“What? We are not done with this conversation.”
“Oh, we are.” She stepped into her bedchamber.
“Dorotheo!” he hissed and stepped toward the door, but it was shut firmly in his face.
For a wild moment, he considered turning the handle and walking in there. His hand even rose to the handle.
What am I doing? The scandal!
He backed up from the door and hurried away, scratching the back of his neck one more time as he wondered what on earth was happening to him.
* * *
Stephen tucked the gun under his arm as he stood outside the stables, waiting for the others to arrive. Mr. Becker and Lord Webster were nearby, sharing a conversation, and beside Stephen stood Lord Chilmond. Neither of them had a word to say to one another, so they both just stood there in silence.
“God’s wounds, what the hell?” Lord Chilmond muttered so quietly under his breath that Stephen could only presume the Viscount didn’t think he could hear him.
Across the stable yard, Stephen smiled when he saw who had elicited this reaction from Lord Chilmond. Dorothy strode across the yard, wearing a slim-fitting gown with a tight riding jacket. A low-lying shooting hat across her brow finished the ensemble. She looked quite formidable, and Stephen found his smile growing a little as he watched her approach.
“Lady Dorothy?” Lord Webster was the first to speak as she approached. “You are joining us for the hunt?” he spluttered, his shock plain.
“Of course.” Dorothy smiled as she stopped in front of them. “You do not mind, do you? No one said last night it would be men only.”
I never expected anything else.
“Well, of course, yes, you are most welcome,” Lord Webster said, turning to exchange odd looks with Mr. Becker and Lord Sandmarsh, though neither of them said anything. “Well, let us depart, then.” He struggled to recover himself and led them toward the horses that had been prepared.
Before Stephen could step toward Dorothy, Lord Chilmond did.
This man is always in the way.
“Have no fear, Lady Dorothy. I shall protect you on the hunt, and if you need any advice regarding the guns, I’ll be most happy to help.”
“Ha! Oh, My Lord, forgive my laughter, but I have been shooting for many years.” Dorothy tipped her head back in laughter. “I shall need no protection. Now, shall we go?” She walked toward the nearest horse, clearly eager to get going.
Stephen’s eyes tarried on Lord Chilmond for a moment. The shock was plain, and from the thin line of his lips, Stephen thought he saw the glimmer of restrained anger. The Viscount seemed to shake it off and hurried to help Dorothy onto her horse—though naturally, she did not need his help.
Stephen couldn’t stop staring at Lord Chilmond. No other may have seen that look, but Stephen couldn’t get it out of his mind. Then a thought occurred.
It cut deeply into Stephen, for he was so close to Allan that he knew exactly the value of Dorothy’s dowry. It was a sizable one, indeed, and surely enough to tempt many men.
What if Lord Chilmond is not truly captivated by Dorothy’s ways? What if he is only interested in her dowry?
CHAPTEREIGHT
Dorothy rode at the back of the group, occasionally shooting resentful glares at the men gathered. In her mind, they were all far too noisy. It was as if they didn’t actually hope to come hunting at all, but merely hoped for the ride and the chat. She could have gone for such a ride at any time, but today, she had come to shoot.
She checked that the gun tucked safely in her saddle was loaded one more time, then looked between the trees, watching warily for any sign of movement.
The trees were growing thicker with luscious leaves. The thick oaks, some hundreds of years old, towered over her and the rest of the hunting party. The wind bristled through the leaves, rustling softly, and the grass nearby shivered. Each time she thought she saw a shadow of something moving in the distance, it was simply the branches dancing, or a bird taking flight.
Lifting her head, she eyed the branches warily. The birds were all small, darting about with tufts of feathers and grass blades in their beaks as they hastened to make their nests. She smiled as she watched the birds, trying to identify the various leaves and berries she saw tucked in their beaks.
“Is all well, My Lady?” Lord Chilmond appeared beside her, and she jumped. She’d let herself fall quite far behind the others. “If you are tired on your ride, we could take a break for a while.”
“Tired? No, no.” She shook her head. “I simply know that for a hunt, we need peace. I fear some of our hunting companions do not know the same.” She nodded at the others, noting that Lord Chilmond was not the only one who had hung back. Stephen had also trailed at the back of the group, his expression unfathomable as he looked between her and the Viscount.
“I must confess my shock,” Lord Chilmond murmured as they rode on again. “You say you have hunted before, then?”
