Page 35 of The Viscount's Promise
Her sister’s strident voice made the dog press into Emily’s side. A small, pathetic whine drifted up to her. Heedless of the filth coating the creature, Emily put her arms about it protectively. “It is a dog, and unless I can find who it belongs to, it is now mine.”
“You cannot be serious,” Lord Morley scoffed. “The creature may be feral. It could be violent.”
She glared up at him and motioned to the creature in her arms, which was doing its best to bury its head in her skirts. “Does this look feral or violent to you?”
“It was going to attack me,” he gritted out.
“Only because it looked as ifyouwere attackingme. If you recall, you were showing a decided lack of kindness right before the dog showed itself. But enough of this. I need to get it home and cleaned up. And it looks as if it could use a good meal, as well.” So saying, she extricated herself from the dog and scrambled to her feet, pointedly ignoring Lord Morley’s helping hand.
Daphne seemed to have recovered and, after giving the dog a cautious look, said, “But you will miss the picnic.”
“There will be others. At this time I have more important things to do. Come, let us head back to the group, and I’ll be on my way.”
She turned and started off, clicking her tongue at the dog. Without a bit of hesitation, the creature trotted along at her side, its flank pressed into her skirts.
Immediately, Lord Morley was at her side. “I really must protest, Lady Emily,” he said low. “I cannot allow you to put yourself in danger with the creature.”
She stopped abruptly and spun to face him. “You have no place inallowingme to do anything. Good day, sir.”
So saying, she turned from him and strode for the house, her new friend glued to her side.
Chapter 13
“I must say, my dear,” Emily’s mother said two days later as they sat near the vast side lawn and watched the archery competition, “I had my doubts about that dog. But you have both surprised me.”
Emily smiled and reached down to pat the silky head of her new friend. To her surprise and delight, the creature had been a veritable angel during his extensive and detailed grooming. With the help of two maids and a footman, she had managed to scrub and brush and trim him into something altogether beautiful to behold. As it turned out, the filthy creature that had firmly burrowed its way into her heart was, when clean, a creamy white setter, its coat sprinkled all over in pale orange specks. They’d had to cut much of his fur short, due to the mats and brambles that choked it. Even so, he was a handsome thing, if painfully thin, and seemingly healthy and whole but for the missing eye.
“What will you name him?” her mother asked now.
Instantly Emily’s spirits sank. “I’d rather not name him, Mama. Not yet.”
Her mother gave her a surprised glance from under her parasol. “Why ever not, dear?”
“He may have an owner that’s missing him. If so, I have a responsibility to reunite them, don’t I?” No matter how it broke her heart to do so. For already, after just two days, she loved him desperately.
“I don’t know,” her mother murmured. “He may have been abandoned. You may not have an owner to find.”
“Abandoned? Who could abandon such an animal?”
“Many would rather destroy an animal, especially a working animal, that has an issue like a missing eye. How can he properly do his job, after all? They would not want, or perhaps aren’t able, to take on the expense of such a creature if he cannot properly do what he was bred to do.”
Emily straightened, letting her own parasol drop to the ground. The dog, sensing the tension in her, sat up and looked expectantly at her. “Then they are a beast,” she cried. “How can anyone abandon an animal for such a thing?”
Her mother heaved a heavy sigh. “I understand your feelings on the matter. But please do yourself a favor? Don’t spend too long looking. I truly do feel that the two of you are good for one another.”
The ache of tears sprung up behind Emily’s eyes. Sniffing loudly, she reached for the dog, who leaned into her hand, heaving a happy sigh. “Very well,” she managed around the sudden lump in her throat.
“No more than a day,” her mother said in mock sternness, before she smiled, effectively ruining the effect of the order. “And, if at the end of that day, you have not found someone to claim that creature, you will give him a proper name. Agreed?”
“Yes.” Emily smiled in return. “I’ll set out this very afternoon, if you can spare me. I’m sure he could not have come from far. I’ll ask about the local farms and houses, and if I cannot locate his original owner I’ll give him a right proper name and set him up like a king.”
Her mother laughed, her own hand reaching across the space between them to stroke the dog’s head. He gave a contented groan. “I can spare you. Lady Tarryton has most of the event in hand. I vow, I have not had to lift a finger through this whole affair.”
Emily directed her gaze to the woman in question, who was overseeing the placement of a light repast off to the side of the archers. “I had worried,” Emily said, “that she was overstepping her bounds. Imogen voiced a fear of it before she left for her wedding trip. Several times, in fact.”
Her mother waved a hand in the air. “What have I to complain about? She has taken most of the strain of the house party onto her own shoulders, leaving me quite free to enjoy our company. I suppose I should rein her in. She has fairly terrified the help.”
“I know she terrifies me,” Emily muttered.
