Page 9 of A Scoundrel All the Way
“I’mnot going to put you down.I’mgoing to put you on your horse.We’regoing to my manor house, which is closer thanLatham’s.
“Why?”
“GoodLord, woman.There’sa storm on the way.”
Shenodded.
“Isuppose you not only didn’t notice you hurt your ankle, but you also didn’t notice the snow that’s falling around us?”
Sheblinked those big, brandy-colored eyes and looked up at the sky. “Hmm…it’s just a little snow.”Shebeamed at him again.
Hegaped at her.Notonly is she stubborn, but she’s also adorable.Doubledamn!“Whatare you doing with that fox?”Rowandemanded, trying to steer the conversation back to neutral territory.Herlashes fluttered like the wings of a butterfly.Shewas nervous.He’dlearned to read faces and knew when people were trying to hide something.Strangely, on her, it only made her more appealing.Hefelt a protective instinct kick in.Aneed to see that she came to no harm.
Rowanhad been surprised to see the lovely brunette ride toward the groundskeeper’s cottage that morning and decided to follow her, keeping a sufficient distance from her.Hewas curious about what she was about.Besides, it had begun to snow when he’d set out and he was concerned about her welfare.Shehadn’t appeared at dinner last night.Infact, he hadn’t seen her since that brief glimpse he’d had of her from his bedroom window yesterday morning.
Eventhough he was no longer an active agent for theCrown, his spying skills, honed over many years, had kicked in.Foxhunting wasn’t an activity he enjoyed.Itsickened him to think about the pack of dogs attacking the small fox.Butthat was beside the point.Thiswas a fox hunt onLatham’sproperty.
He’ddecided to take part when he spotted her in the stable in her fetching crimson riding habit, climbing onto a horse, assuming she’d intended to ride in the hunt.
Butwhen he saw her ride off along the path that circled the pond, he’d followed her, speculating on what her true motivation was.Wasshe meeting someone?Aromantic assignation, perhaps?Shewas a widow after all.Widowsenjoyed more freedom of movement inSociety.Wasthat what she was doing?Pushingthe boundaries ofSociety’snorms?Giventhe unfortunatetongossip about her, perhaps she was rebelling against the reputation thatSocietyhad saddled her with.Hehad to admit that he’d found her intriguing from the first moment he’d laid eyes on her.Shelooked young, sweet, and innocent, and yet here she was sneaking out at dawn.
Andthen he’d realized the truth as he’d watched her open the fox’s cage and cuddle the shivering animal before tucking it into her tapestry bag, whispering endearments to the small animal all the while.
“I’mwaiting,” he added, knowing full well what she was about.Thewind had picked up and was whipping the loose curls around her face.Hehad an urge to tuck a curl or two behind her ear.
“Areyou accusing me of something, my lord?” she asked, straightening her shoulders while he still held her.
Ah, the technique of deflection.Hislips twitched as he watched her transform from a fluttering butterfly to an indignant kitten. “Notyet.Butlet me tell you exactly whatIsaw.AndwhatIsaw was you stealing that fox from its holding pen and placing it in the satchel that you have hidden beneath your riding cape.”
“Howdare you, sir!”
Hethrew his head back and laughed. “HowdareI?You’rethe one who’s trying to steal that fox,LadyTenet.”
“Andby the way, how do you know my name, my lord?” she huffed, pulling her cape closer.
“Imake it a point to know the identity of everyoneIencounter.”
“Well, that sounds extremely nosy,” she said, lifting her fine dark brows.
Damn.Evenher brows were appealingly expressive.
“Tellme, why are you stealing that fox?”
“Whatfox?”Asif on cue, the fox in question began to wiggle in the bag.”
“Thatfox,” he said pointing his chin at the movement beneath her cloak.Thesnow was falling more heavily now, and the gusting wind whipped her cape close to her frame, outlining every curve of her body.Hewas tempted to grasp her by that cloak and pull her against his chest.Toprove her lie, of course.Butthat would be too forward.Perhapshe could make her think that he intended to do just that.
“Ican see it squirming under your cloak,LadyTenet.”
“Verywell,” she sputtered, holding her hand up. “Icouldn’t bear to think of this little fox being hunted down and tortured to death for some silly sport.Ifelt compelled to stop it.AndI’mworried about the poor creature.Ithink it’s injured.Itwas whimpering whenIarrived.”
“Finally, the truth.”Rowanstared at her for a moment. “Whatdo you think would happen when they began the fox hunt?Lathamisn’t going to be happy about this.”RowanthoughtLathamwould find it hilarious.Butthe rest of the guests might feel otherwise.Inany case, her reputation would suffer.Forreasons he couldn’t quite understand, he didn’t want her to be criticized for her actions.Rowanstared at her for a moment.
“Ididn’t think,” she said. “AllIwanted to do was save the fox.”
Wasshe really that naïve?Societywasn’t finished with her.Theychewed people up until there was nothing left before they spit them out and left them alone.Ifword got out that she had stolen a fox from the hunt, that could fire up more problems.Heblew out a breath. “Youmentioned that the fox seemed ill.Didyou happen to see if the fox might have been pregnant?”
“Ididn’t have time to thoroughly examine it.I-Ididn’t even check to see its sex.”Ashy smile appeared on her face as her cheeks flushed a rosy pink.
