Eden decided to take them in the rig because it was simply too hot to walk all the way to the cliffs and back. They would do plenty of running around as they climbed the slopes searching for nests. Of course, they would do nothing dangerous, because Priscilla and Alex were too young to be taken on any serious climbs. They would be safe enough keeping to the beach and looking up at the birds nesting on the lower cliff ledges.
It was a good way to teach them about hierarchies that existed everywhere in life—among men, birds, and all living things. By now they understood that their father, being a duke, was on the top rung of English society.
Connor escorted them as they marched downstairs. His eldest son climbed into the passenger seat beside Eden while the two younger children scampered into the back.
Eden could tell by the wistful look in Connor’s eyes that he ached to join them. But she knew he could not. He had young ladies to woo.
“Be careful,” he said, still reluctant to let go of them. “Do you have everything you need?”
Eden nodded. “We have our hats, binoculars, pads, and pencils. We also have a week’s worth of food packed in the picnic basket.”
He glanced at his boys and then turned back to her with a smile. “A week’s worth? Let’s hope it lasts beyond an hour.”
“We’ll forage for wild berries if we must,” she teased. “See you at teatime.”
Their first stop was the pond, where Eden lectured the children on showing kindness to animals. “But Henry Bright,” Alex said, referring to the Lynton Grange gamekeeper, “will justshoot them for our supper. Why be nice to them when we are just going to eat them?”
Eden had no answer for that. “Well, just do not torment them before they die. Would you want to be tormented even if you were going to be eaten in a month’s time?”
That led to the boys teasing their sister about eating her up.
“Don’t eat me!” Priscilla wailed, and burst into tears.
Dear heaven.Time for Eden to rethink this idea.
How had she botched this so badly? Perhaps because she was lecturing them instead of allowing them to reach the right conclusion on their own. Of course, this assumed they would reach it and not resort to hurling stones at the geese again.
Their time by the cliffs was much more productive. They were not climbing to the top but mostly exploring along the beach and lower cliff ledges. The azure sea was to the left of them, the soaring red cliffs to their right as they trod through the sand. They set up watch on a low ledge and observed the birds flying in and out of their nests immediately above them. They also watched as several birds circled over the water. The boys cheered when a kestrel dove in and then flew back up with a fat fish wriggling in its beak.
They spent hours walking, observing, and even drawing what they saw. When the boys claimed they were hungry, they made their way back up to their rig. Eden had led the horse to a nearby stream and let him drink his fill before they went off on their explorations. He was loosely tethered in the shade beside some forage shrubs that he could munch on when he got hungry.
Thankfully, the rig was still there when they hiked back up. The horse was once again drinking contentedly by the stream, lapping up the cool water with his thick tongue.
Eden and the children settled under one of the larger shade trees and shared the pasties, fruit, bread, cheeses, andstrawberry tarts Connor’s cook had packed for them. Bottles of cider and lemonade had also been provided.
The boys did not stop eating or guzzling their drinks until the basket was completely empty. They were going to grow as big as Connor, and that required quite a bit of nourishment to reach their full height.
As the sun began its descent on the horizon, Eden decided it was time to return. By the position of the sun, she judged it was nearing three o’clock in the afternoon. Since they still had almost an hour’s ride home, they quickly packed up and hopped in the rig for the return trip.
Eden took the front passenger seat this time and allowed young Connor to drive. Alex and Priscilla jumped in the back. They hadn’t gone very far before Priscilla stretched out and promptly fell asleep with her head on her brother’s lap.
Alex absently stroked his sister’s curls and did not fidget even once, because he did not wish to disturb her. These boys could tease their little sister mercilessly but also be kind as anything to her, as Alex was now.
Eden loved this about siblings and wished she had some of her own, even if they had only been her father’s by-blows. Kin was kin, was it not?
Her mother and father hated each other, so there were never going to be any legitimate children arising from that union after her. Yet she doubted there were any illegitimate ones, either. Not that her father was a saint. He certainly was not. However, it was not like him to be discreet aboutanything, not even his misbehavior. She would have known if there were any Darrow by-blows out there.
They had just reached the manor and drawn up to its courtyard when Connor dashed out of the house toward them. “Thank goodness you’re back. I was just about to ride out to find you.”
Eden’s heart tightened. “What is the matter? Is Duchess Evelyn all right?”
Sarah and Millie had rushed out immediately behind him. “Evelyn is fine,” he assured her.
Eden emitted a rush of breath. “Thank goodness.”
The two maids led the boys and a groggy Priscilla, who had woken up only minutes earlier, up to their quarters.
Instead of allowing her to return to her own guest chamber, Connor held Eden back. “Come with me.”
