“
When Oliver called time a few moments later, she’d beaten them all. But she’d beaten Mr. Pinter by only one bird.
“It appears, Lady Celia, that you’ve won a new rifle,” the duke said graciously.
“No,” she answered. They all stared at her. “It doesn’t seem sporting to win a challenge only because one of my opponents had a faulty firearm. Which we provided to him, by the way.”
“Don’t worry,” Mr. Pinter drawled. “I won’t hold the fault firearm against you and your brothers.”
“That’s not the point. This should be fair, and it isn’t.”
“Then we’ll move forward,” Oliver said, “and let the servants flush the grouse again. Pinter can take one more shot. That’s probably all that the misfire delayed him by. If he misses, then you’ve won squarely. If he hits his target then it’s a tie, and we’ll decide a tie breaker.”
“That seems fair.” She glanced over at Mr. Pinter. “What do you say, sir?”
“Whatever my lady wishes.” His eyes met hers in a heated glance.
She had the unsettling feeling that he referred to more than just the shooting. “Well, then,” she said lightly. “Let’s get on with it.”
The beaters headed forward to flush the grouse, but either because of where the grouse had last settled or because of the beaters’ position, the birds rose farther away than was practical.
“Damn it all,” Gabe uttered. “He won’t make a shot from here.”
“You can ignore this one, and we’ll have them flushed again,” Celia said.
But Mr. Pinter raised his gun to follow their flight. With a flash and the repugnant smell of black powder igniting, the gun fired and white smoke filled the air. She saw a bird fall.
No, not one bird. He’d hit two birds with an impossible shot.
Her breath lodged in her throat. She’d hit two with one shot a few times, due to how they clustered and how well the birdshot scattered, but to do it at such a distance…
She glanced at him, astonished. No one had ever beaten her-and certainly not with such an amazing shot.
Mr. Pinter gazed at her steadily as he handed off the gun to a servant. “It appears that I’ve won, my lady.”
Her mouth went dry. “It does indeed.”
Gabe hooted pleased at having escaped buying her a rifle. The duke and the viscount scowled, while Devonmont just looked amused as usual.
All of that fell away as Mr. Pinter’s gaze dropped to her mouth.
“Well done, Pinter,” Oliver said, clapping him on the shoulder. “You obviously more than earned a kiss.”
For a moment, raw hunger flickered in his eyes. Then it was as if a veil descended over his face, for his features turned blank. He walked up to her, bent his head…
And kissed her on the forehead.
Hot color flooded her cheeks. How dared he kiss her last night as if she were a woman, and then treat her like a child in front of her suitors! Or worse, a woman beneath his notice!
“Thank heavens that’s done,” she said loftily, trying to retain some dignity.
The men all laughed-except Mr. Pinter, who watched her with a shuttered expression.
As the other gentleman crowded round to congratulate him on his fine shot, she plotted. She would make him answer for every remark, every embarrassment of this day, as soon as she had the chance to get him alone.
Because no man made a fool of her and got away with it.
”
”