Keeping the Castle - By Patrice Kindl Page 0,30

them up? If only one had brought a shovel . . .” and he urged his horse into a canter towards the circle of stones.

I gave Pegeen a good hard nudge and went after him with as much speed as she could muster.

“Mr. Fredericks!” I cried, when I was again in earshot, “Those stones have stood on this hill for several millennia, and the people hereabouts have strong feelings about them. I do not want to have to explain my carelessness in exposing them to your curiosity without exacting the strictest promise that you shall not be allowed to molest them or touch them in any way.”

“I? I promise not to molest them? I assure you, madam—”

“The only assurance I require, Mr. Fredericks, is that you will not lay a hand anywhere on even one of these stones,” I said in a steely tone. “Mr. Fredericks!” He was dismounting, gripping Alexander with one hand and the pommel of his saddle with the other. I gasped in alarm, but they were safely down. Jock trotted hastily up on his pony and took charge of the bay.

“Oh, very well, I shan’t,” Mr. Fredericks said sulkily. “I would just like to have tried . . .”

“Remember! You have given your word,” I said. Clutching Fido, I managed to dismount.

Mr. Fredericks heaved a loud sigh, held up his hands for my inspection, and then thrust them into his pockets.

“Ha! Fredericks, you have met your mistress!” said the Marquis as he climbed down and joined us.

“You’re right,” Lord Boring agreed. “I don’t believe I’ve ever known a lady who could make Fredericks mind his manners before. Or a gentleman either, save you and I, Bumbershook, on occasion. I am astounded.”

Mr. Fredericks paid no attention to this chaffing. He was still fascinated by the engineering feat presented by the stones, which were nearly seven feet in height. Keeping his hands in his pockets he circled one stone. He stopped, poked at the base with the toe of his boot, then slid his gaze over to judge the expression on my face.

“Mr. Fredericks,” I said. “I believe you agreed not to touch them in any way?”

He heaved another sigh. Alexander, who was growing bored with the stone circle, tugged at his arm. “Come on, Freddicks,” he said, and Mr. Fredericks allowed himself to be escorted away from the megaliths. I thankfully discarded the hateful hat and followed them.

9

WHILE JOCK BUSIED HIMSELF setting out the picnic nuncheon, we took a stroll around the area. The party broke up into groupings that I had not anticipated. Alexander was unwilling to relinquish the company of his friend Mr. Fredericks, and, as it seemed to me only proper that the gentleman who was responsible for Alexander’s presence should also be responsible for entertaining him, I was content with this pairing.

Prudence, who still cherished ambitions with regard to Mr. Fredericks, requested that he lend her an arm to guide her over the rough ground and, after one blank look, he complied gracefully enough. I must own that I admired her courage. I hoped she would neither find herself steered into a bog hole nor break an ankle falling into a badger’s sett.

The Marquis offered his arm to my mother, and I soon had the happiness of seeing them laughing and talking together quite like old friends. I looked around for Lord Boring, only to discover that Charity had swooped in and carried him off. They were already some distance away, His Lordship looking back over his shoulder and Charity tugging him along, setting quite a smart pace in her urgency to remove him from my vicinity.

In short, I was left alone and desolate. As the group included only three grown-up gentlemen and four ladies, it was inevitable that two ladies would have to share, but I had not anticipated having to make do with no gentleman at all. Rather chagrinned at this development after all my fine plans for the day, I decided to walk behind Mr. Fredericks and Prudence, the better to keep an eye on my brother. Though I knew that my mother would be watching as well, she was distracted by the attentions of the Marquis, and I reasoned that if I could not advance my own cause at present, I could at least allow her to enjoy a conversation with an intelligent, educated adult in peace.

Alexander had been most strongly warned against removing his shoes, dirtying his stockings, wandering off alone, climbing any of the few trees that