stud if I may.”
“Black Son is kept in the west field. We will ride out one day to watch him. He, too, is a swift animal.” Lord Damion glanced down at her. “I am impressed, my lady. Your father obviously taught you well and instilled in you a great love for horses.”
“He was a remarkable man. And he had able help in his friend, Carlos Silva y Montoya,” said Victoria.
Lord Damion thought he detected a note of warmth in her voice. “Were you close to this Carlos Silva y Montoya?” he asked curiously.
“Carlos was my guardian after Father died. I met Charles through him,” said Victoria. Her companion raised startled brows. She saw that they were not returning directly to the manor house. “Where are we going, my lord?”
“I wished to determine if the flood has dropped since yesterday. We will be able to see the crossing once we are clear of these trees.” Lord Damion did not add that he was reluctant to return directly to the manor because he had an overwhelming desire to be alone a little while longer in her company. She interested him as no other woman had done for some time and Lord Damion was in the habit of indulging his own whims.
They soon emerged from the shelter of the trees that protected the manor house. The wind was brisker in the open and Victoria was glad of her heavy cloak.
She and Lord Damion stood at the top of an incline. The ground before them sloped away to meet a rolling brown stream swollen past its banks. On her left the carriage track curved away from the manor down to the stream, where it abruptly disappeared and then reappeared on the far side. Victoria realized that this must be the infamous crossing.
Lord Damion was examining the same point with keen eyes. He remarked, “I spoke several times to the earl of putting down a short bridge at that point. But he was adamant against it. He said that he preferred the old ways best, even if it meant needless inconvenience.”
“Charles gave me to understand that his father could be difficult,” said Victoria delicately.
Lord Damion threw her a glance, understanding that she was recalling more than one past statement. “Perhaps, but you must also realize that there was wrong on both sides. Even before Charles left to join the army he and his father often had falling outs. I was already with Sir John Moore when the break between them began to occur, but my mother wrote me about it. Apparently Charles inherited much of his father’s strength of will and that, coupled with a wild streak, did much to divide them. Yet Lord Robert remained sincerely attached to his son.”
“Yes. And I know Charles, too, felt keenly for his father. Even in his blackest moments he had a grudging respect for him. But pride forbade him to return as a supplicant for Lord Robert’s forgiveness,” said Victoria. “I believe that must be why Charles corresponded with his lordship’s solicitor. He knew that the solicitor would pass on the contents of the letters and it was his way of giving a glimpse of his life to Lord Robert.”
Lord Damion stared at her. “I did not know that Charles corresponded with anyone here in England.”
“I am not at all surprised. I did not learn of it until yesterday when Sir Aubrey informed me of Charles’s correspondence,” said Victoria. “I was naturally amazed, for Charles never mentioned it.”
“My uncle has a disconcerting habit of learning more than he ought, and he sometimes uses his knowledge for his own ends,” said Lord Damion dryly. Victoria threw him a startled glance, wondering if he referred to Sir Aubrey’s avowed familiarity with Lord Robert’s will and his scheme to have them marry.
Lord Damion was unaware of her surprise. His attention was trained on a lone horseman following the track below. “Brave Chatworth. I fear the crossing is still too flooded for any but those on horseback. I’ll wager that we do not see the solicitor for some days yet.”
“I suppose Mrs. Giddings’s
“Black Son is kept in the west field. We will ride out one day to watch him. He, too, is a swift animal.” Lord Damion glanced down at her. “I am impressed, my lady. Your father obviously taught you well and instilled in you a great love for horses.”
“He was a remarkable man. And he had able help in his friend, Carlos Silva y Montoya,” said Victoria.
Lord Damion thought he detected a note of warmth in her voice. “Were you close to this Carlos Silva y Montoya?” he asked curiously.
“Carlos was my guardian after Father died. I met Charles through him,” said Victoria. Her companion raised startled brows. She saw that they were not returning directly to the manor house. “Where are we going, my lord?”
“I wished to determine if the flood has dropped since yesterday. We will be able to see the crossing once we are clear of these trees.” Lord Damion did not add that he was reluctant to return directly to the manor because he had an overwhelming desire to be alone a little while longer in her company. She interested him as no other woman had done for some time and Lord Damion was in the habit of indulging his own whims.
They soon emerged from the shelter of the trees that protected the manor house. The wind was brisker in the open and Victoria was glad of her heavy cloak.
She and Lord Damion stood at the top of an incline. The ground before them sloped away to meet a rolling brown stream swollen past its banks. On her left the carriage track curved away from the manor down to the stream, where it abruptly disappeared and then reappeared on the far side. Victoria realized that this must be the infamous crossing.
Lord Damion was examining the same point with keen eyes. He remarked, “I spoke several times to the earl of putting down a short bridge at that point. But he was adamant against it. He said that he preferred the old ways best, even if it meant needless inconvenience.”
“Charles gave me to understand that his father could be difficult,” said Victoria delicately.
Lord Damion threw her a glance, understanding that she was recalling more than one past statement. “Perhaps, but you must also realize that there was wrong on both sides. Even before Charles left to join the army he and his father often had falling outs. I was already with Sir John Moore when the break between them began to occur, but my mother wrote me about it. Apparently Charles inherited much of his father’s strength of will and that, coupled with a wild streak, did much to divide them. Yet Lord Robert remained sincerely attached to his son.”
“Yes. And I know Charles, too, felt keenly for his father. Even in his blackest moments he had a grudging respect for him. But pride forbade him to return as a supplicant for Lord Robert’s forgiveness,” said Victoria. “I believe that must be why Charles corresponded with his lordship’s solicitor. He knew that the solicitor would pass on the contents of the letters and it was his way of giving a glimpse of his life to Lord Robert.”
Lord Damion stared at her. “I did not know that Charles corresponded with anyone here in England.”
“I am not at all surprised. I did not learn of it until yesterday when Sir Aubrey informed me of Charles’s correspondence,” said Victoria. “I was naturally amazed, for Charles never mentioned it.”
“My uncle has a disconcerting habit of learning more than he ought, and he sometimes uses his knowledge for his own ends,” said Lord Damion dryly. Victoria threw him a startled glance, wondering if he referred to Sir Aubrey’s avowed familiarity with Lord Robert’s will and his scheme to have them marry.
Lord Damion was unaware of her surprise. His attention was trained on a lone horseman following the track below. “Brave Chatworth. I fear the crossing is still too flooded for any but those on horseback. I’ll wager that we do not see the solicitor for some days yet.”
“I suppose Mrs. Giddings’s
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