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Dr. Fleming. Donal. I am so glad you are returned.
Donal felt an entirely irrational thrill of alarm. What is wrong, Theodora?
I am sorry to disturb you& perhaps it is nothing. Indeed, I cannot be certain
Come inside. He opened the door and gestured her to precede him. I have little to offer you, but if
you would allow me to put a kettle on the fire&
No. No, thank you. She sat in the plain wooden chair near the hearth and regarded him anxiously. It is
about Cordelia.
Donal closed the door and perched on the edge of the bed. What has happened?
As I said, it may be nothing, but& She squared her shoulders. This afternoon, Cordelia quarreled
with Sir Geoffrey again. It has happened lately with greater and greater frequency, and the effects upon
Cordelia have been& painful to observe.
Yes. Donal s ribs pressed in on his lungs. This quarrel was a particularly bad one?
I& overheard some part of it. Her cheeks reddened. Afterward, Cordelia was quite agitated. She
rushed about the house as if she could find nowhere to turn.
And I was not here, Donal thought bitterly.
I hoped she might confide in me about her difficulties, Theodora continued, but she went into her
sitting room and did not come out again until one of our local farmers arrived and asked to speak with
her on urgent business. Shortly afterward she left the house, dressed in a heavy cloak. Her behavior was
such that I became worried for her, and I followed the farmer until I overtook him. She swallowed. He
told me that Cordelia had a longstanding arrangement with several farmers and villagers, men she trusted,
to inform her when certain events occurred in the neighborhood. It seems that a dogfight was to be held
near Charlcombe this very evening, and
Donal shot to his feet, his thoughts hardening to crystal clarity. Cordelia has gone to stop it, he said.
It is what I feared. Theodora held Donal s gaze, her own dark with misery. She has been reckless in
such matters before, as you saw in London. But I do not believe that she has ever attempted such a thing
without first contacting others who despise such sport as she does. She is but one woman, and the sort of
men who would force animals to fight each other for their own amusement& She shuddered. Even
now I can scarcely credit that she would be so foolish.
Unless she has been driven to the point of desperation, Donal thought. Desperation to take action, to
fight adversaries who can be openly opposed and defeated, unlike the enemies she faces in her own
home and heart.
Enemies she could never acknowledge: her father, Inglesham, the societal conventions that kept her
bound to rigid duty and an endless quest for perfection that remained ever out of reach& .
I asked Croome to send our footmen after her, Theodora continued, but Cordelia had given the
servants an afternoon s liberty. I considered calling the constable, but feared he would arrive too late.
That was when I thought of you.
You were right to do so. Do you know specifically where this fight is to be located?
Only what I told you. Such fights are illegal, and so its patrons are careful to keep the details secret from
outsiders. She rose, clutching at her skirts. There must be dangerous men there, Donal. You should not
go alone.
I won t be alone. He clasped her hands. You did well to come to me, Theodora. It will be all right.
I will pray for you both.
He nodded, collected his bag and strode for the door, his thoughts reaching out for two he could count
as allies. Tod was nowhere to be found, but Sir Reginald had found his way out of the house and was
waiting for Donal in the drive.
He picked up the spaniel and ran for the stables, breathing deeply to calm his dread. Reggie licked his
chin and whined.
I would prefer not to take you at all, my friend, Donal told the spaniel, but once we reach Charlcombe
I may need your admirable nose to help me locate the fight.
Sir Reginald shivered, catching some part of the dark images that spilled from Donal s mind. Donal
hugged the dog close. I won t take you anywhere near that place, he said as they approached the
stable. You ll remain safely with Boreas once I know where to go.
He raced past a startled groom to Boreas s stall, where the stallion was already splintering the walls with
his hooves. Donal untied the horse, carefully balanced Sir Reginald on Boreas s withers, and mounted
bareback.
Now, Reggie, he said, we shall find Cordelia.
THE BYRE STANK of filthy straw, unwashed bodies and animals pushed to the very edge of their
endurance. The cloak Cordelia wore did nothing to insulate her from the horror of the sounds and smells,
the avid faces of the men who shouted out their bets as they prepared to send innocent animals to pain,
mutilation and death.
There were no women here to witness this atrocity. The rough shirt and trousers Cordelia wore might
disguise her sex at a distance, but if any of these human monsters discovered who hid in the shadows
they would have cast her out with neither courtesy nor compunction.
Shivering with disgust and rage, Cordelia edged her way to the corner of the byre where the dog crates
were kept, most so small that their occupants many missing ears or marked with horrible, half-healed
wounds had no choice but to lie in their own excrement. The stench was unbearable, yet one of the
dogs, a brindle terrier, crept up to the bars and whimpered, begging for some comfort in this canine hell.
Cordelia pushed her fingers into the cage and stroked the scarred nose, nearly weeping at the gentle
touch of the animal s tongue on her skin. Other dogs pressed toward her, some wagging their tails in
defiance of their ghastly plight.
Aware that her opportunities were severely limited, Cordelia kept her ears and eyes open while she
examined the cage latches. As contemptible as the dogfighting patrons might be, their shared vice
evidently led them to trust each other to some degree. None of the cages was locked.
Cordelia sank back on her heels and measured the distance from the crates to the guarded byre
entrance. It would seem nearly impossible to free the dogs and get them before their owners stopped
her& and many of the poor beasts would be too poisoned with fear or excitement to escape.
That was the tragedy of it. A number of the dogs could never be allowed to run loose, for they had been
repeatedly forced to attack weaker animals, cruelly punished for failure and praised for each sordid
victory. But Cordelia refused to give up hope. If even one animal could be saved, she would not regret
the risk or effort in coming. And if she could actually stop the fight from proceeding&
For just a moment her resolve weakened, and she thought of Donal. He would understand why she had
felt compelled to come here, foolish as it might seem. He would gladly stand beside her, and if she had
been thinking a little more clearly she would have seen the wisdom of asking him in spite of the dreadful
awkwardness of their last meeting. [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
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Dr. Fleming. Donal. I am so glad you are returned.
Donal felt an entirely irrational thrill of alarm. What is wrong, Theodora?
I am sorry to disturb you& perhaps it is nothing. Indeed, I cannot be certain
Come inside. He opened the door and gestured her to precede him. I have little to offer you, but if
you would allow me to put a kettle on the fire&
No. No, thank you. She sat in the plain wooden chair near the hearth and regarded him anxiously. It is
about Cordelia.
Donal closed the door and perched on the edge of the bed. What has happened?
As I said, it may be nothing, but& She squared her shoulders. This afternoon, Cordelia quarreled
with Sir Geoffrey again. It has happened lately with greater and greater frequency, and the effects upon
Cordelia have been& painful to observe.
Yes. Donal s ribs pressed in on his lungs. This quarrel was a particularly bad one?
I& overheard some part of it. Her cheeks reddened. Afterward, Cordelia was quite agitated. She
rushed about the house as if she could find nowhere to turn.
And I was not here, Donal thought bitterly.
I hoped she might confide in me about her difficulties, Theodora continued, but she went into her
sitting room and did not come out again until one of our local farmers arrived and asked to speak with
her on urgent business. Shortly afterward she left the house, dressed in a heavy cloak. Her behavior was
such that I became worried for her, and I followed the farmer until I overtook him. She swallowed. He
told me that Cordelia had a longstanding arrangement with several farmers and villagers, men she trusted,
to inform her when certain events occurred in the neighborhood. It seems that a dogfight was to be held
near Charlcombe this very evening, and
Donal shot to his feet, his thoughts hardening to crystal clarity. Cordelia has gone to stop it, he said.
It is what I feared. Theodora held Donal s gaze, her own dark with misery. She has been reckless in
such matters before, as you saw in London. But I do not believe that she has ever attempted such a thing
without first contacting others who despise such sport as she does. She is but one woman, and the sort of
men who would force animals to fight each other for their own amusement& She shuddered. Even
now I can scarcely credit that she would be so foolish.
Unless she has been driven to the point of desperation, Donal thought. Desperation to take action, to
fight adversaries who can be openly opposed and defeated, unlike the enemies she faces in her own
home and heart.
Enemies she could never acknowledge: her father, Inglesham, the societal conventions that kept her
bound to rigid duty and an endless quest for perfection that remained ever out of reach& .
I asked Croome to send our footmen after her, Theodora continued, but Cordelia had given the
servants an afternoon s liberty. I considered calling the constable, but feared he would arrive too late.
That was when I thought of you.
You were right to do so. Do you know specifically where this fight is to be located?
Only what I told you. Such fights are illegal, and so its patrons are careful to keep the details secret from
outsiders. She rose, clutching at her skirts. There must be dangerous men there, Donal. You should not
go alone.
I won t be alone. He clasped her hands. You did well to come to me, Theodora. It will be all right.
I will pray for you both.
He nodded, collected his bag and strode for the door, his thoughts reaching out for two he could count
as allies. Tod was nowhere to be found, but Sir Reginald had found his way out of the house and was
waiting for Donal in the drive.
He picked up the spaniel and ran for the stables, breathing deeply to calm his dread. Reggie licked his
chin and whined.
I would prefer not to take you at all, my friend, Donal told the spaniel, but once we reach Charlcombe
I may need your admirable nose to help me locate the fight.
Sir Reginald shivered, catching some part of the dark images that spilled from Donal s mind. Donal
hugged the dog close. I won t take you anywhere near that place, he said as they approached the
stable. You ll remain safely with Boreas once I know where to go.
He raced past a startled groom to Boreas s stall, where the stallion was already splintering the walls with
his hooves. Donal untied the horse, carefully balanced Sir Reginald on Boreas s withers, and mounted
bareback.
Now, Reggie, he said, we shall find Cordelia.
THE BYRE STANK of filthy straw, unwashed bodies and animals pushed to the very edge of their
endurance. The cloak Cordelia wore did nothing to insulate her from the horror of the sounds and smells,
the avid faces of the men who shouted out their bets as they prepared to send innocent animals to pain,
mutilation and death.
There were no women here to witness this atrocity. The rough shirt and trousers Cordelia wore might
disguise her sex at a distance, but if any of these human monsters discovered who hid in the shadows
they would have cast her out with neither courtesy nor compunction.
Shivering with disgust and rage, Cordelia edged her way to the corner of the byre where the dog crates
were kept, most so small that their occupants many missing ears or marked with horrible, half-healed
wounds had no choice but to lie in their own excrement. The stench was unbearable, yet one of the
dogs, a brindle terrier, crept up to the bars and whimpered, begging for some comfort in this canine hell.
Cordelia pushed her fingers into the cage and stroked the scarred nose, nearly weeping at the gentle
touch of the animal s tongue on her skin. Other dogs pressed toward her, some wagging their tails in
defiance of their ghastly plight.
Aware that her opportunities were severely limited, Cordelia kept her ears and eyes open while she
examined the cage latches. As contemptible as the dogfighting patrons might be, their shared vice
evidently led them to trust each other to some degree. None of the cages was locked.
Cordelia sank back on her heels and measured the distance from the crates to the guarded byre
entrance. It would seem nearly impossible to free the dogs and get them before their owners stopped
her& and many of the poor beasts would be too poisoned with fear or excitement to escape.
That was the tragedy of it. A number of the dogs could never be allowed to run loose, for they had been
repeatedly forced to attack weaker animals, cruelly punished for failure and praised for each sordid
victory. But Cordelia refused to give up hope. If even one animal could be saved, she would not regret
the risk or effort in coming. And if she could actually stop the fight from proceeding&
For just a moment her resolve weakened, and she thought of Donal. He would understand why she had
felt compelled to come here, foolish as it might seem. He would gladly stand beside her, and if she had
been thinking a little more clearly she would have seen the wisdom of asking him in spite of the dreadful
awkwardness of their last meeting. [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]