“It is very kind of you to do this,” murmured Miss Pringle. “I’m sure you will be horribly bored.”
The viscount shrugged and patted the satchel he had slung over one shoulder. “I brought a book, Miss Pringle. I plan to buy a tankard of ale from that inn over there and plant myself onthat bench outside the shop and wait for you ladies to finish your business. I shall not be bored.”
She smiled. “Very resourceful of you,” she said and entered the shop behind the girls.
Emrys heaved a sigh of relief to be free of the embarrassment of her company, collected his ale, and settled himself with his book. The sun was warm, and he was soon removing his jacket and loosening his neckcloth. He had soon managed a chapter sipping at his ale and enjoying the sun and peaceful solitude. There were only a few people about and no one accosted him.
The shop bell tinkled as the door reopened and Miss Pringle reappeared. His eyes snagged on that brooch, and he swallowed a groan, dropping his book into his lap.What is wrong with me?
He raised his eyebrows. “All done? That was quick.”
“Oh, the girls are not done yet, they will be another half an hour at least. But there is little point in me continuing to look, lovely as everything is. I fear the price of lace is rather beyond a governess, and it wouldn’t be appropriate for me to wear it in any case.” She took a seat beside him. “This is a very pleasant prospect,” she said, settling herself while he put his book away.
“Do you care to take a stroll up the street and back?” he said abruptly, figuring if he was walking beside her, he couldn’t stare at her breasts.
“Why not?” she smiled, and he rose and offered her his arm.
*
Annis took theviscount’s arm and they set off up the street, but they hadn’t taken more than three paces when she got that prickling feeling between her shoulder blades. She’d woken in a cold sweat again last night from the dream, and the prickling now set off a tingling, teasing panic down her spine and made her heart race.
“I’m sorry, what was that?” she said, turning to look up at the viscount, realizing he had addressed her, and she had not heard a word he’d said.
“I asked if you—” he broke off and frowned. “Miss Pringle, are you well? You have gone awfully pale.”
“Yes, yes, I’m—” She swallowed and dropped her reticule. She stopped to pick it up, even as the viscount bent to do it for her, and she used the opportunity to glance over her shoulder. She saw nothing and no one suspicious, and she took her reticule from him with a gasp. “Thank you. How clumsy of me.”
“Do you wish to sit down, Miss Pringle? Is the sun too much for you?”
“No, no, I am perfectly well,” she said. The prickling feeling had stopped, and she felt like a perfect ninny for reacting in such a stupid way.
By the time they’d all returned to The Castle, she was quite recovered and had relegated her moment of silliness to the back of her mind. That afternoon’s entertainment was a game of Princess in the Tower, a mock battle between two armies, one led by the duke and the other by the viscount. The objective for each army was to defend their own princess and capture their opponent’s. The duke had offered up armor and blunted weapons for himself and Emrys from the armory, and the schoolroom produced toy swords and helmets for the children.
Lady Heather and Miss Watson played the respective princesses, and Miss Pringle, the duchess, and the dowager were the audience, with Ewen on Miss Pringle’s lap.
*
The site ofthe battle was the south lawn, with the princesses both situated behind barricades of outdoor furniture, pressed into service as their towers, at each end of the field. Fortunatelyfor the men, the day was cooler than the previous ones, with the sun remaining largely behind the clouds. That didn’t stop it getting hot and sweaty inside the armor, but at least he wasn’t in danger of cooking, reflected Emrys. The stuff was damned heavy, though.
His respect for medieval knights went up a degree or two as he charged down the field yelling his house motto in Latin, leading his troops behind him, all yelling at the tops of their lungs. Robert, bellowing the Laynes’ motto, and tearing toward him with his rag tag bunch trailing him with equal enthusiasm, met him in the center of the field, and they hacked at each other with more theatricality than accuracy.
The small fry bounced around them hacking at each other with gay abandon. Emrys had the four girls and Robert the three boys. He was defending Lady Heather and attempting to capture Miss Watson, and Robert the reverse. Emrys was surprised at how well the girls were acquitting themselves in the fight. Ingrid and Hepzibah were fierce, and his Lizzie and Charlie were no less ferocious in their attacks.
Lizzie, dodging round Japheth, made a beeline for the tower holding Miss Watson, and began climbing the stacked chairs. He was so distracted by this that Robert got a blow into his shoulder that sent him staggering.
“Damn you, Rob,” he said bringing his sword up and slashing with a bit more science.
The duke panted, huffing with laughter. “Haven’t had this much fun since I was seven!” he said, dancing out of Emrys’s range.
Lizzie had reached the top of the stack of chairs and stretched her hand in to help Princess Mary out of her tower. As the boys were still fully occupied with the other three girls, this was a major blow to Robert’s team. At this point they were definitely losing. But Lizzie still had to get Princess Mary across thebattlefield to safety in the other tower, so there was time for a reversal of fortune yet.
The duchess and the dowager were urging Robert’s team on and Miss Pringle and Ewen were cheering for his team. So, between them and the yelling of the troops, there was a lot of noise and confusion.
Mary was free of her tower, both girls having clambered down the stacked chairs and landed on the lawn. Now they edged forward slowly, sticking to the edges of the lawn, Lizzie in front, protecting her princess.
At this point, Emanuel ducked round his twin, Hepzibah, and took off for Princess Heather’s tower, determined to release her and get their team back in the game. But his sister wasn’t letting him go easily, she gave chase and whacked him on the behind with her sword. Emrys lost sight of them then as they ran behind him, and Robert’s renewed attack demanded his attention.
While all this was going on, Lizzie grabbed Princess Mary’s hand and belted for Heather’s tower. Suddenly Emanuel had two to fight, and Mary was able to climb the tower and drop inside the barricade with a whoop of victory!
