When he came upon her at the mews, Arabella was just exiting and wore an overly large coat over her faded gown. There was a thick leather glove on her right hand, which supported a falcon. Sitting on the ground beside her was a spaniel.
Gideon sucked in a breath at the magnificent sight. Those talons spanned the width of her wrist and if the bird had a mind to do so, it could probably fly off with Arabella. But the falcon remained calm.
She slowed her steps as he came near.
“Are you going hunting?”
“William is.” She nodded to the great bird. “I’m takin’ him to his prey.”
“Which is?”
“Whatever Bonnie Prince chases from the fields and William is hungry for?”
He’d thought falcons were trained for a specific prey. Perhaps not, or he’d misunderstood. “May I join you?”
“As long as ye stay to my left so as not to crowd William or make him nervous.”
“Of course,” Gideon readily agreed. He knew of a few gentlemen in London who enjoyed falconry, but had never experienced the sport.
“I’m sorry I’m late, Miss Arabella.” A younger boy ran up to them. “I had to finish cleaning the stalls.”
“Ye’re just in time, Duncan.” She ruffled the boy’s hair with her free hand. “Duncan, this is Lord Gideon, he is goin’ ta join us today.”
The boy grinned up, his two front teeth missing.
“I remember having to clean stables when I was about your age.”
Miss Arabella raised an eyebrow. “Ye cleaned stables?”
“It was the only way to earn a horse of my own,” Gideon answered proudly. “Once I knew how to properly care for one, by proving myself, then I could have one.”
She nodded as if she agreed, or approved.
“I doona mind,” Duncan chimed in. “I like carin’ for all of the animals.”
“Is that why you help Miss Arabella hunt?”
“She and William or Robert hunt. I take care of the kill.”
At that, Miss Arabella scrunched her face. “It’s the unpleasant part of huntin’.”
The purpose of falcons was to fly and hunt. “Why hunt if you don’t like the killing?”
“It’s a necessity. If we doona keep the bird and rabbit population down, they will take over the crops and gardens. Though two birds are hardly enough to see to the task.
Most people set traps, though it’s hard to trap a bird.
Together they set off across the fields, the dog following behind, until they entered a small cropping of woods and then exited into wheat fields. These he’d not seen before.
Arabella stopped, as did the spaniel. She then loosened the jesses tied to the falcon’s ankles that kept him linked to her wrist before she stuck out her arm. The falcon let go and flew high. Gideon shaded his eyes against the sun to watch the bird sore higher and higher until it was merely a speck. Then Arabella ordered, “Flush them out, Bonnie Prince.”
Gideon nearly snorted as the spaniel took off, rushing through the grain. “Your birds are named William and Robert and the dog is Bonnie Prince.”
“Aye,” she answered.
An instant later, pigeons flew from the fields and up into the sky; a second later William started his dive.
Gideon had never seen such a sight as the falcon pursued one of the pigeons who flew with all of its might. It was almost as if the falcon was toying with it as he flew with so much ease. Graceful came to mind, and then William caught up with the pigeon, snagged him on the back of the neck and in the blink of an eye the prey fell to the ground with the falcon following it down.
Duncan took off after Bonnie Prince and the falcon with Arabella following at a slower pace. “This part I doona like.”
As Gideon didn’t know what they would find, or what would be left of the pigeon by the time they reached it, he was in no hurry to follow Duncan either.
“Ye’ll not want to look,” she said. “It can be gruesome, the killin’ and after, so it’s best if ye stay back.”
Gideon blinked at her. Did she think so little of him that he couldn’t handle the sight of a falcon with his kill?
Ah, yes, she’d decided that he had a good heart and a gentle soul—a milksop. An opinion Gideon needed to change.
When they arrived at the falcon and the downed pigeon, William was picking at his kill. Arabella immediately turned her back. “Doona let him have too much.”
“I willna,” Duncan answered
A moment later, Arabella held out her arm and whistled. William flew up and landed on her wrist.
“Is he done? Do you take him back now?” Gideon asked
Miss Arabella smiled as she tied the falcon to her once again. “Nay, he will fly and hunt some more.”
Gideon glanced back just in time to see Duncan toss the dead pigeon in a cloth sack.
“Come along, Bonnie Prince,” Arabella called and the dog promptly jumped up and followed them.
Chapter 10
Arabella knew that Uncle Aiden hoped for a betrothal, but she knew better. As much as she enjoyed being with Lord Gideon, he was still English and was used to being around ladies. Of course, the only real lady that Arabella had spent any time with was Rose, and then her step-daughters, and Arabella was nothing like them. The differences were vast and even though Arabella realized there were improvements she could make, she would not change herself. She was who she was and that is who Lord Gideon would come to know.
“There are four fields in all,” she explained. “After William has hunted in the barley fields, I’ll take Robert to the fallow and clover field so he can hunt rabbits.”
Arabella once again let William fly. A breathtaking sight that she never tired of.
However, she was also more conscious of her own appearance than ever before. With Lord Gideon by her side, Arabella wished she’d worn a different gown, not that it could be seen under the old coat she wore for extra protection of her arms, and her hair was simply braided. First britches and now this. What must he think of her?
It didn’t matter, Arabella reminded herself. Even if Lord Gideon was of a mind to court her, which he was not, he was English and that was really all that mattered.
Once William reached his altitude and was circling, she set Bonny Prince free once again.
“Do you hunt every day?” Lord Gideon asked.
“I try to take them out at least five times a sennight. They need the exercise.”
“Why not both at once?” His tone was curious.
“When Niel used to come with me, we’d take both birds, but I can only handle one at a time. If he were able to help, I’d add to our mews.”
“More birds.”
“Aye, I’d love to own hawks, but I believe they migh’ require a separate buildin’ and Uncle Aiden willna build me one. He already disapproves of my huntin’.”
Lord Gideon nodded.
“They never fly off?”
“They do on occasion, durin’ matin’ season.” Her face began to burn. Such matters should not be discussed with a gentleman. “But they always return.”
“One would think they’d prefer to be free,” he said almost absently, watching William fly.
“Aye,” Arabella agreed. “But, they have a home where they are safe from predators and are fed if they are unable to hunt.” That was what her father had explained when she was a child because it was the only explanation that made any sense for why they only disappeared for a few months out of every spring.
“Ah, so they enjoy their own season,” Lord Gideon chuckled. “I’d think I’d rather spend the spring with the birds.”
“Ye doona like the Season?”
“Truthfully, this was the first time I’d attended in years. Not that I’m unfamiliar with London, but all of my other reasons for being in Town had nothing to do with society, balls or any other form of entertainment.” He turned and looked down at Arabella. “The only reason we found ourselves in London this spring was to deliver the ransom le
tter and then my sister used the opportunity to hopefully find brides for her younger brothers.”
Arabella’s stomach tightened. “She dinna find one for ye?” Did he have a betrothed back in England? It wouldn’t be the first time a man kissed a woman when he had another waiting at home.
“I would not have kissed you if I already had someone waiting for me,” he assured her.
Some of the tension in her stomach relaxed.
“I am glad to be away from Town, however, and I hope to avoid London for as long as possible.”
“Why doona ye like London?” ”
Even though Arabella did not want to attend the Season or search for a husband among the English, she would like to visit London at least once.
There were so many reasons why Gideon did not like London. “The noise for one,” he finally answered.
Arabella frowned up at him. “Noise?”
“People everywhere, talking, even at the theatre. Instead of watching a performance, they carry on as if they were at another entertainment where people enjoyed the company of others. Then there are the balls, rooms full of people, voices nearly drowning out the orchestra. The streets are no better with horses, carriages and merchants hawking their wares.”
“Is there any place ye enjoy or do ye prefer to live as a hermit?”
Gideon was used to others thinking him odd when he wished to be away from people—especially large groups of people. Even his home could be suffocating at times. “I prefer to live along the coast where the air is filled with the sounds of waves lapping against the shore or the cliffs.”
“Ah, it’s the sounds,” she said as if she understood, or agreed.
“Sounds are important. Not noises.”
The corners of Arabella’s lips quirked and her features relaxed as understanding lit in her eye. “Aye.”
Gideon stared down at her. Perhaps she did understand. “Breezes through trees and the ruffling of leaves. Rain against the windows, the thunder of a distant storm, birds chirping in the morning.” His face began to burn. Miss Arabella was going to think he truly was a milksop, and perhaps he was, yet he couldn’t stop himself. “A full moon casting shadows of those on a path, the crunch of leaves beneath your foot in the fall, the gentle mewing of a newborn kitten, waves lapping against a shore.”
“Ye speak poetically.”
Now he did feel foolish. Except ladies and misses did prefer poetry, he supposed. Gideon just hadn’t considered that Miss Arabella might.
“Yer words remind me of the author…G. T. Oliver.”
Gideon blinked at her. They were in Scotland. How did she know about G. T. Oliver?
“Have ye heard of him?” she asked “Niel subscribes to The Gentleman’s Journal, which I read when he’s finished with it.”
Why wasn’t he surprised that Miss Arabella read a magazine written for men? Gideon simply shook his head.
“We never missed any of the serialized stories. Sometimes we save the magazines and doona read any until we ken the story is complete and then Davina, Sheena and I will spend the next days readin’ the story from beginning to end. His words always paint a picture within his story that when I close my eyes, I can believe that I’m standin’ in the very place he’s writing about.”
Flattery didn’t begin to describe the warmth that spread deep down inside.
“When ye spoke just now, ye reminded me of him.”
“Thank you for the compliment. I am very familiar with the work of Oliver.” Because he had written it.
“Do ye ken if he’s written any novels?”
Gideon blinked at her. “Three books that I’m aware of.”
Her face brightened. “Ye have read his work as well!”
“Yes.” Did he dare tell her he was the author?
“I must add the books to my list.”
“List?” Gideon asked.
“When we travel to Edinburgh. We go so rarely that Davina, Sheena and I need to compile complete lists of all we need to purchase because we never know when we’ll get back.”
“Why so rarely?”
“Because Uncle Aiden gets nervous when he has all three of us.” She laughed. “He fears something dreadful might happen and gets upset when he loses sight of one of us for more than a moment. Ye’d think we were still on leadin’ strings.”
“I’ve not visited Edinburgh. Perhaps we could make the trip, with your uncle to chaperon, of course.” He only had a fortnight before he’d be allowed to return to England. Did he really want to leave the peacefulness of Anagburn and travel to another large city? It would surely be as loud as London.
“Too much has already been asked of ye, Lord Gideon.”
“You did not ask. I offered and I’d like to see the City.” Actually, he’d enjoy seeing it with Arabella.
Chapter 11
What the blazes was wrong with her? What had happened to her appetite and when had she become so self-conscious?
It was only a meal. Arabella had enjoyed them all of her life and it wasn’t unusual to have guests. Nor was it unusual to have male guests at the table. Except the men usually stayed after, meeting with Uncle Aiden or her male relatives, and for all the attention she’d ever been given, she might as well have been invisible. Not that it mattered, as Arabella had never had any interest in her family’s business associates.
However, Lord Gideon had never dined with them before, and he didn’t ignore her, which made the meal all the more disconcerting.
First, he was seated next to her. Then, he engaged her in conversation, asking more about the falcons and golf. Of course, whenever Lord Gideon did mention golf, a male relative answered and before she knew it, they’d promised to teach Lord Gideon the game. It also meant that Lord Gideon would be engaged for at least three hours tomorrow during which time she needn’t worry about entertaining him. As Bentley and John Trent also agreed to learn the game, since they were staying at Anagburn, Arabella decided it was unlikely she’d see Lord Gideon tomorrow. Usually these sporting events ended in the distillery and the men didn’t return to the manor until it was time for supper. If they did remain to partake of the meal, they soon found their bed afterwards.
However, none of that explained why her stomach was in knots and her appetite seemed to have abandoned her.
“Is anythin’ wrong?” Sheena asked as she glided up to Arabella while they enjoyed their tea and waited for the men to join them after their cheroots and whisky. Except, Arabella wasn’t enjoying tea, she was pacing. Something else she was not in the habit of doing.
“Nay? Why do ye ask?”
“Ye barely touched yer dinner. That isna like ye.”
“I wasna very hungry I suppose.” That was the only explanation Arabella could offer.
“I hope yer not comin’ down with somethin’.” Sheena placed her hand against Arabella’s forehead.
“I can assure you that she is not,” Rose answered, a secret smile on her lips as she stitched on her latest needlework.
It would be inconvenient to become ill now, but how could Rose be so certain? Should Arabella retire for the night and hope that whatever ailed her was gone tomorrow?
At the boisterous voices in the corridor, because her male cousins and brothers didn’t know how to be quiet, Arabella quickly took a seat beside Rose. There she spied the piece of material still in Rose’s basket that Arabella once tried to stitch. “May I have my needlework please?”
Rose said nothing, but her lips twitched with the raise of an eyebrow as she gathered up the project Arabella had attempted to work on a few weeks ago.
As Arabella took it, she stared at the threads and tried to determine what she was trying to create. On closer look, she spotted dots of red. Blood?
Her stomach flipped. At least it was dried, but she knew where it had come from because she’d stuck her finger quite often with the end of that needle when Rose was trying to teach her to embroider. They were small dots, and not as disturbing as a more serious injury, but she’
d be more careful this time.
With determination, Arabella continued the stitches where she’d left off. She would conquer this talent.
Not that she wished to impress Lord Gideon, of course, but she had given a poor impression between the whisky, britches, golfing and hunting, and Arabella wouldn’t be surprised if he was wondering if she was even female.
It wasn’t that Gideon didn’t enjoy becoming better acquainted with Bentley, and John as well, but it was uncomfortable to sit at the supper table after the women had left. Not at first since conversation was general. However, when MacGregor started asking about his day and what he and Arabella had done, Gideon felt every eye on him, as if they were waiting for him to confess an indiscretion. The only two people at the table who seemed to be lost were Bentley and John. Gideon wasn’t surprised when Bentley asked him to remain as the MacGregors made their way to the parlor to join the women.
Bentley studied him as he poured a bit more whisky into Gideon’s glass.
“I know that MacGregor suggested you remain yesterday, but I have a feeling there is more.”
Gideon had assumed Bentley and John knew already, but apparently neither MacGregor nor their brother Matthew had shared the circumstances in which he found himself, so Gideon explained.
“You can leave, it was only a kiss,” John reminded him.
“I’m well aware, but I feel it would be dishonorable to do so.”
Bentley nodded and settled back in his chair. “Eleanor and I were going to leave in a week. If she’s in agreement, I believe we will remain a little longer.”
“Elizabeth and I will remain as well,” John said with seriousness.
“It’s not necessary,” Gideon assured them. “I can take care of myself and there is nothing MacGregor can do to me.”
“He wants a match for Arabella and even though he’s married to my step-mother, and she’s happier than she’s ever been…” Bentley leaned forward. “I don’t trust MacGregor and neither should you.”
Kissing the Lass (Scot to the Heart #2) Page 8
