Page 24 of The New Earl’s Convenient Wife

‘Coming back to check on you and say, “thank you”?’ Rafe suggested.

‘I like to think so. I hope he returned to the woods, found a mate and had babies of his own to raise.’

Rafe shook his head at her. ‘You have such sympathy for the small and helpless.’

‘I know what it is to be small—and virtually helpless,’ she said soberly. ‘Unable to control almost anything in my life.’ Looking up at him, she said earnestly, ‘Which is why I’m so grateful to you, for changing that. For giving me this.’ She lifted a gloved hand to gesture around her. ‘I only hope to give you enough help and support in return to deserve it.’

Warmth welling up, Rafe wondered again why her family did not recognize the honesty, strength and goodness in her that was so apparent to him. Why they placed so little value on that, esteeming instead Society’s definition of proper maidenly deportment, which so often meant mastering every feminine tool and artifice to improve one’s status and position.

If he’d not sensed it before, his time with the army had made him keenly aware that character was worth far more than birth or status. When in the throes of battle, rank and elevated family meant nothing; one could rely only on the bravery, resolve and selflessness of the soldier fighting beside one, whether he be the son of a butcher or a duke.

He might have indulged Juliana as a youth because her oddities amused him. He would protect and encourage her as a man for possessing the virtues he’d come to esteem so highly.

The path they’d been following now opened up into a large field of oaks. After inspecting the broad pollarded stumps, from which thick limbs of varying length and size rose up, they rode on through uncut forest to several fields where willows were being pollarded to provide the thin branches that would be made into the baskets and fish traps that provided another source of the estate’s income.

A few hours later, having ridden through the different stands of managed woodlands, Rafe had gained a much greater appreciation for the diversity of Thornthwaite’s land. Since, as a boy, he’d preferred exploring the uncut forest and following his return, had focused on sheep and cattle, much of it he’d seldom or never seen. After traversing some of the bracken-filled pastures that dotted the opening between woodlands, Juliana led him along a pathway that continued steadily uphill, until trees gave way to wiry grass pasture rising up towards the fells.

‘We’ll call on the sheep farmers now,’ he said.

‘Yes. The Russell farm is just ahead.’

A short time later, they spied Mr Russell kneeling in a meadow next to a young lamb. They admired the newcomer and its mother, and discussed the progress of the lambing season before bidding the farmer goodbye.

‘We’re so close here, may we continue up to the top of the fell?’ Juliana asked, pointing. ‘Resting there, one feels on top of the world.’

‘Lead on,’ Rafe said, curious to hear what comments being perched ‘on top of the world’ would inspire in her.

Leaving the horses grazing, they started up the hill towards the summit.

‘I know you plan to purchase more sheep, to help the estate rebuild its wool production more quickly,’ she said, as she picked her way around the rocks and stones. ‘Will there not be a problem integrating them with the rest of the flock? After all, Herdwick stock are all hefted, trained by their mothers to graze only in their home pastures.’

‘True, but if we obtain sheep from neighbouring flocks, they can continue to graze where they always have. We can paint them with the Thornthwaite smit mark, so it will be easy enough to separate them out when it is time for shearing.’

‘At least adding to the cattle herds won’t cause similar problems. As long are there are enough fields to graze them in.’

‘I’ve done an extensive review of the available land with Sterling. There should be sufficient meadows for grazing, along with areas of the bracken needed to produce fodder and bedding for the barns.’

‘You’ll need to allow some bracken to add to the thatch when the cottage roofs are redone. To keep away evil spirits, the Celts believed.’

‘We must definitely keep away the evil spirits,’ he agreed with a grin. ‘I need all the help I can get to make Thornthwaite a success.’

‘Do you know the old Gaelic song?’ When he shook his head, she continued, ‘It was about a fairy who, falling in love with a mortal girl, helped her gather bracken in the fields so he might be close to her. Until her brothers, discovering the trysts, hid her away from him. Bereft, he continued to gather bracken until he dropped with fatigue, hoping he might encounter her again. Tha mi sgith—“I am tired,” it’s called.’

‘Sounds dreary.’

Batting his arm reprovingly, she said, ‘Sad, surely, but also beautiful. As is this!’ Reaching the crest of the hill, she led him to a huge boulder. While sheltering them from the increasingly fierce wind, it allowed an expansive view across the fells and down to the lake far below.

‘Remarkable, isn’t it?’ she breathed, a look of wonder lighting her face.

She was familiar with this place, he realized. ‘Is this where you came to sketch? Where you watched the peregrine falcons dive?’

‘Yes. Sometimes, remaining very still, I waited to watch the red deer approach. Despite my human scent, they seemed to accept me.’

‘Just another wild creature?’ he teased.

‘Am I not?’

Thinking of her exuberant, untutored and unselfconscious lovemaking, he said, ‘I love wild creatures.’