Рита Браун - Out Of Hounds

The drinks and food revived most folks, including staff, who Sister insisted come inside and take care of themselves first. The hounds had cookies, were snuggled in the straw, a few extra minutes in the hound wagon wouldn’t hurt anyone.

“The best! Just the best!” Betty glowed as she sat down next to Sister.

“Was,” Sister agreed as Ben now sat across from her.

Carter, next to Freddie, handed her the small box in which nestled the one-inch-square inlay of Artemis; the stone, onyx, was surrounded by intricate red gold.

She discretely handed him an envelope. “This will be prefect on my hacking jacket, the one I wear to breakfasts.”

“Freddie, anything on which you pin Artemis will be perfect.”

“Carter, you flatter me.”

“Simple truth.” He slipped the envelope to his inside pocket in his tweed jacket. “Great day.”

She nodded. “The weather has been so rotten. This spring huge temperature bounces, rain, snow, and too much of it, and now,” she snapped her fingers, “bingo. Terrific hunting.”

“Is. Buddy Cadwalder called me from Philadelphia. He says Radnor’s last few weeks have been terrific. Then he drives down to Fair Hill. Good hunting.”

“Let’s cross our fingers that our luck holds.” She opened the box to admire the beautiful pin.

She rather liked that the Greeks worshipped women as well as men.

Carter looked across the table. “Thank you, Master.”

Freddie echoed the sentiment.

“I hoped we’d see Crawford, even if in one of his expensive trucks or cars.”

Ben answered, “He is determined to find his painting. He’s called museum directors. He’s even called the director of The Munnings Art Museum in England.”

“Anything?” Carter asked.

“A few thoughts. The sidesaddle ladies were known to Munnings. Usually the painting was a commission. Some of the sidesaddle paintings, not the ones here in America, he did on his own. Fascination with beautiful women and horses, I guess,” Ben replied.

“He rode, himself,” Carter responded. “I’m sure I read that somewhere.”

“Couple of photos of him on horseback.” Sister supplied the information.

“You’ve been on this.” Carter smiled.

“Curiosity.” Sister shrugged.

Freddie piped up. “Maybe this really is all about money.”

“Most things are.” Carter finished his drink.

“Yes, of course, but something nags at me about Munnings, the time he painted. I can’t put my finger on it.”

Carter teased her, “Maybe you should keep your hands to yourself.”

“Oh, I’ll get over it. Ben will solve the thefts and that will be the end of it.” Sister smiled at the sheriff.

“Thank you for your faith in me. Whoever this is is smart. Smart and can convince people, is probably quite likable.”

Carter swept his hand outward. “Ben, that’s everyone in the room.”

—

Back in the stable, horses cleaned up, wiped down, blankets on, a bit of warm mash for them, too, as well as those delicious soaked alfalfa cubes along with flakes of hay, Sister, Betty worked alongside each other while Gray popped into the kennels to see if Tootie and Weevil needed anything.

“No more signs.” Betty noticed the telephone poles driving back. “The old ones are torn off. Maybe our disgruntled person has given up.”

“You know it’s Sadie Hawkins Day.” Sister remembered.

Betty laughed. “That means no bachelor will answer the phone or his email until tomorrow.”

They both laughed.

Sister asked, “Did you want to get married, you know, like it was a goal?”

“No, but it was expected of me,” Betty honestly answered. “When Bobby asked me I cried I was so happy. I picked the right man.”

“You did. I never thought about it. Big Ray chased me for a year. I wouldn’t even date him, then I finally did. We went to a production of As You Like It in Richmond. Don’t know why, but we clicked. So when he asked me one year later to the day, I was ready to say yes.”

“Maybe we should say yes more often to all kinds of things.”

“Betty, you’re right.” Sister rubbed Midshipman’s muzzle; he didn’t hunt today.

“I really like Sadie Hawkins Day. I like the idea.” Betty stepped into the tack room, glad for the warmth.

Sister, following, agreed. “I do, too. Why shouldn’t a woman ask a man if she’s so inclined?”

A devilish look crossed Betty’s face. “We should call Ronnie Haslip.”

“Only if you pay his medical bill. Heart attacks aren’t pretty.”

They giggled, laughed, threw out every single man’s name they could recall, just silly stuff. The stuff that makes you love people.

Back in the house, boots off, Sister sank into a kitchen chair. “I’m too tired to move.”

Gray joined her. “Know the feeling.”

“It’s Sadie Hawkins Day.”

He paused a moment. “So it is.”

“Betty and I were laughing that no bachelor will answer his phone or email today.”

Gray looked solemn. “Does that mean you aren’t going to ask me to marry you?”

“Ha.” She laughed.

“So it’s four more years?”

“You’re full of the Devil.” She blew him a kiss. “It’s one of the reasons I fell in love with you.”

CHAPTER 23

March 2, 2020 Monday

“Pretty terrific.” Sister craned her neck to look up at St. Paul, the golden weather vane on top of the stables. “Thought putting the horse weather vane on top of the big hay shed nice, too. Let’s take a picture and run in to the 1780 House. I need to pick up some odds and ends at Foods of All Nations. If we stay here we’ll wind up doing more chores.”

Gray put his arm around her shoulders. “Every now and then it’s a great idea to escape chores. And it’s a sunny day. That’s a surprise.”

Sister admired the beautiful weather vane, close to two hundred years old. “I seem to recall a conversation in the library where you questioned my impulsiveness, my discipline when it came to beautiful objects.”

He put his arm around her waist. “Well, now, not exactly. All I did was remind you of your desire to buy the Louis XV desk.”

“It really was lust and a kind of reckoning because of Uncle Arnold’s stolen desk but I didn’t buy it.”

“No,” he dragged out. “No.”

“Oh, Gray, sometimes one can’t be but so practical, and apart from horses I’m fairly reasonable. Although I must say Carter Nicewonder is forever pushing antique jewelry under my nose. Haven’t bought any pieces but I do notice, my angel, that if there is a tool you need, you buy it.”

He quickly said, “Sam and I are rebuilding the house.”

She put her arm around his waist now, too, and squeezed him. No point questioning tools even if they cost thousands of dollars. A good compressor can set you back.

“I did jump at St. Paul.” He sounded almost confessional.

“Baby, I’m glad you did. St. Paul brings back a wonderful memory of your mother and that silly rooster. Graziella and St. Paul, what a combination. I remember your mother well. Apart from her stunning beauty, which, of course, Aunt Daniella also has, your mother was quiet and kind, very kind, even when people were not kind to her. And those who should have been slapped usually wanted to go to bed with her.”

“After our dad died, Sam and I became protective of Mom. If she could see this fellow up there now she would laugh.” He took a breath. “It’s a funny thing but when you paid for half of the rooster, I can’t explain it, I could relax.”

“You don’t have to explain it. Gray, we’re in it together. Not that we see everything eye to eye. You’re a high-powered CPA and I’m still a geologist whether I’m teaching or not. I’m much more drawn to the natural world than that of people. But even if I do something not particularly fiscally prudent, I try to listen to you.”