Chapter Fourteen
Garahan looked up at the sound of his name. “Well now, lads, aren’t the two of ye early to be handing out carrots and apples in the stables?” When neither Percy nor Phineas answered, he added, “I thought ye’d be elbow deep in books and computations right now.”
Percy elbowed Phineas. “It’s hot today. I can hold your coat if you want to take it off.”
Wondering what was going on in the minds of the brothers, Garahan chuckled. “Sure and ’tis warm, but His Grace likes us to dress appropriately despite the heat.”
“I can hold your cravat,” Percy offered.
“Thank ye for offering, but I’ll be needing to wear it until the end of me shift.” When they stared at him, Garahan urged, “Off with ye now. Flaherty’s on the roof and may be amenable to answering a question or two.”
Phineas shoved his brother. “Let’s go!”
Percy responded by trying to trip Phineas. “I’ll race you!”
Garahan shook his head watching the two lads run toward the side of the building until they disappeared around the side.
“Hold yer coat. Take off yer cravat. I wonder what the devil those two are about now.” Garahan settled into the saddle and guided his horse onto the long drive that wound around to the front of the building.
His mind was already on his duty, patrolling his surroundings as he rode toward the village.
*
Flaherty heard two young voices calling him, but as he was currently patrolling the perimeter from the roof, he did not answer right away. He heard their mumbling and grumbling when the breeze shifted.
“I bet we could get Flaherty to do it.”
“What if he won’t?” he heard Phineas ask his brother.
“We’ll think of something,” Percy said. “We have to find out which muscles are the pectoral ones.”
“And why they distract Cousin Prudence.”
A movement across the distance to the south caught Flaherty’s eye. He shrugged his shoulder, sliding the rifle off it and into his hands. Scanning the area, he saw a deer step out of the wood, lift its head, turn around, and disappear between the trees.
“Flaherty?”
The possible threat had evaporated, so he answered, “Aye, lads?”
“Isn’t it hot up there?”
“As a matter of fact, ’tis,” he replied.
What did heat have to do with pectorals?
Realizing he’d never know what was on the lads’ minds until he asked, he called down, “Me shift will be over in half an hour. Why don’t the two of ye see if ye can help Old Ned with a few chores in the stables, since it seems ye’ve free time on yer hands. ”
“He’ll tell us,” Phineas said loud enough for Flaherty to hear. He grinned and waited to hear what Percy would say.
“We will!” Percy answered for the two of them.
“Be off with ye now. I’ve the entire perimeter to guard.”
The pounding of footsteps headed off toward the stable had him muttering, “Have the lads been studying musculature? I’ll have to ask Prudence and keep up on what to be teaching me own son.” Flaherty grinned. “Though ’tis the making of our son that I’ll have the pleasure of seeing to first.”
He was still smiling half an hour later when O’Malley climbed the ladder and stepped onto the rooftop.
His cousin stared at him for a moment. “I take it that look is anticipation of tomorrow.”
“Ye’d be right then, and in fact ’twas those two hooligans who put the thought in me head.”
“Did they now?” O’Malley asked. “How?”
“Ye know how sound carries when the wind blows from a certain direction.”
O’Malley nodded.
“I heard them arguing about who was to ask me about pectorals. Then they asked me if I was hot. Do ye know what they may be up to?”
O’Malley snorted. “The wee devils overheard a conversation not meant for their ears.”
“About chest muscles?”
“Aye—and more. Summerfield has been trying to get to the bottom of the situation, but apparently me wife, and Garahan’s, have been avoiding his direct questions.”
“As only a woman would do. Do ye know anything else?”
“I’ve been trying to listen, rather than ask questions and demand an answer. I think it has something to do with the time Prudence was looking for the lads, who were not in the schoolroom where they were instructed to be this morning.”
“Ah,” Flaherty said. “Hiding out on the third floor, no doubt.”
“I have a feeling they might have been hiding in plain sight,” O’Malley said.
“Well now, as they’re to meet me at the stables, where I’ll be saddling up me gelding to patrol to the village and back, I’ll extract the information and let ye know.”
O’Malley was laughing when Flaherty climbed down the ladder and disappeared around the corner of the building. His mind on his duty, O’Malley set aside all thoughts of the twins and concentrated on keeping a lookout for intruders.