Chapter 31
THE FOLLOWING MORNING Rhetta and Abel entered Fergus’s study. She found Ryman seated at his father’s desk, an open book in his hand, several stacks of books arrayed around him. He leaned back in the swivel chair, his boots propped on the desktop.
“What the hell are you doing?” she asked.
“Research.”
“Research on what?”
“Notitia Venatica.” He held up a well-worn leather-bound volume and read from the frontispiece. “‘A treatise on foxhunting, embracing the general management of hounds, etcetera, etcetera.’ By Henry Thomas Alken, 1784 to 1851. The old man put together quite a library over the years.” He waved a hand at the dozens of books on the shelves. “Some of these must go back to my grandfather, maybe even before him. Never had much interest in them m’self…until now.”
“G
