Page 1 of Avoiding the Merry Viscount
Prologue
Elias
Sussex, England
December 1799
Elias Armstrong, theyoung Viscount Snowdon, stuffed a few more things into his pack, and motioned for his three closest friends to follow him downstairs. The boys were all on break from school and spending a couple of weeks at Elias’s home before the holidays to partake in hunting, snowball fights, and whatever else four boys the age of four-and-ten might get up to during the wintertime in the country.
The boys each held their hunting rifles and their packs, which they had stuffed with food and a change of clothing. They made their way to the drawing room in search of Elias’s parents.
Unfortunately for them, they found Diana and Hannah, Elias’s and Hudson’s younger sisters.
“We want to come too,” Elias’s sister, Diana, whined.
His best friend Hudson had brought his younger sister Hannah with him for the visit since Diana and Hannah were also the best of friends. Elias’s and Hudson’s parents were close, so the children had all practically grown up together.
Elias had hoped that having Hannah in attendance would keep his sister occupied so she wouldn’t try to follow them, but instead it gave them two young girls to argue with. He was thankful that his other sisters were too young to team up with the pair. Diana and Hannahwere both the age of six, and just old enough to follow them about.
“You are not coming with us, sister,” he replied. “And that is final.” The boys would stay overnight in one of the hunting cabins at the far edge of their estate. There were a few on their property, but they chose the one farthest from the house to feel more like they were getting away from everyone. And the adventure would be far less enjoyable if they had to keep an eye on the two little girls.
Diana clasped her arms across her chest and harrumphed. “You don’t get to decide that.”
“But I do.” Their father, the Earl of Snowdon, crept up behind Diana and scooped her into his arms. “Let the boys have their fun, while you and Hannah have the run of the house without them pestering you.”
Elias’s father nodded to him where Diana couldn’t see. He had always been close to his father, as the firstborn and the only son of the earl’s four children.
“Come here, dearest,” their mother told Diana, coming to stand beside their father. “We shall have a fun time without the boys. I shall let you and Hannah try on some of my jewelry, and we’ll have tea this afternoon with just us ladies. What would you both think about that?”
The girls started dancing about and each clasped one of his mother’s hands.
“Will you also take us for a ride?” Diana asked. “I wish to learn to ride a horse like you do, Mama.”
“Your papa and I agreed you could start lessons in the spring,” their mama replied. Their mother loved her horse almost as much as she loved her husband and children. She wasn’t one to sit inside the entire day, as she needed time each day to get out and ride. “Let’s be off and tell Cook about our special tea.”
Elias’s mother gave him one last glance. “Have a fun time, my sweet boy,” she said, using the pet name she’d called him for as long as he could remember, even though he was ever nearing manhood. Sheflashed him a grin and then led the girls, bouncing, out of the room.
“You boys will be careful and behave yourselves, will you not?” the earl asked as soon as the females had departed the room.
“Of course, Papa,” Elias replied. “We shall return tomorrow afternoon in time for tea.”
His father laughed. “I don’t doubt it. There is no way the four of you have enough food in those packs to allay your hunger for any longer than that.”
Elias believed his father had a point. “Have Cook make extra tarts and biscuits. We are sure to eat them all.”
“I am certain your mother has already done so. She has a knack for being on top of these things.”
The love that shone in his father’s eyes was evident. His parents were a love match, a rarity in their society. They didn’t last long in each other’s presence without succumbing to their deep affection. Part of him found their displays embarrassing in front of his friends, but Elias also secretly smiled to himself, knowing that his parents’ love for each other was so strong.
He wouldn’t admit it to the boys, but he hoped that one day he might find a marriage like theirs. Not anytime soon, of course. But when the time came, he wanted to experience the deep, true love his parents had.
“Are we ready to be off, then?” Jude asked, nodding toward the door.
“Yes, let us depart,” Elias said. “See you tomorrow, Papa.”
Elias, Jude, Hudson, and Matt each donned their greatcoats and then departed toward the stables. Their horses were readied, and once they had each mounted and secured their unloaded rifles in their laps, they took off for the hunting cabin. They wanted to get out of the house and enjoy a bit of adventure on their own, but if they were lucky enough to shoot a stag for their troubles, all the better.
Riding across the snowy fields and through the forests of trees toget to the hunting cabin took every bit of a half an hour for them to get there. The cabin had a small stable area where the horses would sleep for the night, and they each donned a blanket which should keep them warm.
