Chapter 20

" I think the Baron of Wallace has just arrived." Aaron fixed the saddle on his horse, tightening the straps.

Aaron was still amazed at how Adam had managed to secure a spot on the hunt, even if it had been at the last minute. His social charms seemed to be something that came with a lot of perks, something that Aaron lacked because of his years of isolation.

A loud commotion made them turn their heads as the baron raged and shouted at one of his men, aiming at kick at the poor man when his gun was not handed to him quickly enough.

"I see him now. I have already asked to be paired up with him." Adam nodded his acknowledgment while keeping a close eye on the baron who came striding toward them in his tweed hunting suit with a matching hat and brown leather boots.

Reaching the two men, the baron held his head high and looked down his nose at them. "Your Grace, Mr. Marner." He greeted them both with an heir of disdain and superiority as he held his rifle close to his side.

It was Adam who stepped forward quickly and extended his hand before Aaron could say anything at all. "My Lord, I am so glad that you could join us today." He shook the baron's hand with a charming smile that never faltered for a moment.

Baron Wallace seemed uncertain at first but quickly returned the gesture, switching his gun from one hand to the next.

"I know that things have not gone down smoothly between us all in the past, but I was hoping that this little trip could serve as an offering of peace between us." Adam offered an explanation before letting go of his hand.

Peering over Adam's shoulder, the baron glared at Aaron. "I can assure you that I was not at fault for any ‘rifts' that may have occurred in our ‘family', as you so eloquently put it, Mr. Marner." He emphasized the words to make his point while lifting his upper lip in a half kind of snarl.

The way that the baron kept clutching at his gun made Aaron uneasy. Was this how he had shown up at Marina's mother's house? It was no wonder that Prudence had been so visibly shaken.

Aaron noticed the look his brother shot at him and held back, resisting the urge to swing at the arrogant coward. Letting go of the saddle, he walked around the horse and offered his hand to the baron. "I think it is time that we all bury the hatchet, no matter who was at fault."

Baron Wallace eyed him suspiciously before accepting his hand. This mistrust in his eyes was only briefly overshadowed by arrogance.

"There now, I think we can all enjoy a prosperous hunt." Adam clapped them each on a shoulder before walking back to his chestnut stallion and mounting.

A moment of tension ensued between the two men as Aaron tightened his grip, noting the twitch in the other man's eyes as he did.

Coward.

"We had better be off before the sun is too high in the sky." The organizer of the hunt mounted his mare, bringing the standoff to an end as Aaron took a step back.

Viscount Morris nodded to Adam, acknowledging his request to shoot with the baron and his brother before pointing his horse toward the line of trees on the other side of the estate. His pointed mustache twitched slightly in the wind as he urged his horse forward.

Taking a few steps back, Aaron tore his gaze away from the baron long enough to notice the look that his brother was giving him.

Not now.

He read the message clearly enough before placing his foot in the stirrup and pulling himself onto the back of the spotted mare.

Adam urged his horse alongside Aaron's as the baron made his way toward his own horse. Speaking through his teeth, he kept his smile fixed in place as he watched the baron. "You need to keep your emotions in check, Aaron. I know you want me to pummel the man into the ground, as do I, but we have to wait. We will be found wanting if there are any witnesses to our little drama, and Marina will not thank you for that."

Flexing his fingers over the reins, Aaron steadied his horse. "No, I dare say she would not." He saw reason in his brother's words as he thought of Marina. It was because of her that he was about to confront a man who had been harassing her family. No matter how badly he wanted to shame the man, he needed to think of how his actions would affect her.

"Then let us not waste any more time." Adam gave the reins a quick flick and dug his spurs into the horse's flanks before setting off at a trot.

Holding back for a second, Aaron watched his brother following the baron before urging his horse forward.

The pack of hunting dogs set off at alarming speed as they japed and barked, announcing the start of the hunt to all who cared to listen.

Fields and trees passed in a blur as both Aaron and his brother kept close to the baron, clearing a stream and several bushes.

"Fox to the left!" The Viscount called over his shoulder to the rest of the party just as the dogs veered off into the bushes.

Acting quickly, Adam jumped at their chance. "We will take this one!" He veered his horse in the direction of the dogs before anyone else had a chance to protest.

Seeing the hungry look in the baron's eyes, Aaron kept a close watch on the man as they changed course in the direction of the dogs' howling.

It wasn't long before the three men realized that the dogs had chased their prey into a section of the woods that was too thick for them to venture with the horses.

"Blast it all!" The baron screeched in anger, turning red in the face. Yanking the reins of his horse, he pulled the poor creature to an abrupt stop, making the horse snort in protest.

No wonder the bloody bird cannot stop swearing.

Aaron almost laughed at the thought before gently bringing his horse to a stop in the clearing. Looking around, he realized that the rest of the hunting party had left them far behind. Only a faint sound of japing could be heard in the distance when Adam nodded to his brother.

Dismounting in unison, the brother led their horses to the side of the clearing where they could be tethered to an old stump with enough room to graze.

"What the devil are the two of you doing?! We should be rejoining the party! All of the best will be gone if we do not hurry." The baron was almost out of breath as he yelled at them, the corners of his mouth practically foaming with rage.

"We will have to carry on by foot from here on, My Lord. I do not think you will want to miss this fox if I am not mistaken, her coat was white." Adam called over his shoulder.

Speaking under his breath, Aaron whispered to his brother as he went to fasten the reins. "A white fox? Don't you think that is a little too much?"

"The old dunce thinks we can carry on by foot up an embankment, I hardly think he will catch on," Adam whispered back before reaching for his unloaded gun.

Looking back at the baron, Aaron noted the greed in his eyes his tongue flicked over his cracked lips. He looked almost manic and out of control as he waited for them.

Flinging his fat leg over the saddle, the baron struggled to dismount before landing with a dull thud on the forest floor. "I will ask you boys to let me have this one. Only an experienced hunter such as I am, will be able to catch it."

Aaron raised an eyebrow before exchanging a look with Adam.

Suppressing a smirk, Adam ventured forward, his gun in hand. "It is as you say, My Lord. We will allow you to lead the way."

The flattery seemed to work all too well as the baron's eyes flashed with hunger. "We had better set off then." He attempted to pass them, but quickly found his path being blocked by Aaron.

"I think we had better let the dogs run her tired before we give chase." Aaron glared at the man, towering above him.

"What is the meaning of this?" The baron's eyes moved frantically between the brothers as he took a step back. The atmosphere in the small clearing seemed to change all too quickly.

"Before we continue, there is a small matter that my brother and I wish to discuss with you," Adam informed him, placing his rifle against the base of a nearby tree to show that they meant no harm.

Aaron followed suit, yet his tone failed to convey the friendliness that Adam conveyed. "I would like to discuss the little article you posted on my brother's behalf."

The baron paled slightly as he backed himself against a tree. "You have no proof that it was me who wrote the article." His tongue flicked nervously back and forth over his lips.

"You say that it was not you, yet we did not have to explain what we were referring to." Aaron's voice dropped to an icy tone.

Panicking, the baron attempted to back up even further but found his path blocked by the solid oak.

Stepping in, Adam attempted to calm the man. "We do not wish to harm you, Lord Wallace, we only want to talk and come to an understanding."

Searching frantically for a path of escape, the baron realized that he was caged in like an animal. "Yes, it was I who wrote the article, and I will write another if you do not comply with my requests. You should have given me money when I came knocking, but you were too proud and stubborn." His demeanor instantly changed as he glared at Aaron.

Losing his temper, Aaron, lunged forward but found himself being held back by Adam.

"Don't you dare come any closer!" The baron raised his rifle, pointing it directly at Aaron's chest.

Taking a few steps back, Aaron and Adam both raised their hands.

"We do not wish to fight; all we want to do is come to a reasonable agreement. Lady Wallace and her daughters should not be harassed. Surely, we can come to an agreement among men?" Aaron spoke coolly, keeping an eye on the baron for any kind of opening.

The situation seemed to have escalated beyond their control when the baron loaded his gun, raising it even higher in the air as he shut one eye and aimed. "The only negotiations that will be taking place here, boys, have to do with how much money the two of you will be giving me. You thought yourselves very clever, strategically placing yourselves in my hunting party, but the joke is on you. I never back down. Neither of you has the guts to pull the trigger, but I do."

Thinking quickly, Aaron tried to buy them some time while he inched closer to the baron. "There is no need for any of this. We can come to an agreement, as long as you leave my wife and her family alone."

"Your wife? It strikes me as strange that you would so willingly claim her as yours after sending her back to live with her mother. Just the other day I was there while she sobbed in her chambers. You take me for a fool, Your Grace, but perhaps, it was you who was the fool."

He is trying to distract us.

"You are far better looking than your beast of a brother, Mr. Marner. Perhaps you jilted the young lady at the altar because you did not wish to take responsibility for spoiling her. I would not blame you, as beautiful as she is, I would not wish to take responsibility for her either. If she was loose enough to allow you into her bed before marriage, then perhaps she deserves to be married to a monster." His eyes flashed maliciously when Aaron clenched his jaw.

"That is a lie!" Aaron felt the rage bubbling up in his chest.

Manic laughter filled the air as the baron raised his gun even further and advanced, driving both of the brothers back. "It does not matter whether you believe me or not, I am sure that the rest of the ton will be more than happy to believe me. Besides, the two of you cannot do anything to me, everyone saw you lure me here into this clearing."

Aaron began to see red when he realized that there was no reasoning with the man. He would stop at nothing to extort money from them, even if it meant ruining all of their reputations.

"A boar!" Distant shouts reached their ears as the sound of hooves crashing through the underbrush filled the air.

Looking around frantically, the baron licked his lips before pushing past them and running in the direction of the shouts.

"My Lord, I do not think that you should give chase on foot!" Adam tried to reason with him before turning to Aaron. "We have to stop him!" He hissed through his teeth before running to his horse.

Realizing the precarious situation they were in; Aaron followed suit and retrieved the reins before pulling himself into the saddle.

A moment of confusion filled the air, as a loud shriek filled the air, followed by firing guns and shouts.

What has the fool done?