AnchorandStorm by Kate Poole

first. “Tar, that’ll do,” he said, using the command he used to give his sheepdogs. The horse came back to him as docilely as his dogs had.
     
    “Are ye all right, milord?” Angus asked, leaning down to help him to his feet.
     
    Stockdale ignored his proffered hand, got up slowly and limped back to the house.
     
    * * * * *
     
     
    “What have you found out?” Raymond asked Caroline as he changed his clothes.
     
    “Nothing. The stupid maid was too afraid of me to say anything.”
     
    “Well, you can be rather intimidating.”
     
    “I assure you I was sweet as honey to the little imbecile.” She turned from straightening the wig she had just donned. “What happened to you?”
     
    Raymond could see she was trying not to smile at his bedraggled appearance. “That barbarian Uncle Edgar calls a groom put a burr under Tar’s saddle. The beast threw me to the ground.”
     
    “Hmmm,” she muttered. The doubt in her voice was clear. “He told you not to ride him and we must not do anything to antagonize him. Our future depends on it.”
     
    She crossed to the wardrobe on unsteady feet but her new heels were so high, she tottered like a child just learning to walk. Raymond wondered how much they cost. He had a sudden urge to wrench them from her feet and beat her with them.
     
    “So what are we going to do?”
     
    “I don’t know, Raymond. Why are you always turning to me for answers? Why don’t you come up with some ideas of your own?”
     
    “Well, I can’t ask him for any more money. You heard what he said at dinner last evening.”
     
    “Yes, yes, I know. But we must think of something soon. Despite what you say, I am sure he is poking her and he may plant the next heir any day now.”
     
    “Don’t be crude, Caroline.” Raymond held out his arm. “Shall we go down to tea?”
     
    She placed her hand on his proffered arm and they both pasted smiles on their faces. They had to present the picture of a model married couple, in hopes of impressing Uncle Edgar.
     
    As he held the door open for her to leave the room, Caroline muttered to her husband, “Uncle is quite unsteady on his feet. With any luck, he’ll fall down and crack his head open while we’re here to see it.”
     
    Raymond’s forced smile turned sincere and he began to formulate a plan.
     
     
     
    “Of course I miss them dreadfully,” Caroline droned on and on as usual.
     
    Emily was only half paying attention, but the woman’s next comment certainly changed that. “You’ll understand one day when you have children of your own. That is, if you can…or if Uncle can, rather.”
     
    Emily felt a pain shoot through her body. She tried to catch Edgar’s eye, but he was looking at Caroline with a stunned expression. Was it so painfully obvious that something they wanted so badly was proving to be so difficult for them?
     
    She knew Caroline was fishing for information, but she never thought she would be so bold as to ask outright. “I assume you are trying, aren’t you, my dear?”
     
    With that, Emily’s anger overcame her embarrassment. She’d be damned if she would give her any satisfaction and she would not let Edgar come to her defense this time, as he had done the previous evening. In a soft, but firm voice, she said, “Lord Callander and I prefer to keep our personal life private, Caroline. I trust you will respect that.”
     
    As Caroline began to stammer an apology or a defense, Edgar spoke up. “It’s such a lovely day. Why don’t we all go for a walk in the garden?” he suggested.
     
    “Are you sure you’re up to it, Uncle?” Raymond asked. His voice was full of concern, but Emily knew it was insincere and she was sure her husband knew it too.
     
    Edgar had been doing so well these past few weeks. He only needed to use one cane and his gait was as steady as she had ever seen it. Even his ability to make love had improved, not that she had ever been dissatisfied. She dared to hope that his