Read Online Echoes of Pemberley by Cynthia Ingram Hensley - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Cynthia Ingram Hensley
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I would be the same way.”
“Really?”
“Really,” he repeated.
“Thanks for saying that.”
“I meant it,” he said sincerely, and she heard his smile.
“Well, I must be off.” She glanced at her clock once more. “I’m late for my riding lesson. Cheers, Aiden.”
“Bye now,” he said and hung up.
“Aiden Hirst,” she whispered to herself, biting the corner of a smiling lip as she returned the receiver. “Hmm.”
Chapter 6
Percival was not a name that fit Clancy’s brother-in-law. The man was taller than Sean and at least six stones heavier. He was a nice enough fellow, just big and a bit simple-minded, according to Clancy. Percival was just not a proper name for the man, Sean mused as he came towards him, carrying Sean’s saddle.
“It’s all right, Percival.” Sean met him midway. “I’ll saddle me own horse.”
“Clancy did say as I was to saddle the horses for you and Miss Darcy.” Percival said this as if no other alternative existed.
“Thank you, Percival, but Miss Darcy and I will saddle our own horses.”
“ Miss Darcy, saddling her own horse?” Percival repeated incredulously, looking at Sean as if he had just requested the honor to dig his own grave.
“Yes, Miss Darcy is going to learn to saddle a horse. Caring for your mount is the only way to become well acquainted with it. And the more acquainted she is, the more comfortable she’ll feel.” Sean tried to take the saddle from Percival, but Percival wasn’t letting go.
“Clancy did say . . . ”
“Aye, Percival.” Sean stopped him from repeating himself again and assured, “I understand what Clancy said, and I’ll explain it to him meself.”
“Your hide, mate.” Percival shrugged, let go of the saddle, and walked away.
“Say, Percival,” Sean called.
“Eh?”
“How long have you been working for the Darcys?”
Percival smiled proudly. “’Bout thirty years now; three generations of Darcys I’ve been saddlin’ for, yes sir. Mr. Geoffrey Darcy, Mr. William Darcy, sad thing that, Mr. William was a good man, a finer man you’ll not meet from ’ere to London, an’ now ’is boy, Mr. Ben Darcy. I put lit’l Master Ben on ’is first pony. Lit’l scamp, he was, wouldn’t be led around like a baby, no sir. All afternoon that pony tossed the lad in the dirt, but he just kept gettin’ back up.” Percival laughed. “His daddy and me watched all afternoon whilst boy and horse reached an agreement.”
Sean chuckled reflexively. “Sounds about how me da taught me.”
Percival nodded. “Aye, hard knocks is what makes the man, eh?”
“To hear me da tell it,” Sean agreed. “So you’ve known Miss Catie all her life then?”
“Of course. A favorite of ’er daddy’s that one was. Mr. Darcy would put the lit’l missy in from of ’im on ol’ Abastor and ride all round the estate, and she’d sit tall and dignified like a queen on parade. The spit of ’er ma, she is, and a prettier child you’ll not meet from ’ere to London — a bit of a temper though.” Percival winked and nudged Sean. “What we chaps will put up with for a pretty face, eh, Kelly? Me Connie was a fetching bird in her youth, no doubt, but she’s got a tongue on ’er that would slice cheese.”
Sean’s eyebrows rose. He couldn’t imagine any sister of Clancy’s being attractive. At the moment, however, he was more interested in Catie Darcy’s equine history. “Has Miss Darcy ever been hurt while riding? You know, fallen or been thrown?”
“No.” Shaking his head, Percival lifted his hat and wiped his sweaty brow with his sleeve. “Mind though, she’s only ridden with her brother, so I’d ask him to be sure.”
“Thanks, Percival.” Sean clapped the man’s beefy shoulder warmly and went to saddle his horse. “I will.”
Although she rushed as fast as she could, it was a quarter after three before Catie made it to the stables. When she came in, Sean Kelly had his back to her, checking his saddle
“Really?”
“Really,” he repeated.
“Thanks for saying that.”
“I meant it,” he said sincerely, and she heard his smile.
“Well, I must be off.” She glanced at her clock once more. “I’m late for my riding lesson. Cheers, Aiden.”
“Bye now,” he said and hung up.
“Aiden Hirst,” she whispered to herself, biting the corner of a smiling lip as she returned the receiver. “Hmm.”
Chapter 6
Percival was not a name that fit Clancy’s brother-in-law. The man was taller than Sean and at least six stones heavier. He was a nice enough fellow, just big and a bit simple-minded, according to Clancy. Percival was just not a proper name for the man, Sean mused as he came towards him, carrying Sean’s saddle.
“It’s all right, Percival.” Sean met him midway. “I’ll saddle me own horse.”
“Clancy did say as I was to saddle the horses for you and Miss Darcy.” Percival said this as if no other alternative existed.
“Thank you, Percival, but Miss Darcy and I will saddle our own horses.”
“ Miss Darcy, saddling her own horse?” Percival repeated incredulously, looking at Sean as if he had just requested the honor to dig his own grave.
“Yes, Miss Darcy is going to learn to saddle a horse. Caring for your mount is the only way to become well acquainted with it. And the more acquainted she is, the more comfortable she’ll feel.” Sean tried to take the saddle from Percival, but Percival wasn’t letting go.
“Clancy did say . . . ”
“Aye, Percival.” Sean stopped him from repeating himself again and assured, “I understand what Clancy said, and I’ll explain it to him meself.”
“Your hide, mate.” Percival shrugged, let go of the saddle, and walked away.
“Say, Percival,” Sean called.
“Eh?”
“How long have you been working for the Darcys?”
Percival smiled proudly. “’Bout thirty years now; three generations of Darcys I’ve been saddlin’ for, yes sir. Mr. Geoffrey Darcy, Mr. William Darcy, sad thing that, Mr. William was a good man, a finer man you’ll not meet from ’ere to London, an’ now ’is boy, Mr. Ben Darcy. I put lit’l Master Ben on ’is first pony. Lit’l scamp, he was, wouldn’t be led around like a baby, no sir. All afternoon that pony tossed the lad in the dirt, but he just kept gettin’ back up.” Percival laughed. “His daddy and me watched all afternoon whilst boy and horse reached an agreement.”
Sean chuckled reflexively. “Sounds about how me da taught me.”
Percival nodded. “Aye, hard knocks is what makes the man, eh?”
“To hear me da tell it,” Sean agreed. “So you’ve known Miss Catie all her life then?”
“Of course. A favorite of ’er daddy’s that one was. Mr. Darcy would put the lit’l missy in from of ’im on ol’ Abastor and ride all round the estate, and she’d sit tall and dignified like a queen on parade. The spit of ’er ma, she is, and a prettier child you’ll not meet from ’ere to London — a bit of a temper though.” Percival winked and nudged Sean. “What we chaps will put up with for a pretty face, eh, Kelly? Me Connie was a fetching bird in her youth, no doubt, but she’s got a tongue on ’er that would slice cheese.”
Sean’s eyebrows rose. He couldn’t imagine any sister of Clancy’s being attractive. At the moment, however, he was more interested in Catie Darcy’s equine history. “Has Miss Darcy ever been hurt while riding? You know, fallen or been thrown?”
“No.” Shaking his head, Percival lifted his hat and wiped his sweaty brow with his sleeve. “Mind though, she’s only ridden with her brother, so I’d ask him to be sure.”
“Thanks, Percival.” Sean clapped the man’s beefy shoulder warmly and went to saddle his horse. “I will.”
Although she rushed as fast as she could, it was a quarter after three before Catie made it to the stables. When she came in, Sean Kelly had his back to her, checking his saddle
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