"Are you all right?"
"Yes, fine, just a bit winded."
She stared at him for a moment, her hands on his shoulders, heard his sharp intake of breath, saw a spasm cross his features. Their hips were only inches apart. She was tempted to stand even closer….
Then she felt her arm being taken in a most proprietary manner by Marcus Fitzsimmons.
"Really, I did warn you. He could have broken your delicate little ribs."
He put his hand upon her waist familiarly and her heart knocked against her breast.
She jumped back and gasped, "I'm fine, really, sir. You presume too much."
"Do I indeed?" Marcus Fitzsimmons said in an undertone. "Surely my touch cannot be that repugnant to you."
Elizabeth froze. Was this what she had been waiting for? Some sign of the mysterious man in the cave's true identity?
But before he could say more, Vevina came up and took her to one side away from both men. "Are you all right?"
"Fine, really."
"I'm so sorry."
"He's a delight. I'm not so weak and feeble that a small child such as Arthur could do me a permanent injury."
"I'm so glad. Now, would you care to come over to the archery butts?"
"Yes, of course, Vevina."
"And I shall take the children back to the house. No sense in letting them get underfoot or injured."
"Yet it seems a shame to exclude them on so fine a day," Elizabeth said sincerely.
"True, true."
"How about getting out their ponies, and we can take turns helping them ride?" Will suggested, subtly edging Fitzsimmons out of the way once more as he stood by Elizabeth's side.
"What a good idea, Brother."
She took up her daughter, he lifted Arthur, and Mitchell and Monroe followed on behind with Jack and Bob.
The Elthams and Stones also joined them in their walk over to Clancar Castle, pleased with how well Elizabeth seemed to be getting on with the local families.
"Though I might wish that she and Fitzsimmons did not seem to be quite so familiar with one another."
"It's not her fault, Thomas."
"I know that, darling. It's his," he said as they strolled along. "I can't really complain too much about him. There's just something about several things he's said that worry me."
Vanessa commented, "I don't think you need fear. All the men are paying so much attention to her that I doubt she will want to settle on any single one of them so early on. They flocked in all the other places we've visited this summer here in Ireland, and she didn't seemed fazed in the slightest."
"Yes, but here the stakes are higher. Here they know who we are, who she really is. Some of the men here seem most ambitious. Especially Fitzsimmons."
"Yes, but others do not. Parks and Wilfred Joyce, for example."
"Now one of them I would approve of for her. Though perhaps not Parks until he is a bit older and more sober-minded. Monroe would be no bad match either. He's a good man from a fine family. But it shall of course be her choice. No matchmaking please, I beg," he said, with a pointed look at Charlotte.
She shook her head. "No, never. Look at the pain it almost cost me when my supposedly well-meaning aunt and friend tried to get me to believe Paxton was the man for me. I would never dream of inciting any young girl to behave wrongly. Or fancy herself in love if she isn't. But that's not to say we can't help Will or Parks along if it means getting rid of Fitzsimmons." She gave a small smile at that prospect, and strode on.
Soon they were all spread out on the large lawn at Clancar Castle, with Parks and Fitzsimmons trying to teach the ladies archery.
Vanessa and Charlotte had giggled with delight, and then gone back to fetch Vanessa's sons from the house for a short session in the fine fresh air.
Elizabeth was reluctantly taking her turn when Parks said, "Ah but here is the real expert now. Will, you'll show Elizabeth how it's done, won't you? I beg your pardon, Lady Elizabeth." He bowed.
"Elizabeth will do. I do not always need to flaunt my title. After all, it's not something of my own doing, now is it? I just happened to be lucky to have had a father who was a duke."
"As was I lucky," Stewart said, with a sweep of his hand to indicated the magnificent Castle at their backs in all its crenellated glory.
"Come on, Will," Parks encouraged.
"No I really—" Will hesitated. "My shoulder."
"You know it is no impediment, since you can do it with either hand. You might as well learn from the best," Parks said, with a subtle dig at Fitzsimmons that was not lost upon him.