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Robbie watched the pair for a moment and then turned to see Mary embracing her husband. ’Twas not surprising Hugh had fallen for her.

Tara appeared in front of their oldest brother Nick and planted a kiss on his lips.

Robbie envied Hugh and his brothers their wives. Sharing common pursuits with a woman as well as a bed appealed but, even more, he envied them the loyalty and affection their wives showed them. Perhaps it was time he considered marrying. The countess might have the right of it. Perhaps his fate was already before him. Could the alluring Mistress of the Setters be a candidate for his wife?

“You smell of pond, Husband,” Tara chided Nick as she nuzzled his neck. “Did you bag many birds?”

“Dozens, my love,” he replied, slipping his arm around her waist.

William draped his arm over Emily’s shoulder. “We’ve enough for soups, stews and roast goose aplenty.”

“Now I’m jealous,” said Tara, her blue-green eyes solemn beneath her frown. “I should have borrowed a stable boy’s breeches and tagged along.”

Robbie chuckled remembering his sisters-in-law knew how to shoot. And this particular one had donned breeches many times to climb the rigging of Nick’s ship. Their two young sons would surely grow up to be ship captains. With parents like that, how could they not?

A footman entered the room and poured brandy for the returning hunters, asking if the countess wanted another glass of sherry.

“That would be lovely, my good man,” she replied.

Seeing a movement in the doorway, Robbie lifted his gaze just as Nash appeared with Ailie. His twin had a strange look on his face, as if his mind were elsewhere, and Ailie’s cheeks were flushed. Was it the cold or something else? Robbie wondered what had transpired between them to produce such a result.

He crossed the room to meet them. “You two missed the noon meal. The soup was delicious.”

Ailie smiled. “Did you like it?”

Robbie smiled back at the lovely girl. It was impossible to do otherwise. “I did.”

“Ailie and I had a late breakfast together,” interjected Nash, “before she gave me a tour of the shipyard.”

“Your brother refused to try the smoked haddies,” she told Robbie.

Nash shrugged.

“His loss, I fear.” Robbie sensed a familiarity between the two he had not observed before. Dismayed to realize his trip into town had set him back in the race to win the affections of the lovely Aileen Stephen, he vowed to make up for it when he had an opportunity.

With Emily by his side, William came to join them, pausing in front of Nash. “What did you think of the shipyard?”

The look on Nash’s face spoke of his admiration. “’Tis a busy place.”

“We’ll be even busier once spring is here,” said William.

Nash gave Robbie a pointed look. “You should find time to tour the shops. William has a fine enterprise here.”

“Coming from one of the Powells, that’s a high compliment,” said William. “Did Ailie show you her drawings of the Ossian?”

“She did and I am more impressed than ever.”

William smiled at his sister. “I thought you might be.” Scanning the assembled group, he said, “If we are to find the Yule log before we lose the light, we should leave now. The sledge will hold six and the rest can ride.”

The men finished their brandy as William asked, “How many are going?”

When Nash said, “Me,” Robbie followed suit.

Ailie and Tara both said they were going.

Hugh exchanged a look with his wife. “Mary and I would like to ride.”

Martin drew his wife close. “Kit and I will stay here by the fire. I shall regale my wife with tales of my hunting prowess. By the bye, Ailie, your setters are marvelous retrievers.”

Ailie smiled. “Thanks, but ’tis Will who deserves your praise. He trained them to hunt.”

“I, too, will remain,” said the countess. “I have yet to see Emily’s orangery.”

Emily kissed William on his cheek. “Enjoy yourself. I will escort Muriel to see my plants and trees. Since I imagine you and the hunters will be famished, I’ll ask Martha to have dinner ready when you return.”

“William brought meat pies to the geese shoot to tide us over,” said Nick. No wonder Nick had not mentioned being hungry. Every member of the Powell family knew that their eldest brother took his meals seriously.

“I would not let them starve,” Will assured his wife. “Now, if I have it right, Hugh and Mary will ride, and the rest of us going will take the sledge. When we return, the bathhouse off the kitchen is at the disposal of the men needing to bathe. For the women, just let the upstairs maids know and a bath can be brought to your chamber.”

Robbie and the rest of them accepted their coats and cloaks from the waiting footmen.

“Then let us away,” said William, striding toward the front door.

Robbie kept his eye on Ailie Stephen. Though he would have enjoyed a ride on one of William’s fine horses, he had intentionally not asked to do so, intending instead to sit beside the Mistress of the Setters in the sledge. But as they headed toward the sledge, it became clear that Nash, still beside her, had the same idea.