Page 33 of Barbarous

She waited until after he’d left the room before going to the window, which overlooked the front drive. In a few moments he descended the steps wearing a coat with a dozen capes and a tall beaver hat. He joined Kemal, who stood with the horses, and pulled on his gloves while exchanging a few words with the much smaller man.

They were preparing to mount when William Standish and his sister Meg approached in a gig. Hugh tossed his hat and whip to Kemal before striding toward Meg and sweeping her into an embrace that lifted her off the ground.

Bitter yearning clawed at her as Hugh swung the tiny woman around, both of them laughing. He gave her a kiss on the mouth and the two chatted in the manner of old friends. Had they been lovers, too? Was Rowena correct in believing Hugh was the father of this woman’s child—a beautiful blond-haired boy of sixteen or seventeen. A boy Daphne knew had no acknowledged father?

She glanced at William, who stood off to one side, watching the interaction between his sister and former master with an impassive expression. After a few minutes Hugh lifted the petite woman into the gig and waved as she drove away. And then he turned and smiled directly at Daphne, raising his crop to his hat in a mocking salute.

Daphne jerked back from the window and then felt like a fool. “Horrible man,” she muttered under her breath. After watching them disappear down the drive, she returned to the table. But her tea had grown cold and she had lost what little appetite she’d had.

* * *

Daphne received a letter from Randall a few days later. He’d written from his daughter’s house in West Riding—not far from one of the Earl of Davenport’s properties—to say he would inspect the northern estate while he was in the area. That meant he would not be back for the planned inspection of Elm Cottage.

Daphne would have postponed the outing another few weeks, but a young couple was waiting for its repairs before they could marry. Besides, she could hardly put off all her dealings with Hugh until Randall’s return. There were a dozen other tenant cottages that needed attention, not to mention a pressing drainage issue with the home farm.

Elm Cottage was on the border of the property that marched with Malcolm’s, and Daphne hadn’t been near the little farmstead since well before Thomas died. She arrived at the stables a few minutes early to find both Pasha and Carmel already saddled but nobody about. She’d just decided to step outside to look for Hugh when Rowena emerged from the tack room.

She saw Daphne and started. “I didn’t know you were going riding, my lady. I should have been there to help you dress.”

Daphne didn’t bother reminding the older woman she’d told her about the ride a mere two hours earlier.

“What are you doing down here, Rowena?”

“I had a recipe for Will Standish to bring to his sister.” Her eyes moved to something over Daphne’s shoulder and narrowed.

Hugh stood in the doorway behind her. “I’m sorry I’m late, Daphne.” He smiled at Rowena. “Ah, good afternoon, Miss Claxton.”

Rowena made a grunting sound. “I’d best be getting back,” she said to Daphne. “You be careful, my lady.”

Hugh watched her go with a rueful smile. “Was it something I said?”

Daphne could think of no acceptable excuse for her servant’s rude behavior. “Shall we be off, my lord?”

The day was another brilliant, sunny masterpiece with a sky the color of a robin’s egg. Daphne kept up a running commentary on the various schemes and plans she and Randall had formed for a few of the properties they passed, only pausing when they approached the cottage where William Standish lived with his nephew and sister.

The blond man was out pruning one of the fruit trees in his small orchard and Daphne prepared to rein in. Will saw them and paused in his work, but Hugh merely waved and did not stop.

How curious.

Daphne couldn’t help herself. “You mentioned on your first evening home that you and William Standish had once been quite close?”

“Yes, Will and I are the same age and Meg only a year younger. The three of us roamed the estate like a pack of young hounds. Their father was the earl’s steward for many years, a position I know he wanted Will to one day assume.”

“Yes, Thomas offered him the position more than once, but Mr. Standish declined it.”

“Will loved working with horses too much to be steward. It was a bone of contention between him and his father.” He gave her a wry smile. “We are not as close as we once were. I’m afraid he’s been angry with me since I sent him back to England all those years ago.”

“Angry? Whatever for?”

“He believes I robbed him of a grand adventure when we switched identities and I sent him back in my place.”

“But you saved his life.”

“Most likely.”

“Surely he must be grateful for that.”

Hugh cut her a sideways look. “Must he?”