The night happened without any midnight frights as Edna and I slept together in my chambers as to keep the monsters away. The second day was of the hunt we were early to rise for it, the weather was perfectly set, the warmth lingered on from the night before and when we arrived on horseback I took to studying the men with their guns and aims, I knew it was not too popular for women to learn to hunt yet I wished it so but I knew one had to be cautious and be equipped with a good teacher for the dangers that came along with it.

"Lady Alice I see you there, watching us."

"Forgive me milord I am merely fascinated by the good aim you all have," I chuckled at Joseph who missed his shot.

"That was on purpose now come along and I will teach you how to be a lousy shot like me."

"I accept it most graciously," I got up from where we sat and Joseph put the loaded gun in my hand.

Mr. Henry was entertained with his sister Lady Lilly and Cynthia was sitting by their side sipping tea with a bored look on her face and soon she spat out the tea which one of the maids had served her.

"Here, this is how you hold the gun," Joseph tried to get my concentration as I missed my first.

"Did this gun just attack me!" I laughed feeling the intense shot of the gun while Cynthia got up in a tantrum to make her another tea.

"Too indelicate for you milady?" Joseph asked and I smiled asking him another question.

"Could I have another go at it?"

"Yes of course I am being called over there for the bigger hunt so I will just have to ask um..." Joseph looked around and chose another teacher for me.

"Father could you teach Lady Alice how to shoot? She is not a lost cause I assure you."

Joseph joked but Mr. Howard looked so serious I was sure the only word which could come out of his mouth for me would be no.

"Uh yes," he nodded and came my way with his gun.

"I will see you both after then and pray for your poor friend's triumph milady," Joseph's easy humor left us with most of the men to ambush some other prey.

"Good luck," I waved goodbye though I was not sure why Mr. Howard would stay, he would have been the lead on this hunting day.

"Here hold this," Mr. Howard's always tense posture cut the lighthearted easiness I had been in with Joseph as he offered the gun and Lady Walker went over to talk to her daughter.

"Like this," I held it like Joseph had taught me.

"No here, do not be afraid to really clutch it because when it pushes back you will not lose your aim." He demonstrated the posture and this time when he told me to not be afraid it was the first time the words worked like a magic formula.

"Right," I watched every single movement he made unable to grasp anything but trying to.

"There see that bird, it's a moving target, picture where it will be before it gets there so you can make your move."

"And then?"

"Shoot," he said it and I adjusted the gun and shot the bird who was to be the meal that night.

"Oh my!" I shouted laughing most proud of the accomplishment as the other women took notice and some also smiled at the feat except for Cynthia who was soon by Mr. Howard's side to interfere as he loaded the gun once more.

"I had no idea you were such a good teacher milord," Cynthia spoke touching Mr. Howard's arm.

"Neither did I," Mr. Howard looked even more tense now between the both of us.

"You are so modest, but I will not accept it and I shall be your next student."

Cynthia picked up the gun from Mr. Howard's hand as he held it away from everyone because it was loaded and Cynthia swung it aiming it at me.

"Lady Cynthia!" Mr. Howard jumped out to hold the end of the gun and I jumped at him to not touch it.

"No!" My instincts kicked in and I fell on top of him as he threw the gun away into the grass, his hand was on the waist of my dress because he had also tried to move me out of the way of the gun but now he was under me looking at me incredulously at what I'd done.

"Oh no what did I do!" Cynthia shouted as tears began to descend from her face and those who saw it were made uncomfortable by the situation and I had help from Lady Thomas to get up.

"Thank you Lady Thomas."

"I am such a klutz! I did not mean to, I swear..." Cynthia continued in a frazzle by my closeness with her fiance and ran off to hide before Mr. Howard could go after her.

"She will be fine I will go talk to her, you both stay and catch your prize," Lady Thomas assured us, she was so level headed it was odd Cynthia had turned out to be so insupportable.

"I apologize," Mr. Howard said about Cynthia's mistake though I felt it was another well planned attack against me, if Mr. Howard had not been there would she have gotten away with trying to kill me by accident and still come out the victim?

"I..."

"Lady Alice?"

"I am fine m'lord," I took deep breaths, I was not made for these close encounters with death, I did not wish to keep looking it in the face but here I was again.

"Are you certain?"

"Yes everyone is fine right?" I searched him to make sure no piece was missing, shaken his life had flashed before my eyes again.

"Yes everyone is fine, well except for the bird."

"Right..." I sighed shaking my head, "except for the bird."

"Come help me get your prize then," Mr. Howard left the guns and I followed him. "Are you sure you are alright?"

"I am, yes."

"Another game, another beginners luck? Or does this only happen when I am around?"

"I aim to displease you so I must say it is only when you are around," I looked at the bird which we would probably eat for dinner.

"And here is our dinner."

"Yes indeed, I will get it to the kitchen," I put my hand out to get it but Mr. Howard hesitated to give it to me.

"No we will tell someone else to take it back."

"No sir, I personally wish to deliver our dinner tonight, now give it here."

"The clouds are heavy, I will accompany you back then."

A drop fell on his face when he looked up and for a moment I wanted to be that drop slowly sliding down his face unto his lips.

"The rain will be a welcome guest with such hot weather," he spoke.

"Yes but the poor bird will be soggy by the time we make it back," I remarked.

"Right poor bird, never mind us."

Mr. Howard finally smiled and joy overtook me, his happiness was one of my treasures, I had never known love to be this selfless, that the mere hint of his smile filled my heart with so much delight and peace.

"We should run so we do not get the heavy rainfall," I gave the idea.

"After you," he said and we went running with the bird wobbling back and forth when the rain out of nowhere began to pour down like water from a holed pot over us.

Mr. Howard laughed at the bird's head wobbling and I laughed at the bird then laughed some more from hearing his laugh and he laughed looking into my eyes which could not hide my admiration for all the ways he had been thus wrong yet could muster up a smile until I stumbled and rolled down the soft hill and he came running after to see if I was fine.

"Alice!" He shouted and when he got to me my dress was soiled and I was still laughing at him standing tall with the bird in his hand with a worried look on his face that led him to ask.

"Alice are you hurt?"

"I am fine sir, do rid yourself of that scowl," I tried to ease the look of concern on his face but it was still there like mine moments before as he helped me up from the grass.

"I read the letter, did you think I would not forgive you?"

"Well you did say you could not be my friend so I..." I pushed my hair off my face and the rain poured over us.

"I never wish to lose... your friendship" he gave me his hand to help me up. "And I was impulsive about selling William; you have every right to be mad, to want vengeance."

"I believe I do."

"That stubborn wild horse was fond of you, he hated me not you, I should have sent him to your country home."

"I am glad you understand me."

"Then I shall seek to restore him to you since I do not believe its new owner will find it easy to rein him in, what I mean is or what I am trying to ask is if you'll forgive me?"

"If you have forgiven me."

"Do you see me talking about your past transgressions?"

"Then I forgive you as well, though I will never forgive if you dare get in front of another gun the way you did earlier, if something happened to you I... I could not stand to lose you, it would simply be unimaginable, unforgivable do you understand me?"

"Yes, I understand it perfectly."

Mr. Howard did not say anything for a while and neither did I, we just stood in in front of each other as if it weren't even raining, waiting for who would move or talk next.

"Shall we run?" He asked for my hand and I immediately set it on his palm as we went running back hand in hand to the kitchen.

The older staff did not accompany the hunt and they had a fright when Mr. Howard and I walked in wet from the rain carrying a bird.

"Lady Alice you are soaked!" Mrs. Hall yelled at me.

"Oh you cannot catch a cold like the last time!" Mrs. Mary ran over to me.

"It is my fault, I apologize for having you walk back in this rain," Mr. Howard apologized.

"No I forgot too," I said while Gertie got the bird from Mr. Howard.

"Right well, warm her at this very moment and only after Lady Alice is tended to you may take on any other task," he gave the orders.

"Yes Mr. Howard," Mrs. Mary said and I was led away with her and Mrs. Hall though my body moved, my eyes were on him until he was out of my sight and he followed me just the same.

All I saw was Mr. Howard, I could very well experience an earthquake and the only thing my eyes noticed was him, my eyes were attached to the kindness and integrity I should have seen from the start but could not, I was taking him in for the first time free from the rumors, the opinions, the reputation society had given him. Or maybe his goodness had also started to surface at last, maybe he was not masking it as before, afraid of leaving the label of the Mad Earl behind and take on a kinder way of life, a forgiving one, a redemptive one I thought as Mary took my clothes off and Edna hurried to fill a tub with hot water for me to bathe in.

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No part, character, names, plot, setting, conflict or resolution, point of view, theme or symbolism of this story may be replicated.

Copyright: All Rights Reserved to A. Sena Gomes.