Hetty raised an eyebrow. “Then I promise not to use a sidesaddle.”
Guy chuckled. “It would be foolish of me to expect otherwise. You’ll always surprise me, my darling.”
“And that bothers you?”
“No, I expect it will be very good for me.”
She giggled. “Do you think Father always knew I rode him?”
“I don’t know.” He traced a finger over her cheek. “He admires your spirit. As I do.”
“I can’t believe The General is mine.” She smiled. “I’ll ride him every day.”
“May I ride with you?”
She pouted. “To rein me in?”
Guy leaned against the doorframe and pulled her against him, enjoying her warm curves. “Never. Because I don’t want to be apart from you.” He sighed. “I will try not to be too protective of you,mon amour.”
“And I’ll try never to cause you to worry.” She turned in his arms to laugh up at him.
He raised his brows. “You’ll try?”
She laughed. “As long as you are not unreasonable in your demands.”
He patted her derrière. “Coquine!”
Behind them, Hammond coughed discreetly. “One of the gardeners has brought something for you, my lord.”
Guy expected it to be a wedding offering of some kind, from one of the tenants or the servants, but when the butler placed the object in his hands Guy was speechless.
“He found it under a hedge he pruned on the western boundary, my lord. It must have been dislodged when the horse jumped over it.”
Guy looked at Hetty. “My portmanteau!”
“How wonderful!” Hetty put her hands to her cheeks. “Is everything still there?”
Guy unlatched it and searched inside. He removed the papers bearing the Fortescue coat of arms and the certificate of his birth, travel documents, and others pertaining to his ownership of several English properties. More importantly, his fingers closed over the box containing the seal matrix, a heavily ornate ring, which he disliked wearing. It was all there.
He took a deep shuddering breath. “Thank you, Hammond. And please thank…”
“Hislop, my lord.”
“Convey my sincere thanks to Hislop. Tell him I shall speak to him directly.”
Guy and Hetty walked along the passage. “Dare I hope this discovery means the fates are now in our favor?” Hetty said.
“You may,mon amour,” Guy said. “But we will handle anything that comes our way, together.”
They found Eustace in the library. “What a surprise.” Eustace held out his hand. “May I see them?” He searched the documents. “Yes, this is the Fortescue coat of arms, the same as the one above the fireplace in the great hall.” He nodded his approval and handed them back.
Hetty studied the azure chevron with its three golden birds. “What do these birds signify?”
“Nobility acquired through bravery, prowess or intelligence,” Guy said.
“The martlet, or heraldic swallow, is seen to be swift and elegant,” Eustace added.
“The birds don’t appear to have feet,” Hetty said.
