Brazen in Blue by Rachael Miles

Author:Rachael Miles [Miles, Rachael]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Publisher: Zebra Books
Published: 2020-07-06T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Twenty-One

“We haven’t far to go now.” Adam turned in his seat to see Bess several feet behind.

“We have to stop. Bess is limping. Her leg is like mine: good, until it’s not.”

Adam watched Em’s horse, Radish, lean down to nuzzle the big dog. He slid off his horse and walked to Em. “We should be grateful stableboys don’t ride sidesaddle. Come here, Bess. We’ll see if this works.”

“If what works?” Em had barely spoken, before Adam lifted Bess off the ground.

“Hold your horse steady.” He stepped toward her, holding Bess chest-height. His arm, not fully healed, pulled uncomfortably. He ignored it, hoping he wasn’t tearing the wound open again.

Em, realizing that Adam intended for Bess to ride with her, tightened the reins, holding her horse steady. “I’m grateful Radish and Bess are fond of each other.”

“I’m grateful Radish isn’t taller.” Adam took a deep breath, then lifted Bess onto the horse’s back. Radish shifted, but didn’t object.

“Now what?” Em petted Bess to reassure her, but the big dog trustingly settled herself.

“We’re going there.” Adam pointed in the distance to a large brick house facing the sea. He put the pup on the ground at his feet, Bess watching as the pup rooted around.

The size of the house surprised Em. She’d been expecting a cottage, not a manor. She pointed at a shimmer that seemed to magically circle the house. “There? Is that part of the estuary or a moat?”

“In a way, it’s both.” He picked up the happy puppy and returned her to her bag, then remounted Beet in one elegant motion. Pulling alongside Radish, he directed Em to head somewhat away from the house toward another expanse of water. “Unlike my father, who trusted men too much, his brother trusted them not at all. He grew worse after he married, becoming petty and jealous.”

“So he dug a moat.” Emmeline rolled her eyes. Even with Em and Bess as passengers, Radish kept up easily with Beet.

“He built his house at a natural branch in the waters, leaving enough room for an orchard, a kitchen garden, a fine expanse of yard, and a small summer house at the original branch of the river. Then when the house was done, he dug a wide canal in front of it connecting one branch to the other.” Adam pointed a line from one side of the house to the next.

“He dug a canal because he was jealous,” Em repeated to make sure she understood.

“My aunt was apparently a great beauty.”

“That’s no justification.” She studied the shimmering expanse of water. “What of his obligation to the village? his neighbors? his servants?”

“I doubt they missed the loss of his company, especially since he left his fields on the other side of the canal.” Adam pointed past the canal. “My uncle liked order and control. Neighbors, villagers, servants, all added too many variables. His family tended the orchard and the gardens, made their own clothes, oversaw their own lessons. When my cousins grew old enough, he even chose men like him for the girls to marry.

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