Then, all at once, one of the dogs yelped and the others cowered back from her and Donal. A shadow fell over Eden. She turned, and nearly fell in her amazement.
An enormous stag, its head crowned with a vast rack of antlers, stood over the dogs. It bellowed, shaking its head in threat.
So many dogs might have brought the beast down, if they had been so inclined. They were not; this was no helpless fox. Several broke away, tails tucked, and even the bravest fled when the stag took several bounding steps forward and nearly impaled the importunate beast on one long, daggerlike tine.
Safe. They were safe—at least from the hounds. Eden ran and caught Donal in her arms, fox and all, putting herself between him and the stag. Vaguely she was aware of the hunters approaching, raising guns, taking aim.
She stared up at the stag’s bright eyes. It dropped to its knees, lowering its great head nearly to the ground.
Donal wriggled free of her hold and dashed toward the stag. He leaped onto the stag’s back with the skill of an experienced rider, and the animal surged to its feet. It wheeled on its haunches and plunged into a full gallop toward the nearest trees.
Chapter 18
New terror clawed at Eden’s chest. She ran after the stag, knowing it to be hopeless, ignoring the shouts of the men. She ran as she had ran but once in her life.
Branches whipped across her face as she entered the glade. Donal knelt beside the beck, calm and unafraid. The fox and stag were nowhere in sight.
She fell to her knees beside him and hugged him with all her strength.
“Donal, are you all right? Were you hurt?”
He squirmed until she loosened her hold. His large green eyes widened at the look on her face, and he patted her arm.
“I’m all right, Mother. The dogs didn’t hurt me.” He sighed. “They wouldn’t listen when I talked to them. They were too angry. But it isn’t really their fault.”
Eden almost laughed in exasperation. Trust Donal to worry more about the animals than himself! She sobered instantly at the thought of the stag.
The beast that had not behaved like a beast, that had saved her son. The very creature who had figured so powerfully in her imaginings.
“He’s gone,” Donal said, “but he’s not far away.”
Eden snatched him up again and refused to let go. “We must leave at once.”
“But he said to stay here—”
She clamped down on her panic and looked wildly about the glade. There was a sudden swell of renewed howling and barking out on the fell. Eden didn’t let Donal go long enough to learn the reason. She listened until the sounds grew faint and disappeared.
Donal smiled. “They won’t come back for a long time. Tod is leading them away. The other fox is safe.”
Tod? Who was Tod? Such questions must wait until Donal was safe. She grabbed his hand and started out of the glade, nearly colliding with three men: two hunters and Francis.
“Thank God you are all right,” Rushborough said. He opened his arms as if to embrace them.
Donal hid behind Eden. Doubtless he was far more shaken than his calm words revealed, and she would certainly not subject him to the company of a man who had not thought to place himself between her son and vicious dogs. But as long as the marquess remained, the creature she feared would stay away.
“Please,” she said, barely maintaining her civility, “let us take a few moments to recover, Lord Rushborough.” She looked beyond him to the two hunters, farmers both by their appearance. “If you will bring the phaeton—”
“But you cannot drive in this state—and what of the stag? It carried the boy away…” A peculiar look crossed Rushborough’s face, as if he was recalling how Donal had vaulted onto the stag’s back, riding a wild animal like a horse.
“I am fine. Donal is unhurt.”
“Nevertheless, I will drive you myself.” He signaled to the hunters. “Remain here with Lady Eden.”
He looked at Donal as if he would like nothing better than to give the boy a good thrashing, and then strode from the glade.