with interest, as did Lady Margaret.

  When Doyle
told Jane that Lord Ferrymore didn’t believe in beaters, and that it was an open shoot, she realized that she would need Alex’s pointers. She wrote to her brother at once, and asked him to send her a couple of his dogs.

  When the dogs arrived, Lord Ferrymore admired them, and at once offered to buy them. Jane was certain that Alex wouldn’t want to sell them, but told his lordship that she would write to enquire.

  Lord Ferrymore’s grouse moor was well maintained, Doyle told Jane. He said that his lordship's gamekeeper ensured that his moor was kept free of crows and stoats at all times, with the local hunt ranging over it in winter to keep down the foxes. "So we should have good sport."

  They travelled to his lordship’s hunting box, and the day of the big shoot arrived. Kelly insisted that Jane shoot with him. "It's Catherine's idea," he told her. “For safety.”

  Jane readily agreed. She felt a little shy amongst all the guns, even though Doyle and Cormac would both be with her. The girls wished her luck when the horses were brought up from the stables on the morning of the shoot.

  Lady Ferrymore told her that she would look after the girls. They would practicing carriage driving; that would keep them occupied.

  A thousand pounds, Jane thought as they rode out. She kept reminding herself of this. However, no one could control luck — how many grouse they managed to flush. If there were fewer grouse in the area in which she was hunting, she wouldn't bag as many as another shooter who hunted an area with more grouse.

  She told herself firmly that she must think of the shoot purely as sport. She had no control of the outcome, she would simply do her best.

  Alex's dogs were very obedient, and were excellent at flushing game, so by mid-afternoon, Jane knew that she had shot a decent bag, but she lost count of the number of birds, as had Doyle. "You're doing well," he said. "Another half hour or so, and we’ll be done for the day."

  She’d lost sight of Kelly some time previously, his own dogs ranging away from hers.

  Jane lifted her arms and stretched, looking about her. The purple and gold moor stretched out for miles. The country was very similar to Yorkshire, and Jane felt at home in it.

  Finally, it was time to return. Cormac had gone to bring up their horses when Kelly and his grooms joined her. The servants were counting their bags of grouse, so Jane and Kelly were left alone for a few minutes.

  "Tired?" Kelly smiled at her.

  "Yes," she admitted.

  "You’ve shot very well."

  “Thank you.” She looked away quickly. He studied her, and if he were asking her a question. His close attention always flustered her, so she turned to speak to a groom.

  No one expected anything on their party’s ride back to the hunting box. They had just passed through a small village. The road — if it could be called that, it was merely a track — took them through a small wood.

  Four grooms were riding ahead of Kelly and Jane, with Cormac and Doyle riding behind. Suddenly Jane's horse shied, and at the same moment she heard the report of a gun.

  She didn't have time to react before Kelly nudged his horse closer to hers. He snatched her out of the saddle onto his saddle bow as if she weighed nothing. Then he rode his horse into the shelter of the trees.

  Suddenly, her feet were on the ground. Kelly still held her, and pulled her behind a deadfall. “Onto the ground, and keep your head down,” he shouted over the sound of further shots.

  He had his pistol in his hand.

  Jane heard several more shots, then the pounding of horses’ hooves. Doyle called out to Kelly. “Major — were you hit?”

  “No — stay where you are, man. Don’t go after them — wait!” Kelly responded. “We must take Lady Jane to safety before we go after them.”

  Then Kelly turned to Jane. “They've gone, whoever they are.” He offered her his hand to help her up. “You’re injured?”

  “No, I am quite well.” Jane knew that she was bruised, but that didn’t signify. “What was that – poachers?”

  "That was no poacher. He shot my horse." Kelly glanced down at her. “Stay here. We need to make certain that they’ve gone — and I want to check on my horse."

  Jane hadn't had time to be afraid, but she realized that her knees felt weak. She leaned against the trunk of a tree, and nodded to Kelly. “I’ll stay,” she said, and sat down at the tree’s base. “I won’t move.” Who would shoot at them?

  "Lady Jane," suddenly Cormac knelt beside her. He looked very concerned. "My lady?"

  "I am well," she assured him. "Will you find the horses?"

  A few minutes later, Kelly emerged from the wood. "Whoever they were, they’ve gone," he said.

  Jane was shocked when she saw Kelly’s horse. The bullet had grazed his rump, and Doyle was stanching the trickle of blood. Unbothered by the injury, the horse was picking at new shoots of grass. Kelly patted his horse’s neck.

  "We'd best get moving," Doyle said to Kelly. “We need to get out of this wood.”

  Jane listened when Kelly questioned the grooms who had been riding in front of them, but they hadn't seen or heard anything before the shots were fired. They were very nervous. “It’s poachers, major," one of the grooms said. "Bound to be. Or robbers."

  "Come," Kelly said to Jane. Doyle had brought up her horse, so Kelly lifted her into the saddle. He stared at her questioningly.

  "I'm perfectly well,” Jane said impatiently. She felt cold, but was as much afraid as she was angry. Why had someone shot at Kelly?

  An hour later, they'd reached Lord Ferrymore’s hunting box.

  Jane didn't win the shoot. She bagged some 50 grouse, but several of his lordship's guests had bagged over a hundred.

  The attack in the wood fired up everyone. Lord Ferrymore immediately sent for the local magistrate, then ordered a party of his gamekeepers and grooms to find the attackers.

  When the party returned few hours later however, they reported that they’d found nothing. The attackers were long gone.

  Kelly escorted Jane and the girls to the manor where they were staying, and spoke to their host. “You and the girls stay in the house,” Kelly said to Jane.

  She frowned at him. Surely they were not in danger?

  The ball

  The next day, Doyle told Lady Ferrymore and Jane that their party would be returning to Ferrymore Manor, but that Kelly and Lord Ferrymore would stay at the hunting box while all the servants were questioned by the magistrate.

  “The shoot’s over,” Doyle said. “The major’s questioning the gamekeepers and local men who were hired for the shoot.”

  Doyle refused to be drawn by questions. “My orders are to escort you and the ladies back to Ferrymore Manor, my lady,” he said to Lady Ferrymore.

  When they had returned to Ferrymore Manor, Jane found that she was restless. She looked for Kelly every day, but the major didn't return.

  Finally, at church on Sunday, she glanced up, and saw his familiar profile. He turned his head to meet her gaze, and winked at her. Although she looked for him after church, she didn't see him again until after dinner, when he strolled into the library where she was answering a letter from Mr. Kettering.

  She stood up at once, and he offered her his arm. "Will you accompany me to the stables?” He asked. “I wish to check on my horse."

  They’d brought Kelly's injured horse back with them, and Kelly hadn’t seen him since the poachers shot at them.

  He checked his mount over carefully.

  "Did you learn anything?" Jane asked. “Was it truly poachers?”

  Kelly leaned over the door of the loose box. "Oddly enough – Horace Killock was on the moor. I can't imagine why he was there. No one that I spoke to had invited him."

  Jane frowned. She couldn't imagine what he was doing there either. Horace Killock? "You're certain of this?"

  "Yes. I've written to Lord Alex, and told him. It occurred to me that…"

  "Yes?"

  He shook his head. “No, it's nothing.”

  “You
aren’t thinking that Mr. Killock was shooting at me, surely?”

  “No.” He chuckled. Then he stared at her intently. “I’m sorry that you didn't win the thousand pounds."

  She laughed. "That would have been beyond anything, would it not? It was very foolish of me to try."

  "It wasn't foolish at all. I thought it very brave of you. Will you shoot against me?"

  “Certainly, if you wish our match to proceed.”

  He chuckled. "Meggie talks of little else. I wouldn't dare to disappoint her. But if you think that you will lose of course, then we'll cancel the match."

  “Really? And how many grouse did you bag, major?”

  “Fewer than you,” he readily admitted.

  "Well then, we'll have to arrange our match — for ten days hence, perhaps? We’ve Lady Ferrymore’s birthday ball this coming week… And it will leave more time for the men to place their wagers. Henry tells me that the betting is going well. There are very long odds against me, and it's sad that I can't afford to bet more on myself."

  He chuckled. “That’s as well, my lady. You’ll have less to lose.”

  Lady Ferrymore’s ball would be the highlight of the house party.

  Catherine refused to allow Jane to attend the ball as a chaperone. "No my dear, that would be most unsuitable. I want you to dance at the ball, as I will. Lady Ferrymore and several of her friends will act as chaperones; they don't need you. Besides, neither of our girls is out, and this is a private party, not a public event.”

  They were in Jane's room. Lizzie had laid Jane’s pale green ball gown across a sofa. Catherine eyed the gown, and shook her head. "No that's unsuitable. I wish that Anne were here. She’d remake that gown into something truly fashionable. It’s fine silk, but the style is more suitable for a matron, than for a lady.”