The Hopeless Hoyden

by Bennett, Margaret

  Twenty minutes later, Gabriel blinked several times after coming out of a spinney of pine trees into the bright sunshine and encountered Jeb, sitting on a cob horse with his eyes fixed on Emily with a look of awe.

  “You can return to the stable, Jeb," Gabriel instructed the groom. “I'll look after Miss Pendleton."

  Gabriel didn't notice the groom leaving as his own gaze focused on Emily. He hoped his eyes were deceiving him.

  But they weren't.

  *** Chapter 12 ***

  By Jove, the girl needed a keeper!

  Gabriel urged Ajax forward, all the while holding his breath. Barefooted, which didn't surprise him in the least, Emily was standing on Marabell's rump, arms outstretched for balance as the little mare trotted across the field. It was inevitable that before he could reach her, Marabell stumbled over a dirt clod, causing Emily to lose her footing.

  Gabriel helplessly watched as his beloved tumbled head over heels to the ground. He dismounted Ajax before the stallion skidded to a halt and went down on one knee before the still form of his fallen wood sprite. Gently, his fingers began an exploration for broken bones. His efforts earned him a giggle.

  “Do stop, Gab. That tickles."

  “Damn, Emily." Breathing a sigh of relief, Gabriel sat back on his haunches and took in her hair splayed across the grass, her brilliant smile, her sparkling eyes. “You scared me half to death."

  “Why?"

  “Because," he ground out between gritted teeth while springing forward, to grab her by her slender shoulders. “You could have broken your neck."

  “Oh pooh. All I did was fall off Marabell, and that has happened--"

  He stopped her chatter, scooping her up by the shoulders and clutching her to him in a fierce hug. “You silly, foolish, lovable girl. Don't you know by now I'd be lost if anything happened to you?"

  He pulled back to stare into her violet eyes and was surprised by the confusion they held. He could only deduce that somehow he had frightened her and so allowed more space between them. “What would I do without you to watch my back?" he said, trying for a lighter tone.

  “Your back?" Bewilderment lingered in her eyes for a few more seconds before being replaced by something else. Was it disappointment?

  “Have you forgotten our bargain already?" he teased, wanting her to smile again. But she shuttered those expressive eyes, leaving him more in the dark than before.

  “Help me up, please, my lord."

  He did as bid and brushed the loose grass from the back of her riding habit. The train of her skirt, he noticed, had been brought up between her legs and tucked into her waist, making a fairly good imitation of the pantaloons worn by the lady acrobat at the fair. He particularly eyed the goodly amount of trim ankles also displayed.

  Heaven help him, he was in over his head with this woman-child. While she was as unpredictable as an untrained colt, he had no idea how to bridle her before she harmed herself. He was about to lecture her when he spotted riders off in the distance, headed their way. “Where are your boots?"

  “Over by that large oak tree, but--"

  “Your brother's coming up behind you with Miss Burke-White. There's no way to get you properly shod before they are upon us." He turned to find Marabell and Ajax both cropping grass a few feet away. After grabbing the mare's reins, he put his hands about Emily's waist and hoisted her effortlessly up in the air, plopping her firmly on the saddle. “Keep your blasted feet covered," he growled under his breath just as Tom hailed them.

  Emily watched Gabriel stride over to his horse and mount the stallion in one fluid movement. She nudged Marabell with her bare heel to follow behind Ajax to join her brother and Prudence. The foursome set a docile pace back to the main road, heading for the stable. Emily knew Gabriel was displeased with her and felt a measure of remorse for having been caught out, acting the hoyden once again. As Gabriel edged Ajax forward to speak a few cordial words with Prudence, Emily hung her head, shamefaced. She didn't blame him for not wanting to ride beside her.

  Lost in her thoughts, she was vaguely aware when Tom fell back to give her a side glance. His none-too-friendly tone startled her, however. “Where's your hat, Em?"

  “The wind caught it and it blew away."

  “Cut line, Em. You ain't got your boots on either."

  She turned to give him a quelling glance and saw his handsome countenance was flushed with anger. Before she could think of any thing to say, his jaw muscles clenched and he ground out, “I don't care if he's a Viscount or not, he ain't getting away with compromising my sister."

  “Oh, no, Tom, you have it all wrong. Gabriel was about to give me a scold."

  “A scold!" This time, Tom's anger was turned toward her. “What've you done this time, Em?"

  “It was a simple misunderstanding." She smiled sweetly but saw he was unaffected by it and shrugged her shoulders. “I was trying to ride Marabell, standing up on her back, and--"

  “What!" Tom exclaimed loudly enough that he drew the attention of both Gabriel and Prudence, the latter with a look of distress. But Gabriel quickly redirected the young lady's interest with a question, leaving Emily to face her brother's wrath.

  “Really, Tom, there is no reason to make a fuss."

  “Are you--" Tom stopped himself with visible effort and began again after a deep breath to control the volume of his voice. “Are you daft, Em? Respectable girls don't go around making spectacles of themselves."

  “You have no cause to lecture me, Tom," retorted Emily, stung to tears by his admonishment. “You used to be up for any lark, and now..."

  Tom gave her a disgusted look. “Blast it, Em, you're supposed to be a lady now. Ladies don't go haring across fields or chasing butterflies or—“

  “Go away," she hissed. With the back of her kid gloved hand, Emily swiped at the tears wetting her cheeks.

  Tom reached into the pocket of his jacket and withdrew a white linen handkerchief. “Here, you've got dirt on you face. No need to be angry with me, Em. I don't make the rules. I just follow them. You'd better learn to do the same, else you're going to lose the biggest prize on the Marriage Mart this Season. A top of the trees Corinthian like the Viscount don't want a wife who goes about with her hair spiked with sticks and her skirts all ragged and dirty."

  Rather than answer her detestable brother, Emily nudged Marabell into a canter and flew past Gabriel and Prudence. The wind further tangled her hair, blew away the torrent of tears flowing down her cheeks and whipped up her muddled thoughts even more. In one breath, she vowed to release Gabriel from the engagement. With the next breath, she was crying harder as she swore to never let him go. Hadn't he said he needed her, that she was lovable?

  But she knew in her aching heart it was only his sense of honor that held him to her. The same honor had compelled him to offer for her in the first place. Tom was right. A gentleman, refined and distinguished as the Viscount Lindemann, might be entertained by her antics for a while, but in the end he wouldn't want to be leg shackled for life to a silly hoyden like her.

  She had ridden some distance before the pounding of hooves steadily gaining on her penetrated her troubled thoughts. Glancing over her shoulder, she saw Ajax gaining on her and felt the tension in Marabell as her little mare prepared to race the stallion. And Emily nearly let Marabell have her head, especially after glimpsing a challenge in Gabriel's eyes. But first, Emily knew she had to address the matter of their engagement.

  She drew a reluctant Marabell to a walk and let the black stallion come along side her.

  “What new game is this, Emily?"

  Gabriel's smile tore at her heart. He expected her to meet the challenge and gallop with abandon down the road like no respectable lady of Quality of his acquaintance would do.

  "Gabriel . . . ." She stopped herself even before she began. What right had she to call him by his Christian name? “My lord, we must talk."

  Reining in Ajax to match her mare's sedate pace, Gabriel gave Emily a curious glance
, then suddenly acquired a shuttered expression. “Just what do we need to discuss?"

  “It is about our engagement."

  He didn't look at her but kept his eyes fixed straight ahead. “I thought we had reached an agreement on that subject."

  “We both agreed it was temporary."

  “Did we?" Again she glimpsed that curious look in his eyes before she diverted her gaze.

  “Well, yes. But then, you told Tom that we would soon marry. It will be harder now, but we must break--"

  “Ah, here comes Tom and Prudence. Perhaps it would be best to postpone this discussion.” His words sounded more like a decree than a suggestion. “Since I can't get you to give me a good gallop, maybe I can entice your brother into racing back to the stables."

  He gave her a jaunty salute and rode off before she could utter a protest.

  ###

  “Tom! Tom! Wait up!" Emily lifted her skirts and raced down the stairs to reach her brother before he entered the drawing room.

  “Blast it, Em. You'd think by now you'd have caught on how to act like a lady."

  Pulling up short, Emily dropped her skirts and smoothed the front of her dress as she compressed her lips and narrowed her eyes. “What is that supposed to mean?"

  “It means you don't go running about the place like you do at home."

  “This is to become my home," Emily was goaded into saying with only the slightest pang of conscience. After all, Tom had no idea she intended to break the engagement. But if she thought to throw her brother off stride, she was disappointed.

  “Yes, well you better take lessons on how to become a lady. I've yet to see a viscountess, running up and down any halls."

  “Oh pooh! You've yet to see a viscountess except in a ballroom." That shut him up, thought Emily with a smirk, eying her sibling open and close his mouth like a landed fish. “Now, Tom," she began again, this time with a superior tone to laud it over him. “I wish to know if you have seen Gab, er, my lord, the Viscount Lindemann."

  “Cut line, Em. You ain't the viscountess yet."

  “No, but I am looking for my fiancé" she said with her nose in the air.

  “What for?"

  “That is none of your business. Besides, it is personal," she said, still putting on haughty airs. “Well, have you seen him?"

  “Yes, a few minutes ago. He was headed for the stables. Offered to go with him," Tom added unconcernedly. “But he said he could handle it himself."

  “Handle what?"

  “Gypsies. Overheard his bailiff say there's gypsies camping on estate grounds."

  “Oh, Tom, you let him go by himself?"

  Tom was quick to take offense at her accusing tone. “Why not? He's a grown man. Besides that, he didn't want my company."

  He was speaking to Emily's back, for she'd make an about face and took to her heels heading for the stairs to change into her habit. “Pickering, have them ready Marabell," she called out as she passed the butler, who was descending the stairs.

  In record time, Emily stood in the stable yard, waiting for Marabell to be brought out. “Where did the Viscount go?" she asked Gresham.

  “Now, why would you be wanting to know that, Miss?" Emily hadn't missed the knowing look in the old groom's eyes. When she didn’t answer, he jerked a thumb toward the stable yard. “Jeb, there, will be riding with you, ‘right, Miss?"

  Emily knew when she was faced with a superior servant who would not allow her to stray from the bounds of priority. “Yes, of course, but I must hurry. Which direction did his lordship go?"

  “Took the north trail. Now, you be careful riding them woods. There's always a low branch that'll get you if you don't keep your peepers open."

  But like Tom, Gresham was speaking to her back, and before she’d reached the north bridle trail, she nudged Marabell into a canter with Jeb following close behind her.

  ###

  Riding through the home woods, Gabriel fleetingly wondered if he'd erred by rejecting Tom's offer to accompany him. But since Gabriel wasn't sure what he'd find, he had no wish to heedlessly embroil the young man in a dangerous situation. After some consideration, Gabriel decided first to reconnaissance the area, just as he'd done in the war. Then he’d consider his options in dealing with the enemy.

  The woods were quiet around the old gamekeeper's hut. Gabriel approached cautiously, letting Ajax pick his own way while he searched for tell-tale signs of use. He recalled that Gibson had inspected the hut less than a week ago. But Gabriel's keen eyes noted even more recent signs--newly broken branches, fresh boot tracks, and a lost kerchief.

  Tethering Ajax to a tree, he came up behind the old stone and timber hut. The rickety lean-to attached to the rear had new hay in the crib and fresh droppings on the floor. He crouched low beside a side window and peered into the square room. While he saw no one, a woolen blanket covered a make-shift straw pallet in one corner and an empty wine bottle lying on the rough plank table made it plain someone was living there.

  He'd seen enough. It was past time to call in the Bow Street Runners and rely on their discretion. He’d wanted to avoid a scandal, yet he wasn't willing to take chances with Emily's life. While he had nothing on Cecil but the flimsiest circumstantial evidence, it might be all he needed to scare his cousin off when the Robin Redbreasts nabbed his accomplice for attempted murder.

  Gabriel mounted Ajax. But instead of heading toward home, he cut across the woods to check up on a tenant. As he crested a low hill, he heard twigs snapping just off the right of the path and reined in Ajax and waited. His eyes caught a flash as the sun bounced off something metal. Was it a horse's bridle--or a gun?

  Carefully, he led Ajax into the trees, then down a small slope, circling around to come up behind whoever was up ahead.

  The dashing white feather was his first clue that no villain lurked among the trees. Spurring Ajax into a gallop, he overtook Emily's chestnut mare and reached across to grab her reins.

  “Good heavens, Gab" Emily cried, clutching at her heart with one hand. "You scared me half to death.”

  “What are you doing here, and, might I add, without a groom?"

  “Oh, Gresham made sure I had a groom.” Emily looked over her shoulder and shrugged. “Guess Jeb couldn’t keep up.”

  “I thought we'd agreed that you weren't to go about on your own."

  “We did, but when Tom told me you were out looking for gypsies. . . well, it is plain as pikestaff that this is a trap Cecil has set for you."

  “And knowing that, you came out to warn me--alone.”

  “But I wasn’t alone,” Emily said. When Gabriel gave her a skeptical look, she added, “I had to find you.”

  “Emily, did it occur to you that you might be setting yourself up as well."

  She didn't pay him any mind. Her head twisted side to side, her eyes darted about. “It is spooky in these woods, Gab. Listen to the quiet. I wonder, would gypsies make the birds disappear?"

  “There are no gypsies, Em." He flicked Ajax's reins and began to lead the way out of the spinney.

  “Do you have a pistol with you?" she asked.

  “I do."

  “Oh. Where are we going?"

  “I'm escorting you back to the main road where you'll hopefully meet up with Jeb. Otherwise, you are to hightail it back to the stables and wait until Jeb finds and rejoins you."

  “But what about the gypsies? They could capture me. I could be shipped off to a far away land." Her violet eyes danced with excitement as she warmed to her topic. “They might even sell me to a sheik."

  Another time and he would have willingly encouraged her. But he was upset that she'd ridden about on her own against his express orders. Danger could be lurking around the next tree, for all he knew. “Spin your tales on someone else, Em."

  As they came out of the wood, Gabriel pointed his riding crop down the road. “The Park's that way."

  “Where are you going?"

  “I need to check a tenant's field for drainage problems
. It's causing the crops to rot."

  “Ugh, now you are talking mud. That is the one thing I cannot abide."

  He laughed at her sally yet mentally recalled that no matter how rough and tumble she might be, he had seldom seen Emily dirty. Disheveled, yes, but not dirty. “Off with you, minx," he growled playfully.

  “You will regret this when the gypsies cart me away," she grumbled as Gabriel slapped Marabell's rump and set the mare to a brisk trot.

  Turning Ajax around, Gabriel intended to cut across the woods for the Potts' farm. As he rode, though, he considered Emily’s words. It was strange how abnormally quiet the woods were. Mentally he castigated himself for letting his wood sprite's vivid imagination work on him.

  At that moment, a shot rang out.

  Ajax went down. Gabriel barely managed to jump clear. Rolling a few feet, he pulled the pistol from his belt and swung around. The sight of his fallen mount momentarily stunned him. The huge stallion lay motionless, one glassy eye sightlessly staring up. Blood trickled from a clean hole in the middle of the horse's head.

  A second shot whizzed by his left ear, and Gabriel dove for cover behind the dead horse. Next, he heard galloping hooves. Turning, he saw Marabell approaching.

  “Emily, get out of here!" he shouted.

  “Not without you." She drew the mare to a halt beside him. As she kicked her left foot out of the stirrup, she reached down with one hand.

  Gabriel didn't argue but accepted her hand and replaced her foot in the stirrup. Another shot rang out, and Emily cried out. He threw his leg over the mare and pulled Emily into his body, hunching over to shield her from the sniper.

  “Hold on," he said, grabbing the reins from her listless fingers. He kicked Marabell's flanks, and the mare bolted ahead, cutting a swath through the brush. For several minutes, Gabriel raced the horse, weaving between the trees. Coming out on the main road, he urged Marabell into an all out gallop before looking back over his shoulder.