“Lord Buckford, I’d like a word,” Sir Edward Topham called across the crowd.
“Go,” I said, pecking Petey on the cheek. He didn’t need to be asked twice. I raised a hand, acknowledging Sir Edward’s claim on my time.
“That’s it, Peter,” Sir Edward bellowed. “Run away from your responsibilities, like you always do.”
A moment later, red-faced and puffing with exertion, he stood in front of me.
“My lord.”
“Sir Edward.”
“On behalf of the whole family, please accept my sincere apologies for my son’s behaviour,” he said.
“Pardon?” He was lucky I’d left my sword on Home Field.
“What did he do to make you call it off?”
A general silence descended upon the immediate area. I suggested we walk towards the water’s edge, where we wouldn’t be overheard.
“I didn’t call it off, we were never engaged.”
“Yes, I heard you. Clearly a cock and bull story for the villagers. You don’t expect me to believe that, do you? I know my son, and I know he’ll have done something to screw this up. He always does.”
Wow.“Nothing could be further from the truth, I assure you.” My sword hand was itching.
Something over my shoulder caught Edward’s eye. “No, get away from there, you little oik!” he bellowed. I swung around to see young Matthew, a few metres away, hand poised over the shiny navy blue paintwork of Sir Edward’s precious roadster. “It’s not for touching with greasy little hands. Show some respect.”
Matthew looked like he was about to cry.
“Excellent slaughtering today, young Matthew,” I called out to him. “You did your family proud.”
The boy smiled. “Fanks, William!”
“Go find Bramley and tell him I said to crack out the good chocolate. If he doesn’t believe you, the password isgusset.”
“Fanks, William!”
Matthew gave me a toothless grin and two big thumbs up. I turned back to Sir Edward.
“Greasy fingerprints polish out,” I said. He didn’t appear to hear me.
“Listen, we can settle this between us—like gentlemen. What will it cost for you to reconsider? Name your price.”
“Are you trying to bribe me into marrying your son?”
Edward’s eyes bulged. “That’s an ugly word. Think of it as a wedding present.”
“Jesus Christ, it’s a dowry. You’re offering me a dowry to take Petey off your hands.”
“I wouldn’t put it like that. I know you need the money?—”
“I’m not interested in your money.” The words came out harder than I intended, but I’d been richly insulted. “And I don’t need a financial incentive to be with Petey.”
“You said you care for him?—”
“Care for him?” I was outraged now. “I love him. I am madly, completely, utterly in love with him. Do you have any idea who your son is? He’s the most spectacularly talented, creative, funny, smart, and beautiful man I have ever clapped my eyes on. I wake up every day astounded someone so objectively and demonstrably brilliant could fall in love with someone like me.”
“Don’t be ridiculous, you’re a baron!”
