Page 70 of Foes, Friends and Lovers
Viewing that as an opening to exploit, Gregory asked about the livestock at Benbeoch and soon had a reasonably good notion of what the estate encompassed.
“Our cropping’s light compared to what you have here,” Rory said. “You’ve much richer, deeper pastures, so your productivity will be much higher, but I’ve always thought, for the best meat, sheep need to forage for their feed, and these fellows here”—he nodded at the flock before them—“have it too easy. Excellent for wool, not so much for meat.”
“I’m still learning,” Gregory admitted, “but that’s what I’ve gathered. We run for wool rather than meat.”
“It’s not that we don’t have wool at Benbeoch,” Rory said, “but it’s nothing like the quality you’d get off these.” He pushed away from the railing as Caitlin joined them.
She smiled at them both. “Malcolm and I have sorted things out, so we can head to Nene Farm.”
They climbed back into the curricle, and Gregory steered the bays out to the lane, then onto the track that ended at Nene Farm.
As he drew the horses to a halt in the farmyard, Rory was already getting out.
“This is more like it.” With an eager smile wreathing his face, Rory headed for the nearest paddock.
As it happened, Martin Cruickshank was standing just inside the fence, his hands on his hips as he surveyed the cattle ambling about the lushly grassed field. He heard Rory striding up and turned.
Hurrying after her cousin, Caitlin called out an introduction, but Rory barely waited to ask, “What bloodlines do you run?” He halted at the fence, his gaze locked on the beasts. “Well, I can see they’re Angus, mostly, but there’s something else there, too.”
Martin stared at him. “Aye—and you’ve a good eye if you can pick that just by looking. We’ve been working on these for the past decade and more. See…”
Caitlin halted a few paces from the fence and listened as Rory and Martin talked cattle as only two men with cattle breeding in their blood could.
After tying up his horses, Gregory joined her.
They stood and listened, and after several minutes of the often-incomprehensible-to-mere-mortals back-and-forth, he glanced at her. “I feel, once again, that we’re decidedlyde trop.”
She lowered her voice. “Rory’s in charge of cattle breeding at Benbeoch. He knows more about the subject than about crafting musical instruments.”
Gregory frowned. “Your father—and the estate—will be missing him, then.”
“Not really.” Briefly, she met his eyes. “My youngest cousin, Morgan, is one of those annoying creatures who is good at anything they turn their hand to, including breeding and managing all types of livestock.”
“Ah.” Gregory looked at Rory. After a moment, he murmured, “So there’s nothing tying Rory to Benbeoch.”
She hadn’t thought of that, but… “No. There isn’t.” She followed that train of thought further. “If he wanted to leave, he could, without causing any great problem.”
She returned her attention to her cousin and felt as if she was seeing him through new eyes.Hmm.
They waited for several more minutes, then Caitlin managed to attract Martin’s attention long enough to ask whether he needed anything extra ordered.
“No, thank you, Caitlin. But if you see Millie, could you ask her to make up some of her ointment for treating hooves?” He looked back at the milling cattle. “Just in case.”
“You’re going to check their hooves?” Rory asked.
Martin nodded. “With the ground down by the river so wet, it pays to be vigilant.”
“Aye, it does, that.” Rory tipped his head at the cattle. “Their condition’s good, considering the season.”
Caitlin pointedly said, “I promised to call on Margaret and Monica, so we need to get on.”
Rory met Martin’s eyes, then glanced at her. “You two go on. I’ll stay and help check the hooves.”
Martin turned an eager face their way. “That’d be a big help. Not often I have someone whose eye I can trust. Together, we’ll be able to get through this lot in half the time.”
“Aye, and perhaps you’ll show me the rest of the herd afterward?”
Martin beamed. “Of course!”
