Читать книгу Dare to Love - Alleigh Burrows - Страница 13

Dare had left for the hunt in high spirits, happy to enjoy the day with close friends and fine horseflesh. He was disappointed to find the earl had included his future son-in-law, as though he were a true member of the family, not only providing him with a superior mount, but including him in the conversation.

“Nicholas, my boy, I expect you will have a little more luck today. I remember the last time we went out for a hunt, you nearly got yourself killed. Surprising, since I’d always heard you were a steady sort of fellow.”

Nicholas went red around the ears. “Truth be told, sir, I was pretty damn intimidated riding with you. Never thought I’d be able to keep up, not on my little horse. Next to your stallion, he looked like a pony for criminy’s sake!”

“Nonsense. No need to be intimidated. We’re always happy to have new blood joining us. William here could never keep up with me, and Landis, well, he’s a moody sort. Not much for conversation, unless the fairer sex is around. I’m happy to have you with us.”

Dare ignored that comment, keeping his eyes straight ahead on the path. He could never quite accept the earl’s jovial manner around his family, even after all these years. It seemed unnatural, and Dare had maintained a wary distance. If the man saw that as moody, well, there was no help for it.

Nicholas did not display a similar affliction. With a wide smile, he gushed, “I appreciate that. This horse I’m riding is an absolute marvel. It’s almost like he knows where to go before I tell him.”

“So you like him, do you? Good. Consider him a wedding present.”

“What?” Nicholas’s jaw dropped, and he pulled the horse up short. “Oh, no, sir, I could not accept that. Just having your daughter is generous enough.”

“Don’t be silly. Can’t have you traipsing around the countryside on a half-breed. How would that look?”

“Besides,” William added, “it will give us a chance to spread the bloodline out and ensure our dominance in the county.”

“By the time my grandsons can ride, you’ll have your own mini-dynasty,” chortled the earl.

Dare snorted. The best thing about hunting with the Horshams had always been their complete focus on the pleasures at hand…horses and hunting. Now, he was forced into listening to all this inane babble about family.

In the hopes of salvaging the day, Dare decided to issue a challenge. “Now that the young pup has a proper mount, what say we have a contest? William and me against Nicholas and the earl. The first to score three birds wins.”

Confounding him, William announced an alternative. “How about I take Nicholas for a partner, and you and the earl can hunt together.”

In all their years together, Dare had always paired with William. They were the dominant team, always prevailing over the group. He tried to suppress the sting of abandonment as Nicholas, beaming with pride, nudged his horse to join William, but it annoyed him to hear the two men nattering away at each other as they branched off.

Brushing off the insult, Landis tugged on his reins, forcing his horse to rear slightly before prancing back towards the earl. He ignored the sharp look the earl shot him—after all there were few greater sins with the Horshams than mistreating a horse. Attempting to make the best of it, he spit out a brief apology, and they headed into the woods.

Determined to put young Nicholas in his place, Dare forged ahead, doing his utmost to win. Being a good host, the earl made several attempts at conversation that Dare rebuffed. His father had always made it painfully clear that hunting required absolute silence. He’d learned at a young age to follow that ironclad rule to avoid the consequences. He wasn’t going to change now to suit his congenial host.

By providing no more than one word answers, the earl soon learned conversation was unnecessary and, once quiet prevailed, the two men managed to bag a grouse within the first hour. They almost had a duck soon after, but it took flight behind a copse of trees. It was quite a while later that Dare had a quail in his sights when they heard the blast of a horn, startling the bird.

“Blast,” Dare growled. William and Junior had won.

“Huzzah,” crowed the earl. “My sons have bested us. Caroline will be quite pleased with her young man.”

Dare looked over, baffled. The earl seemed genuinely pleased that he had lost. How was that even possible? Wasn’t winning everything?

The only thing?

Anything less was…failure. And Dare could not abide by failure.

It was obvious that the earl was not burdened by the same sentiment. As the group reunited, and the victors displayed their kills, they all rambled on about who shot what and how well the other performed.

“We will have to serve these birds at the wedding tomorrow. It will bring luck to our table,” announced the earl.

Dare could do nothing more than shake his head in disbelief. The man truly did not care he’d lost to a lesser adversary. And William, he just rode alongside, acting as though he’d never had a better partner. As though all those times they’d been a team didn’t matter. It was infuriating.

By the time they reached the house, Dare’s mood was beyond surly. After handing over his horse to the stable boy, he strode into the entrance of the hall, determined to stew alone in his room. Everyone else could go to hell.

“Milord,” he heard a footman call.

He didn’t bother to slow down.

“Milord! I have good news for you.”

Irritated, Dare stopped and turned on his heel. The sneer on his face gave the footman pause.

“Well?” he snapped.

“Oh, yes, sir—well, your carriage and luggage have arrived. Your man is unpacking it at this very moment. Oh, and there is a letter for you.”

The footman scuttled back to the table, swept an envelope off, and handed it to him. Dare took one look at the handwriting and snatched the paper from the startled servant before storming up to his room.

His man, Jackson, was in the room arranging his things.

“Good day, milord. I have put your belongings away and can prepare your clothes for dinner now.”

“Yes, do it with all haste and then get out. I’m in no mood for your chatter.”

Well used to his master’s curtness, Jackson took no offence to the insinuation that he “chattered.” Instead, he helped him out of his riding clothes and into a clean linen shirt, dove-gray trousers, and spotless boots. That being done, he gathered up the dusty clothes and closed the door behind him.

Anticipating unpleasantness, Dare stretched out in a chair by the window to read the missive from his sister.

Adair,

While I am usually able to overlook your abhorrent behavior, this time I must protest. I urge you in the future to unleash your baser instincts on women raised for that sort of behavior. What business have you abusing my friends so callously?

Poor Victoria has been widowed for a mere six months, as you well know. In her fragile state, you have no right to use her and then toss her aside. It is not as though she is that attractive and has any self esteem to begin with (although I would never admit so to her).

Would it have been too much to ask her to join you at the Horsham’s affair? Now, I shall have to invite her to come to Shavely to restore her spirits. With her moping around, it is sure to be much less pleasant than I had hoped.

I do not understand how you can be so selfish. Just because Miss Abbington broke your heart does not mean you should take it out on the entire female species. You do not have to be as cruel as father.

Regards,

Anne

He threw down the letter in disgust. You do not have to be as cruel as father. As if that were even remotely possible. The devil himself could take notes from the marquess on ways to torment people.

Picking up the letter again, another line caught his eye, further stoking his anger.

Just because Miss Abbington broke your heart, does not mean you should take it out on the entire female species. As though Constance Abbington had any effect on his behavior! The idea was ludicrous.

As for breaking his heart? Relieved was more the word. If anyone was suffering, no doubt it was she. She could have had a peer of the realm. And yet she threw him over for a peasant. The man had been a servant in the Abbington household, for God’s sake! He comes back from war with a mangled leg and a pathetic title, and suddenly the wench decided being a marchioness wasn’t good enough.

He fumed as he paced the room.

And now that William’s father had married Constance’s mother, he had to be polite and magnanimous whenever the woman was mentioned. If William hadn’t been such a good friend, he would not stand for it.

Growling in frustration, Dare banged on his desk, causing the writing instruments to jump.

He had expected the wedding party to be boring but tolerable. Instead, it was one irritant after another. He merely wanted to enjoy life with no baggage, no ridiculous delusions about love and family. That shouldn’t be too much to ask.

At least he could set his sister straight. He dashed off a quick yet cutting response to her correspondence and slammed it on the desk, ready for the morning post.

Vowing to make the best of it, he yanked on his jacket, took a large pinch of snuff, and headed down to do some serious drinking.