In the intervening moments between his fall and being caught, Hadrian had hoped that Delia might have gotten slower in her time staying in Britain, but no. She had spent too many years romping across the world to have forgotten her nimble pace, so before he had so much as managed to shove Boone off him, her voice was coming from just behind him. And the dogs were off, obedient as ever. Possibly more obedient than he remembered.
Hadrian rolled over with a grimace, and sat up, wishing he were a little less damp and dishevelled, if she was going to have the honour of seeing him. He was in no hurry to stand, though – as soon as he did she was going to frogmarch him off the property, he assumed. And she was calling him a thief? The cheek!
“Go on then!” Hadrian said bluntly, at her threat. He didn’t think she would. It would reflect just as badly on her as on him, Miss Emsworth with her maiden name and her marriage in tatters. (His marriage might also be in tatters, but generally speaking, it was more embarrassing to be a failed wife than a failed husband. And no doubt anyone in society here could plainly see that she was deranged. Who would blame him for their separation?) “Attempted theft,” he scoffed, pressing the palms of his hands into the grass defiantly. “A man’s allowed to see his hounds if he likes.” Hadrian glanced at them where they were sitting, trying to discern whether it looked like any of them had missed him as well, or were being mistreated or neglected, or – but all three looked as idiotically happy and hapless as ever. Bully for them.
Hadrian rolled over with a grimace, and sat up, wishing he were a little less damp and dishevelled, if she was going to have the honour of seeing him. He was in no hurry to stand, though – as soon as he did she was going to frogmarch him off the property, he assumed. And she was calling him a thief? The cheek!
“Go on then!” Hadrian said bluntly, at her threat. He didn’t think she would. It would reflect just as badly on her as on him, Miss Emsworth with her maiden name and her marriage in tatters. (His marriage might also be in tatters, but generally speaking, it was more embarrassing to be a failed wife than a failed husband. And no doubt anyone in society here could plainly see that she was deranged. Who would blame him for their separation?) “Attempted theft,” he scoffed, pressing the palms of his hands into the grass defiantly. “A man’s allowed to see his hounds if he likes.” Hadrian glanced at them where they were sitting, trying to discern whether it looked like any of them had missed him as well, or were being mistreated or neglected, or – but all three looked as idiotically happy and hapless as ever. Bully for them.
set by bee!