Eochaidh - Legend of the Horsemen (Book One) Read Online Free PDF

“Since the Gypsies are camping on the south acreage,
I see no reason why you and Monty should not ride out to see them this
afternoon.”
    “With Monty?” Meaghan asked with a confused look. “Is he
allowed? I mean, would his mother…”
    She bit her lower lip, uncertain of how to ask her question.
    “Do you want to know if his mother, with her intense
mollycoddling, will allow the young man to go near the dreadful unwashed
Gypsies?”   Lord John asked casually.
    “My Lord,” Lady Evaleen chided, although she was biting back
a smile.
    “Yes, that’s exactly what I was wondering, Father,” Meaghan
inserted at the same time.
    They all looked at each other across the table, eyes filled
with mirth, and started to laugh.
    Taking her napkin and blotting her eyes carefully, Lady
Evaleen regained her composure first and coughed delicately into her hand to
remind the other two at the table of their manners. “Now, we mustn’t be too
hard on Monty’s mother,” she said. “She has a nervous sensibility and quite
high standards.”
    “She’s a pompous ass,” Meaghan muttered absently.
    Hot chocolate sprayed from the lips of Lord John onto the
paper in front of him.
    “Meaghan,” her mother chastised. “Where in the world did you
hear such a term?”
    Lord John lifted his paper slightly higher and Meaghan
deliberately looked away from her beloved father.   “I’m sorry, Mother. I’m sure I must have
heard it in town.   From
a passing stranger.   Who never set
foot in this household,” she filled in quickly.
    Lady Evaleen’s eyebrow lifted and Meaghan slumped in her
seat.  
    “Actually, Evaleen, I have to admit—” Lord John began.
    “Meagan, you are dismissed,” Lady Evaleen interrupted him.
“You may go now.”
    Lord John met Meaghan’s eyes and gave her an encouraging
wink.
    “Yes, Mother,” Meagan replied softly, scooting out of her
chair and swiftly leaving the room.
    Once the door closed, Lady Evaleen turned to her husband who
had the lifted the paper up once again.
    “A pompous ass?” she asked. “Really John, how could you?”
    The paper slowly lowered and revealed a humbled Lord John,
his head bowed and his eyes lowered.   “You’re absolutely right, Evaleen,” he stated. “I should watch my words
around Meaghan.”
    Lady Evaleen shook her head.
    “Besides, she’s more of a pretentious prig,” she added,
hiding her smile by delicately dabbing her napkin on her lips as Lord John once
again choked on his hot chocolate.

 

Chapter Six
    As Meaghan exited the dining room, Fitzhugh motioned
discreetly for her to follow him.   Closing the door softly behind herself, she tiptoed down the hall after
the butler.   Upon reaching the front
lobby, Fitzhugh turned and bowed slightly.   “You have a guest,” he intoned formally. “Lord Montague is waiting for
you in the parlor.”
    “Thank you, Fitz,” she said with a grin. “Has he already received
some refreshment?”
    “Yes, my lady,” Fitz replied, the narrowing of his face the
only sign that he disapproved. “He has consumed two platefuls of pastries and
three pots of tea while waiting for you these past fifteen minutes.   I did suggest that he join the family for
breakfast, but he insisted he had already broken his fast and would merely
need…a snack.”
    “Well, it’s a good thing he had already eaten,” Meaghan
whispered. “Monty has been known to completely clean out our larders when he’s
actually hungry.”
    Fitz found it once again necessary to cough into his hand as
he nodded to Meaghan. “As you say, miss,” he said. “As you say.”
    “Meggie, is that you?” Monty called from the parlor.
    She smiled at Fitz. “Please tell my parents that Monty is
here,” she said. “I’m sure they’ll want to see him, too.”
    “As you wish,” Fitz said, turning and walking back toward
the dining room.
    Meaghan pushed open the parlor door and entered. Her second
cousin, the honorable Lord Montague Strathmore was