Page 33 of Shining Knight
“What do you say, my lady? Shall we divide into teams?”
“Ladies against gentlemen?” Eugenia suggested with a gleam in her eye that Perth would learn soon enough. He could tell that the earl did not understand he had met his match when it came to competitiveness. Felix was the only one of her brothers who could regularly beat her, which stood to reason since shooting was his profession.
“If that is what you wish,” Perth answered.
The earl, Tinsley and Petersham divided on to one half of the lawn while Eugenia, Lady Emily, Lady Augusta, Kitty Ravenhill and Miss Masters lined up on the other.
“Why must we separate from the gentleman when the whole idea is to be nearer to them?” Kitty Ravenhill protested, loudly enough for the men to hear.
He saw Eugenia cast a look of disgust at the chit before masking her displeasure.
“Do you say best of three?” Perth called.
“Perhaps, rather, the winner of each flight goes against the other in a round?” she returned.
“That sounds fair.”
Lady Emily was first against Ravenhill. Both shot three arrows and hit within the smallest circle of the target.
“Well done!” Perth exclaimed as he went to examine the targets. “I will call this one a draw!” he shouted down range.
Graham had to admit he was impressed despite himself. Lady Emily continued to have more depth to her than he had seen in most ladies.
The servants removed the arrows and it was Eugenia’s turn to stand against Ravenhill. It would also be close. Eugenia was not quite as exact with the bow as the pistol, but he would put his money on her, any day.
As they drew their strings, Ravenhill walked over to speak to Eugenia.
Graham could not quite make out what was said, but he was quite certain it involved a boon if he won.
She glared at the baron and immediately turned and fired three arrows in succession, dead center, nearly splitting one after the other.
Ravenhill answered in kind, hitting dead center twice but one slightly off, if Graham was seeing properly. The look on the baron’s face was beyond measure. It was clear he had underestimated his opponent.
The others took their turns, with respectable results, but after multiple rounds, it was clear Perth and Eugenia were the winners.
“Are you certain you wish to go compete with your future husband?” Perth asked, looking at Eugenia and smiling indulgently.
What had he just said? was all Graham’s mind could ask. He looked around but no one else seemed to have heard or have thought anything of it if they had. Perhaps he had been mistaken?
“I am absolutely certain, my lord,” she answered him coyly.
Oh, well, ’tis best Perth be forewarned.
“I think we should move the targets back farther,” Eugenia suggested. Most people can master ten yards but thirty takes some skill. We can continue moving back by ten yards until one of us is the clear winner. Agreed?”
Perth chuckled as though highly amused. Graham hoped he would stay that way because he knew Eugenia was just getting started. She was no longer the smiling, beaming ray of sunshine, but the fierce warrior maiden intent on her task.
The targets were set to their new distance and a servant waved a flag, indicating they were ready.
“Ladies first,” Perth said, as though all of this still amused him.
“Fifty quid on the lady?” Sir Martin said to Petersham.
The countess hushed him and Graham wanted to warn Petersham not to waste his money.
Eugenia stepped up to the line and took a little more time fixing her aim on the target but then she fired the three arrows in rapid succession. Graham could not see how precise she had been, but he had no doubt she was within the center circle.
Perth looked a little more serious as he took his first arrow from his quiver and lined up his mark. He did not fire them rapidly as Eugenia had, but each one carefully.
