Love and the Single Heiress

of the stables that had not been refurbished. As she drew closer, the voices became more distinct, and she realized that one of the voices indeed belonged to Andrew. The other belonged to Spencer.

“That’s good,” said Andrew, his words growing more distinct with her every step. “Keep your left hand up. Higher. Protect your face. Now jab with your right.”

“I can’t bloody reach you,” came Spencer’s breathless reply, followed by a grunt. Catherine paused and raised her brows at her son’s language.

“Move your strong leg back a step. That will draw me in closer. Then, once I’m in your range, lunge forward and jab.”

“Ha! I’ll get you now.”

“Ha! I’d like to see you try.”

Catherine tiptoed forward, her slippers silent on the wood floor. When she reached the corner, she peeked around the doorway. And froze.

Andrew and Spencer appeared to be engaged in… fisticuffs? Neither wore their jackets or cravats, and both had rolled back their shirtsleeves to their elbows. Her jaw dropped as Andrew bounced on the balls of his feet, feinting back and forth, while Spencer, fists clenched at chin height, swung at him several times and missed. Then Andrew’s hands flashed out, narrowly missing Spencer’s jaw. Spencer leaned back to avoid the blow, and nearly toppled backward.

A cry of fright raced into her throat, but before she could utter it, Andrew caught her son’s upper arm and steadied him. “Watch your balance, Spencer. Keep your weight forward and raise those hands to prevent-”

“What on earth is going on here?” Catherine, voice shaking with a combination of anger and fright, stepped from the shadows and planted her hands on her hips.

Andrew froze at the sound of her outraged voice and glanced over his shoulder, hoping she would not look as upset as she sounded. Their eyes met, and his heart sank. Not only did she look angry, she appeared horrified as well.

He opened his mouth to respond, but before he could utter a word, something struck him directly under the chin with a perfectly placed blow. Instantly realizing the something was Spencer’s fist, Andrew staggered back a step, got his feet tangled up, and landed squarely on his arse on the hard wood. He winced and made a mental note to fall toward the haystack next time.

“Good heavens, Spencer, have you-or rather both of you-taken leave of your senses?” came Catherine’s voice from behind him. He heard her rushing forward.

Spencer shifted his stupefied gaze from his clenched fist to Andrew, then back to his fist, then to his mother, who appeared to have steam exiting her ears. He visibly swallowed, then moved toward Andrew. “I say, Mr. Stanton, I didn’t mean to-”

Andrew held up one hand to stop the boy’s words while he rubbed his sore jaw with the other. “Now that was an excellent, perfectly executed blow, and a perfect example of the second rule I taught you, which is…?”

“Always take advantage of your opponent’s weakness.”

“Precisely. I was momentarily distracted by your mother’s arrival, and the next thing I know, I’m on my arse on the floor. Very nicely done.” He jumped to his feet, brushed some dust from his breeches, then with a smile, he offered Spencer his hand. “I’m proud of you.”

The flush of unmistakable pleasure washing over the boy’s face, combined with the wonder and gratitude in his expression, warmed Andrew’s heart in a way he hadn’t experienced in a long time. “Th… thank you, Mr. Stanton.” His smile collapsed as suddenly as it had appeared. “I didn’t hurt you, did I?”

Andrew moved his jaw back and forth, then winked at the lad. “I’ll survive.” He then turned his attention to Catherine and smiled, pretending he did not notice her thunderous expression. “Your son is an excellent pupil.”

“Pupil? Please do not tell me that you are teaching him to fight with his fists.”

“All right, I won’t tell you that.”

“What are you doing?”

“Since you’ve requested that I not tell you that I’m teaching him to fight with his fists, it’s going to be very difficult to answer that question.”

She leveled a look on him that made him thankful he wasn’t milk, as he would have curdled on the spot. She then swiveled her glance toward Spencer. “Are you all right?”

“Yes, Mum. Of course. It’s Mr. Spencer who got knocked on his bottom.”

“And I’m very well, thank you.”

Her angry glance jumped back and forth between him and Spencer. “I’m waiting for an explanation.”

“I was teaching Spencer some fundamentals of pugilism,” Andrew said. “As you can see, he is a very apt pupil.”

“Why on earth would you teach him something like that? Did either of you consider the risks? He could have fallen. Gotten seriously hurt. He nearly toppled backward only a moment ago.”

“But I didn’t, Mum,” Spencer broke in. “Mr. Stanton caught me.”

“And if he had not been successful?”

“But he was,” Spencer reiterated. “He’s very strong and very fast. He built this special ring for me. It helps me keep my balance. Watch.” He demonstrated, then added, “The ring is surrounded by hay for a soft landing in case I should fall-which I won’t, because Mr. Stanton is an excellent teacher. And as for why Mr. Stanton is teaching me…”he raised his chin a notch. “It’s because I asked him to. It was my surprise for you.”

She waved her hand in an arc that encompassed the entire room. “Well, I certainly am surprised.”

“Since you know this much, you might as well know the rest, Mum.”

“There’s more?”

“I also asked Mr. Stanton to instruct me in fencing and horseback riding. We had our first riding lesson yesterday, and it went very well.” He turned to Andrew. “Didn’t it go very well?”

“Yes indeed,” Andrew confirmed.

All the color drained from her face as she stared at Andrew. “Ride? Are you mad? What if he fell from the saddle?”

“What if you fell from the saddle?” Andrew countered. “Or me? Or Philip? Should none of us ride?”

A frown bunched her brows, and she turned to Spencer, taking in his glowing, hopeful expression. “Did you… enjoy the lesson?”

“Very much. Oh, I was nervous at first, but I caught on quickly, and my nervousness fled.”

“He’s an extremely bright lad, Lady Catherine.”

“See there, Mum? Yesterday’s riding lesson was fine, and today’s pugilism lesson was perfectly safe as well,” Spencer said in a rush. He shuffled forward and laid a comforting hand on her arm. “Mr. Stanton made certain of it. And don’t worry. I’m not attempting to become the best pugilist in England. Just the best I can be. So that if anyone ever tries to hurt you, I can knock them onto their bottom, as I did Mr. Stanton.”

She blinked several times. “That’s very sweet, darling. And terribly chivalrous. But-”

“Please don’t ask me to stop, Mum. I’m liking it very much.”

“I… see.” She drew a deep breath. “Why don’t you return to the house and give me a few moments to discuss this with Mr. Stanton?”

Spencer sent a worried, hopeful look at Andrew, and Andrew gave him an encouraging nod.

“May I go to the springs instead of the house, Mum?”

“Yes, of course.”

Spencer came to Andrew, and whispered, “You’ll meet me for our lesson?”

Andrew nodded. He and Catherine stood in silence to the sound of Spencer’s shuffling steps.

When the footfalls faded into silence, she said, “Please explain yourself. What were you thinking to encourage Spencer with this dangerous endeavor?”

Andrew took a deep breath, then related the conversation he’d had with Spencer on the afternoon they’d arrived in Little Longstone. “Spencer is entering manhood,” he concluded. “He wants and needs to feel he can do some of the things other young men his age can do. He seemed so lost, floundering, and very unsure of himself. I