“And…teach Louisa too,” she asked, gesturing to her maid at her side.
“As you wish,” Hayward said, his smile making that fluttering begin again in her stomach.
Chapter 16
“Pull,” Francis said, watching on as Lady Ridlington and Louisa practiced with the pistols. Both fired at the same time, though Lady Ridlington recoiled from her pistol as it shot, making the bullet fly off in not quite the desired direction. “Woah! Well…” Francis moved to her side and took the pistol out of her hands. “I’m glad I told my gardeners not to work in the garden today.”
“I’m so sorry,” she said hurriedly, looking around the trees for where the bullet might have gone. He laughed off her apology, showing how much, he did not need it.
He had brought Lady Ridlington and Louisa into the garden and set up a target against one of the trees in order to teach them to practice shooting. Their improvement already was good, after a nearly an hour of instruction, though both of them had very different reactions to the weapons. Louisa was proving herself quite an accurate shot, though she looked down at the weapon every few minutes with something akin to horror, clearly in disbelief she was carrying the gun. Lady Ridlington could not take to the weapon at all!
“Believe me, it can take years to master this weapon,” Francis said reassuringly as he reloaded the gun. “There is nothing to apologize for,” he said softly, watching as her face flickered into the smallest of smiles.
His heart was warmed by seeing it. He had already known he would go a long way in order to see her smile. He was beginning to realize that he would do almost anything now to see it. “The first time I practiced shooting, one of the house dogs ran in the way. Fortunately, he was not injured, but I cannot tell you how frightened I was that I might have caused him harm.”
“Thank god you do not have any dogs,” Lady Ridlington said, casting her eyes up to the sky. “If they ran in the way I am not sure I would have enough control of the weapon to ensure they were safe.”
“You are getting better.”
“Am I?” she asked suspiciously with raised eyebrows. “Or are you simply being kind to me?”
“Would I do that?” he asked in jest as he passed her the weapon back.
“You would,” she said emphatically. “You’re the kindest man I know, so I do not doubt you would say anything to make me feel better.” The words made him stand a little taller, a stolen moment together whilst they were practicing with the weapons.
“Well, I like to make you feel better,” he said, walking past her. He couldn’t resist her, as he went by, he trailed a hand along her arm. It was brief, yet just as tantalizing, feeling the way it sent a tingle up his arm of excitement. He could see her bend her head a little down to the weapon, trying to hide the blush that crept across her cheeks because of his touch.
“Is this right?” Louisa asked him, trying to load the weapon.
“Nearly, here, like this.” He took the weapon from her, showing her how to do it, then removed the shot and allowed her to try herself. “Try now, you’ll get it.” Once she had done it successfully, she bobbed on her toes, excited with the movement. It made him chuckle under his breath as he took a step back. “I do not think I have ever seen the two of you so happy.”
“I am not sure I have ever been so,” Louisa said as she lifted the weapon and pointed it at the target up ahead. “If I had been taught how to do this sooner, it might have saved me a lot of pain. Can I shoot?”
“Fire,” he said, watching as she fired the weapon. She was quite close to the bullseye, making her yelp with delight and jump up and down with the weapon in her hands.
Francis couldn’t put a finger on the emotion he was feeling as he watched her learn. It was something about the words she had said, the idea that before she had been unable to protect herself. At least now, she had a fighting chance. He turned his eyes on Lady Ridlington instead, who was staring down at her weapon, trying to get a better hold of the weapon.
“Struggling?” he asked, moving up to her side. He longed to hear the words from her lips that Louisa had said. She looked up from the weapon as he moved to stand beside her, earning her gaze.
“A lot!” she said, sighing for dramatic effect. “It is no good, I do not think I will get the hang of the weapon.”
“You just need more practice. Now, take up the weapon again.” He moved closer to her. She looked up, her eyes wide at seeing him so close, but then she lifted the weapon, pointing it toward the target. “Wait one second…” He made her pause as he lifted a hand and rearranged her grasp on the pistol. He could feel her fingers warm beneath his touch, then her arm trembled, making him hesitate and look to her. “Cold?” he asked.
“No,” she whispered softly.
“You shivered,” he said with a small smile as he lowered his voice, so that Louisa couldn’t hear them as she busily reloaded her weapon.
“I trembled,” she whispered just as quietly.
“Why?” he asked, with a knowing smile.
“Take your hand off mine and I will stop trembling,” she said, averting her eyes from his though she smiled still.
“Please tell me it is good trembling,” he pleaded, earning her gaze at last.
“You know it is,” she said softly. He chuckled and released her hand then walked around her.
“Lift the weapon and point it at the target.” At his words, she did as he suggested, facing the target with the weapon raised in both hands. “I see your problem. You’re not standing properly to absorb the recoil.”
