Pigeon Blood Prologue Page 4

"No!" The Lord of Dee Manor was vexed. "Squeeze the trigger son, and you must keep your eyes open!"

"Let me try father," Mary cried excitedly.

"Now Mary, pistol shooting does not become a young lady."

Richard, feeling abused, added, "Go play with your dolls, brat!"

But Alfred Sherrian, in a humorously consoling voice, protested, "Oh, let the girl have a go, Edmund. These days Ladies are allowed to shoot, and even ride to the hounds."

Sir Edmund’s sour expression mirrored his opinion of such goings-on. But his daughter’s flush face, and the near tears she now feigned, confounded him. In the end he could never deny

her anything when she threatened to cry.

"Oh, all right. Here dear."

When he was sure she had the gun pointed up and down range, he cocked the weapon. But he gave her no instruction, disapproving of the whole episode. The shooting party took the hint, and none offered to aid the girl either. Richard stuck his tongue out at her.

Mary remembered each thing her father had told the older boy. Step by step she controlled her breathing, aligned the sights, kept both eyes wide open, and squeezed the trigger. The bang of the gun was a small echo compared to the squeal of her delight.

"By George, she cut the black. You have a shooter in the family Edmund," Alfred Sherrian remarked with excited merriment.