The Heart of a Duke(25)
He decided against sharing his dilemma with Julia. “The bailiff, like Edmund, might hinder the tenants from speaking freely, particularly if the aim of our visit is to encourage them to voice their concerns without fear of repercussion.”
Julia considered his words and nodded. “They might not be willing to speak to us either, which is why I packed some of Cook’s treats.” She grinned. “Bribery does wonders to loosen one’s tongue, as do Cook’s sugar biscuits.”
Seeing the mischievous glint in her eyes, he smiled. He was not the only one who understood the need for subterfuge and guile to gain the tenants’ trust. Combining their talents might be more successful than he had anticipated. “I remember those biscuits. One bite should dissolve any misgivings about our visit. Nothing says ‘we come in peace’ better than sugar biscuits.”
“Let us hope they are as easily bribed as you. You always had a sweet tooth as a boy. Last night, I learned that has not changed.”
“Some things aren’t worth changing.” He smiled, unrepentant.
“Eating four slices of Cook’s cheesecake for example?” Julia looked dubious.
“Most definitely,” Daniel agreed, pleased she had noticed his overindulgence. That she had noticed him, period. Which wasn’t right. He had no need of her noticing anything about him. That was not the future of their friendship. He would be wise to remember that.
They rode on, bypassing the fields. Eventually they turned onto the lane of small, rustic houses leased to Bedford’s tenants.
The color had been bleached out of the area, leaving the somber earth tones of beige, sandy wheat, and brown umber. The ubiquitous wildflowers, spilling over the grounds of most English homes, were absent. The houses sat in a row like square-box sentries, bleak, weather-beaten, and enshrouded in a stillness and silence so complete it deafened.
He frowned, recalling from his childhood the cries of children, laundry flapping on clotheslines, dogs barking, and chickens squawking as they dodged the horses’ powerful hooves. It was as if another scene had been painted over the one he remembered, the transformation so complete.
On medieval English maps, mapmakers marked those areas that reach beyond the perimeters of their known world, “here be dragons.” He had an urge to peer around for those dragons, but he wouldn’t find them here. The beast was hunting in Kent.
Disturbed, he drew back on the reins and eased Chase to a stop. “Let us continue on foot.”
Dismounting, he led Chase over to a split rail fence, tying him securely. He assisted the others to dismount, careful not to linger with his hands around Julia’s waist.
Despite his intentions, he could not resist inhaling her fresh and clean scent before forcing himself to step back. He directed her to tie her horse with Emily’s and Jonathan’s to a birch tree away from Chase and downwind from his scent.
They had finished securing the horses, when Jonathan’s cry rang out. “Something hit me!” He clutched his back.
Daniel whirled, his body tense, his senses alert. Catching sight of an apple rolling along the ground, he relaxed. He searched for the source of the apple’s launch, and caught a flash of movement in a nearby tree.
“This means war.” Jonathan bellowed and dashed toward the offender.
Cursing under his breath, Daniel bolted after the boy. Catching up to him, he hooked his arm around Jonathan’s waist and hoisted him onto his hip. “Hold up there, Captain. We are trespassing on someone else’s property, and they have a right to protect it.”
“They fired without warning.” Like an entrapped snake, Jonathan protested and wiggled in Daniel’s grip.
Daniel cursed the legacy of a war-weary country. Despite being at peace for over five years, fighting a war on two fronts had left its brand on past generations and clearly had made inroads into future ones as well.
“Go away! We don’t want no more bloomin’ foreigners stealing our jobs. And we ain’t payin’ no more higher rents.”
“We come in peace.” Daniel called out, keeping his tone conciliatory. “And we bear gifts.” He arched his hand over his eyes to protect it from the sun’s glare as he peered up into the dark web of branches.
“You sound American, for isn’t that how the Pilgrims greeted the Indians?” Julia murmured.
“If so, they were soon feasting together.” He spoke as quietly as she. “That tree is laden with apples, so there’s hope for us. Unless our loose cannon gets free,” he hissed under his breath, shifting Jonathan onto his shoulders. “See anyone from that vantage point?”
“No sign of the enemy yet,” Jonathan yelled back.