The Heart of a Duke(24)

His question appeared to disarm her, for her eyes dropped to her lap, and she tightened her hands on her reins. In protest, Constance irritably tossed her head and whinnied until Julia loosened her grip. She regrouped quickly, straightening in her saddle and responding with a calm that belied her agitation. “As you can see, I am all grown up now, and quite capable of taking care of myself, thank you very much. Now I think we best catch up to Emily and Jonathan.” She nudged Constance into a gentle trot.

He had caught the sheen of moisture blurring her vision before she turned away. Like Achilles, even the strongest warriors had their weak points, and he cursed himself for piercing hers.

Seeking to make amends, he urged Chase abreast of Constance. “I believe your father is right, and my arrival is fortuitous. As your future brother-in-law,” he said, not choking over the words despite their bitter taste, “I will keep an eye out for you.”

“Really, that is not necessary.”

“Nevertheless, it is my pleasure to do so. As you say, we will be family, and that is what brothers do.” He could not resist tossing her own words back at her, particularly when they served his purposes so well. “Look out for their sisters—even if they can save the world on their own. Don Quixote did not conquer his windmills alone. He had his faithful squire what’s-his-name assisting him.”

Julia’s lips curved. “Sancho Panza, who was a simple farmer. Don Quixote was going off to fight ferocious giants, but which were windmills in reality.” She looked dubious. “That’s the best analogy you could come up with?”

“It serves my point.” He waved his hand airily. “Which is, they did it together.”

She looked pensive, as if giving serious consideration to his words, and then nodded. “Fine. You can be the short, squat Sancho Panza if you insist.” She tossed him an arch look, pressed her heels into Constance’s sides, and urged the mare to catch up with Emily and Jonathan, her laughter trailing behind her.

The lyrical cadence of it washed over Daniel in a warm wave, so beguiling him that it took him a few minutes before he realized he sat grinning like an idiot. He nudged Chase into a canter.

Her clever wit delighted him, but she was wrong about his analogy being poor. It was right.

Julia was the idealistic Don Quixote, mistaking a blackguard for a rake. Once again, Daniel was the cynical runt. So much for ten years of change. But like Don Quixote, the brave knight, he would look after his lady. Her momentary falter had told him, as Julia never would, that no one else had thought to do so.

His brave, beautiful warrior had been on her own far too long. It was time someone looked after her, for like poor Cervantes’s illustrious knight, she was in for a painful awakening once her illusions were shattered.





Chapter Seven





SINCE its founding, Bedfordshire had been predominately a county of agriculture. The Dukes of Bedford and their tenant farmers had planted the age-old staple products of wheat, barley, and oats. Sheep and cattle grazed the grounds until the sheep were sheered in May. Drovers then herded the sheep and cattle to sell them off at the market before winter. Being mid-September, the farmers had finished harvesting most of the fields, and those that they had ridden past were in the process of being plowed.

Ploughboys dotted the carpet of brown fields, laboring to drive the plough in straight lines and break up the ground in preparation to be harrowed. Straw hats protected their heads from the sun, but its blinding rays stretched like long talons, plastering their shirts to their bent frames. Streaks of sweat drenched their backs and transformed white cotton shirts to a brownish-gray.

Daniel’s father had directed servants to the fields with water and treats to alleviate the monotony of the tedious task. Daniel squinted down the dirt road curving like a beige ribbon between the fields and up the hill toward Bedford Hall. He frowned at the emptiness meeting the eye all the way to the horizon line.

“It’s awfully warm, and I do not see any water barrels,” Julia said. “I packed some parcels that include bread and cheese, but I believe thirst would be their priority.” Julia echoed his thoughts.

“Let us continue on. See if we can determine if anyone is bringing something out, or if they are due to take a break soon.”

“Are you sure we shouldn’t speak to Edmund’s bailiff? Shouldn’t he view the grounds with us?”

There was a good reason Edmund’s bailiff was not accompanying them. Depending on his size, or more important, his awareness of Daniel and Edmund’s relationship, Daniel could not risk being tossed off the estate. His departure might not be feetfirst or in one piece. Riding would be difficult with broken bones.