entertaining,” she assured him. “And I understand they hope to start with muskets today.”
The snap of his case closing sounded as if a musket had gone off in the room instead. Every muscle in his body tensed. “That may not be wise.”
She frowned. “Why not? Surely they must fire away from onlookers.”
“And one of them shot you,” he reminded her. “I cannot advise repeating that event.”
Her chin came up. “You cannot advise anything entertaining, it seems.”
All at once he heard Catriona’s voice again. I rode hard, drove fast, and danced late before I was married and had a child. You even joined me, sir. Why should any of that change now?
He’d argued and lost, and she’d lost her life in the process.
“If you are determined to go,” he told Abigail, “I’ll accompany you. I’m sure Miss Chance will want our guests to attend such a stirring spectacle.”
Abigail inclined her head. “Then we will see you there.”
Her friend was just as eager, Linus discovered when he reached the spa a short time later. All their guests were discussing the upcoming drill as if they were about to view the king’s victory parade. Even Mrs. Rand cancelled her appointment with him to join them.
“Such a thrilling event, all those gentlemen,” she enthused. Her companion, Miss Turnpeth, nodded agreement.
“Are you certain you wish to attend?” Linus felt compelled to ask. “I understand there will be some gunfire.”
Her gaze slid to the left, where some of the gentlemen were reminiscing about their time in the military. “Then I will be sure to stand very close to Lord Featherstone.”
Linus hid a smile.
“Surely you don’t find this fascinating,” he said to Doctor Owens, who was walking beside him as they all set off up the hill. The day was warm and cloudless, and a breeze that smelled of brine set the grass to rippling.
“I have seen far better,” his older colleague agreed, tugging his top hat down on his head. “But I came to experience all Grace-by-the-Sea has to offer, and this appears to be quite the event.”
Linus still doubted.
At the top of the hill, approximately thirty men, less than a third of whom had any sort of uniform, were milling about in the center of the field. All along the edges, others sat on blankets or stood in groups. A few had carried up chairs and now reclined on them. He spotted Abigail, her mother, and Ethan with Mrs. Howland and an older woman dressed in deepest purple and excused himself from Doctor Owens to join them.
“Will they have cannons?” Ethan was asking Mrs. Archer.
“I’m afraid not,” Abigail answered for her. “As it is, this is the first time they’ve tried firing muskets on command as a group.”
“Guns, bah,” the older woman declared. “They’d do better to enlist the aid of the trolls. Now, there’s a troop that knows how to brawl.”
Linus shook his head, sure he must have misheard her. Or perhaps the village called the soldiers from a neighboring militia unit trolls.
“But they aren’t as good at sailing as the mermaids,” Mrs. Howland allowed with a nod to him.
Even as he returned her nod of greeting, the older woman drew herself up, only bringing the top of her head to his breastbone. “Mermaids don’t sail. What would they do with their tails?”
Abigail wrinkled her nose. “Not to mention the smell under such close quarters.”
Had he somehow wandered into another realm? He glanced at Ethan, who was watching the women avidly, then to Abigail, who grinned at him. She’d donned the gown with the slashed sleeves again and put a green patterned wool shawl about her shoulders. One side was slipping, and he had to fist his hands to keep from reaching out to drape it more securely about her slender frame.
Mrs. Howland took pity on him. “We’re delighted you could join us, Doctor. We just made the acquaintance of your charming son. I understand he hopes to be an architect.”
He did? He looked again to Ethan, who squirmed and dropped his gaze as if he were guilty of some misdeed.
The older woman was eyeing Linus up and down. “I see nothing wrong. Have you warts on your toes? Pocks on your chest?”
Linus kept a neutral face with difficulty. “No, thank you for asking.”
She shook her head. “Then I cannot see why Abby would take you in such dislike.”
Abigail pressed her lips together a moment as if trying to hold back laughter. “Perhaps if you were to spend a little time in his company,