The master of the hounds waved a hand toward a den where the hounds had circled and were digging the foxes out. He called praise to the pack, followed by promises that the hounds could soon rip the foxes to shreds. But Liam did not wish to see the foxes killed. Unnecessary killing had never given him pleasure. Killing an animal for food or so they would not overpopulate a land was one matter, but to kill simply for sport? That bothered him.
“How does the population of foxes fare here?” he shouted over the hounds’ loud barking.
“Scarce currently,” the master of the hounds answered.
Suddenly, the foxes darted out, and when the master of the hounds moved to block their escape with his horse and signaled Liam to do the same, Liam let them slip by him.
The master of the hounds gave him a surprised look but did not comment.
Hawkins, who had just ridden upon the scene, bellowed, “Why the devil did you do that?”
Liam narrowed his eyes at the man. “I don’t abide killing simply to kill.”
Hawkins glared at him. “Perhaps you should have considered that the rest of us wanted to see the foxes killed by the hounds.”
“Then ye should practice yer hunting skills so ye can be the first to the hounds. As it is now, ye’re fair, at best.”
“Do you insult me?”
“Nay,” Liam replied, working to bring his temper under control. “I merely state the truth. Now, if ye’ll excuse me.”
He turned his horse to head back to the house and found Aldridge behind him.
Damnation. He needed to apologize to his sister’s betrothed for ruining his hunt. Liam moved his horse close to Aldridge’s. When the two men were face-to-face, Liam spoke in a low voice. “I do apologize. I should have made it clear that I don’t hunt merely for sport, only out of necessity.”
Aldridge smiled and glanced toward the others. “A moment, gentlemen. MacLeod needs to return to London, and I must discuss business with him for a minute.”
Liam frowned but followed Aldridge when he turned his horse and walked him a good distance away. As they headed for some trees, they passed the two other men in the party, and Aldridge asked them to wait with Hawkins and the master of the hunt.
Once they were alone, Aldridge gave Liam an amused look. “Aila warned me,” he replied, surprising Liam.
“Then ye knew I’d not want to see the foxes killed?”
Aldridge nodded and flicked his gaze to where they had left Hawkins standing. “I don’t care for Hawkins, and he’d been bragging at White’s about being the best huntsman the day before we were to leave for the hunt. I recalled Aila mentioning your skill and your strict personal rule about only killing animals you intend to eat, and I could not resist the opportunity to see Hawkins bested and angered. I am sorry.”
“It’s all right,” Liam replied with a chuckle. “I enjoyed both, but why do ye not care for Hawkins?”
Aldridge cocked his eyebrow. “Beyond the man’s arrogance, I don’t believe for a moment that Miss Cartwright, whom I have known since we were children, betrayed him—as he has loudly proclaimed to anyone who will listen—by kissing Lord Tarrymount,” Aldridge said in an angry whisper.
Liam’s own blood heated at Aldridge’s revelation. Sothiswas Cecelia’s former betrothed…
He glanced over his shoulder at Hawkins and found the man staring in their direction. Liam faced Aldridge once more. “What else can you tell me?” he asked, wishing to have all the facts.
“Unfortunately, my mother and a group of her cronies caught Miss Cartwright with Lord Tarrymount in our library at a party,” Aldridge replied.
Liam recalled Cecelia’s mention that no one had believed her innocence. He’d heard the heartbreak in her voice, and he knew she had been telling the truth. She had no reason to lie to him. She had not been trying to get him to court her, nor had she even told him what had occurred.
“What happened after they were discovered?” Liam asked.
“I was off at war, but my sister told me that Hawkins immediately broke the betrothal and started courting Miss Cartwright’s former best friend within a sennight. They are now betrothed. He apparently made it well known that Miss Cartwright had broken his heart, but I find it odd that a man who claims such a thing would court another woman a mere sennight later, and conveniently the lady he chose to court had a greater dowry than Miss Cartwright’s, who I’m sure had a decent one but not a large one. Something just seems false to me, but I cannot deduce exactly what. Perhaps it’s simply because I happen to know Hawkins needs to marry a woman with a large dowry, or maybe it’s the fact that I don’t care for the man.” Aldridge shrugged.
Liam’s mind turned with all he had just heard. Cecelia and her mother were financially strapped, but apparently that was not known among theton. Perhaps Hawkins had learned of it? He didn’t doubt Cecelia would be forthright and honest with her betrothed if her dowry was gone. Had she told Hawkins, and then the man had—
“What sort of lady is Miss Cartwright’s former best friend?” he asked.
Aldridge’s brows drew together. “An heiress. Shy. Not half as pretty as Miss Cartwright. Very sweet and a tad naive.”
“In other words, easily duped?” Liam asked.
