Lost & Hound, page 1
Lost & Hound is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are the products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.
Copyright © 2023 by American Artists, Inc.
Illustrations copyright © 2023 by Lee Gildea, Jr.
All rights reserved.
Published in the United States by Ballantine Books, an imprint of Random House, a division of Penguin Random House LLC, New York.
Ballantine and the House colophon are registered trademarks of Penguin Random House LLC.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Names: Brown, Rita Mae, author. | Gildea, Lee, Jr., illustrator.
Title: Lost & hound: a novel / Rita Mae Brown; illustrated by Lee Gildea. Other titles: Lost and hound
Description: First edition. | New York: Ballantine Books, [2023] | Series: Sister Jane; 15 |
Identifiers: LCCN 2023003067 (print) | LCCN 2023003068 (ebook) | ISBN 9780593357576 (hardback) | ISBN 9780593357583 (ebook)
Subjects: LCSH: Arnold, Jane (Fictitious character)—Fiction. | LCGFT: Detective and mystery fiction. | Novels.
Classification: LCC PS3552.R698 L67 2023 (print) | LCC PS3552.R698 (ebook) | DDC 813/.54—dc23/eng/20230203
LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2023003067
LC ebook record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2023003068
Ebook ISBN 9780593357583
randomhousebooks.com
Cover design: Victoria Allen
Cover illustration: © 2023 by Peter Malone
ep_prh_6.1_145164751_c0_r0
Contents
Cover
Title Page
Copyright
Cast of Characters
Useful Terms
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Chapter 30
Chapter 31
Chapter 32
Dedication
Acknowledgments
Other Titles
About the Author
_145164751_
CAST OF CHARACTERS
THE HUMANS
Jane Arnold, MFH, “Sister,” has been a Master of Foxhounds for the Jefferson Hunt since her late thirties. Now in her middle seventies she is still going strong. Hunting three days a week during the Season keeps her fit mentally and physically. She is married to Gray Lorillard, choosing not to take his last name, which is fine with him.
Gray Lorillard isn’t cautious on the hunt field but he is prudent off of it. Now retired, he was a partner in one of Washington, D.C.’s most prestigious accounting firms. Often called back for consulting, he knows how “creative” accounting really works. Handsome, kind, and smart, he has dealt with decades of racism. Doesn’t stop him.
Betty Franklin has whipped-in for Jefferson Hunt for decades. Her task is to assist the huntsman, which she ably does. In her mid-fifties and Sister’s best friend, she can be bold on the field and sometimes off. Everyone loves Betty.
Bobby Franklin especially loves Betty; he’s her husband. They own a small printing press, work they enjoy. Bobby is a good businessman. He leads Second Flight, those people who don’t jump but might clear a log or two.
Sam Lorillard is Gray’s younger brother. A natural horseman, he works for Crawford Howard, who has a farmer pack of hounds. After hitting the skids he finally overcame his alcoholism with Gray’s help. He is a bright man and a good one.
Daniella Laprade is Gray and Sam’s aunt. Somewhere in her nineties, she can be outrageous. Stunningly beautiful, she even now looks good considering her years. No one in Jefferson Hunt has known life without her. Having three rich husbands helped her live comfortably. As to her numerous affairs, she was discreet.
Wesley Blackford, “Weevil,” hunts hounds for Sister. He loves his work, and being young is learning, soaking up everything. Aunt Daniella had an affair with his grandfather, whom he greatly resembles. He is in love with Anne Harris.
Anne Harris, “Tootie,” is another natural horseman. She whips-in to Weevil. Betty is her idol, as Betty exhibits incredible instincts in the hunt field. Tootie left Princeton to hunt with Jefferson Hunt. She is almost finished at the University of Virginia. She looks very much like her famous mother.
Yvonne Harris was one of the first black models. She and her detested ex-husband built a black media empire. Divorcing him, she moved to Albemarle County to be near Tootie in hopes of repairing that relationship. She wasn’t a bad mother, but unwittingly neglectful. She can’t understand that Tootie has little interest in racial politics. Tootie is the product of her parents’ success. She has no idea about earlier struggles.
Crawford Howard is best described by Aunt Daniella, who commented, “There’s a lot to be said about being noveau riche and Crawford means to say it all.” Given his ego, large as a blimp, he learned about Virginia and hunting the hard way. He made his first fortune in Indiana. They may have been irritated by him, but the Hoosiers were used to him. He is restoring Old Paradise, a great estate built with funds stolen from the British during the War of 1812.
Marty Howard, married to Crawford, patiently guided him to less bombast. She has a passion for environmental projects and the funds to pursue them.
Walter Lungren, MD, jt-MFH, practices cardiology. He has hunted with Sister since his childhood. He is the late Raymond Arnold’s outside son. His father accepted his wife’s indiscretion, raising Walter as his own. It wasn’t discussed and still isn’t. He and Sister have a warm relationship.
Ronnie Haslip is the hunt’s treasurer, indefatigable in raising funds. He was the best friend of RayRay, Sister’s late son. He is a good rider, loved by his chihuahua, Atlas.
Raymond Arnold, Jr., “RayRay,” died in a farm accident in 1974. Loved and remembered by Sister, Ronnie, and others who knew him, they sometimes feel his spirit. He was a good athlete and a good kid.
Kasmir Barbhaiya, born and raised in India, was educated in England, like so many upper-class Indians. He foxhunts with gusto and rides well. When his wife died he left India to come to Virginia to be near an Oxford classmate and his now fiancée. He fit right in. He is a man with broad vision, knowing the world in different ways than an American.
Alida Dalzell brought Kasmir back to life and happiness. They met on the hunt field. She adored him but never made a move out of respect for his late wife. Ultimately, Kasmir realized his beloved wife would have wanted him to be happy. These two are made for each other.
Edward and Tedi Bancroft are stalwarts of the hunt. After All, their property, abuts Roughneck Farm, Sister and Gray’s farm. Now in their eighties, the Bancrofts are slowing down a bit but fighting it every step of the way.
Ben Sidell is the county sheriff. He got the job coming from Columbus, Ohio, which was good training, as that is a university town. In Virginia, towns and rural areas have separate political structures, so Ben is not responsible for policing the university. There’s enough to do in the county. He rides Nonni, a saint. Sister found the mare for him and told him to learn to hunt. It’s the easiest way to understand Virginia, which is not like Ohio.
Cynthia Skiff Cane hunts Crawford’s pack. She gets along with him. He went through three huntsmen before her. She also gets along with Jefferson Hunt.
Shaker Crown hunted Jefferson hounds for decades. A bad accident ended his hard riding. He fell for Skiff and helping her helped him, as he was lost without the horn. Hunting hounds was his life and he loved it.
Freddie Thomas hunts First Flight. She rarely talks about her profession, which is accounting. She, Gray, and Ronnie are all accountants, which sometimes amuses them. She is Alida Dalzell’s best friend.
Kathleen Sixt Dunbar owns 1780 House, a high-end antiques store. Her husband left it to her even though they rarely saw each other, living hundreds of miles apart. They never bothered to get divorced. She drives Aunt Daniella around to follow the hunt. She absorbs so much about the hunt plus everything else. Aunt Daniella is a fount of information.
Rev. Sally Taliaferro is an Episcopal priest who hunts. She is always there if a parishioner or anyone else needs her.
Father Mancusco is the priest at St. Mary’s. He’s fairly new, only being there three years. He and Sally get along, both more than happy to give people’s prayers in the hunt field.
Cameron Aldron owns a small airplane service. He will fly you or cargo anywhere within the United States. Being between D.C. and Charlotte international airports brings him a lot of business. He takes people to any East Coast city and will also go inland if need be. Business is good. He owns four airplanes and all are busy. People are sick of the big commercial airlines.
Barry Harper and Cameron were classmates together at Georgia. After graduating, Barry wound up in Atlanta defending rich criminals. He made a lot of money. Crime pays. He retired after two decades of law. He started a foundation to rescue amphibians and reptiles, which few Americans focus on.
Edward Clark, Jr., started and leads the Wildlife Center of Virginia, which is a hospital for wildlife and conservation medicine. He lectures worldwide. He hunts with Jefferson Hunt on Happy Hour, his gelding. As to this team, sometimes Sister wonders who is the monkey and who is the organ grinder?
THE AMERICAN FOXHOUNDS
Lighter than the English foxhound, with a somewhat slimmer head, they have formidable powers of endurance and remarkable noses.
Cora is the head female. What she says goes.
Asa is the oldest hunting male hound, and he is wise.
Diana is steady, in the prime of her life, and brilliant. There’s no other word for her but brilliant.
Dasher, Diana’s littermate, is often overshadowed by his sister, but he sticks to business and is coming into his own.
Dragon is also a littermate of the above “D” hounds. He is arrogant, can lose his concentration, and tries to lord his intelligence over other hounds.
Dreamboat is of the same breeding as Diana, Dasher, and Dragon, but a few years younger.
Hounds take the first initial of their mother’s name. Following are hounds ordered from older to younger. No unentered hounds are included in this list. An unentered hound is not yet on the Master of Foxhounds stud books and not yet hunting with the pack. They are in essence kindergartners. Trinity, Tinsel, Trident, Ardent, Thimble, Twist, Tootsie, Trooper, Taz, Tattoo, Parker, Pickens, Zane, Zorro, Zandy, Giorgio, Pookah, Pansy, Audrey, Aero, Angle, Aces are young but entered. The “B” line and the “J” line have been just entered, are just learning the ropes.
THE HORSES
Keepsake, TB/QH, Bay; Lafayette, TB, gray; Rickyroo, TB, Bay; Aztec, TB, Chestnut; Matador, TB, Flea-bitten gray. All are Sister’s geldings.
Showboat, Hojo, Gunpowder, and Kilowatt, all TBs, are Weevil’s horses.
Outlaw, QH, Buckskin, and Magellan, TB, Dark Bay (which is really black), are Betty’s horses.
Wolsey, TB, Flaming Chestnut, is Gray’s horse. His red coat gave him his name, for Cardinal Wolsey.
Iota, TB, Bay, is Tootie’s horse.
Matchplay and Midshipman are young Thoroughbreds of Sister’s that are being brought along. It takes good time to make a solid foxhunter. Sister never hurries a horse or a hound in its schooling.
Trocadero is young, smart, being trained by Sam Lorillard.
Old Buster has become a babysitter. Like Trocadero, he is owned by Crawford Howard. Sam uses him for Yvonne Harris.
THE FOXES
Reds
Aunt Netty, older, lives at Pattypan Forge. She is overly tidy and likes to give orders.
Uncle Yancy is Aunt Netty’s husband but he can’t stand her anymore. He lives at the Lorillard farm, has all manner of dens and cubbyholes, as well as a place in the mudroom.
Charlene lives at After All Farm. She comes and goes.
Target is Charlene’s mate but he stays at After All. The food supply is steady and he likes the other animals.
Earl has the restored stone stables at Old Paradise all to himself. He has a den in a stall but also makes use of the tack room. He likes the smell of the leather.
Sarge is young. He found a den in big boulders at Old Paradise thanks to help from a doe. It’s cozy with straw, old clothing bits, and even a few toys.
James lives behind the mill at Mill Ruins. He is not very social but from time to time will give the hounds a good run.
Ewald is a youngster who was directed to a den in an outbuilding during a hunt. Poor fellow didn’t know where he was. The outbuilding at Mill Ruins will be a wonderful home as long as he steers clear of James.
Mr. Nash, young, lives at Close Shave, a farm about six miles from Chapel Cross. Given the housing possibilities and the good food, he is drawn to Old Paradise, which is being restored by Crawford Howard.
Grays
Comet knows everybody and everything. He lives in the old stone foundation part of the rebuilt log-and-frame cottage at Roughneck Farm.
Inky is so dark she’s black and she lives in the apple orchard across from the above cottage. She knows the hunt schedule and rarely gives hounds a run. They can just chase someone else.
Georgia moved to the old schoolhouse at Foxglove Farm.
Grenville lives at Mill Ruins, in the back in a big storage shed. This part of the estate is called Shootrough.
Gris lives at Tollbooth Farm in the Chapel Cross area. He’s very clever and can slip hounds in the batting of an eye.
Hortensia also lives at Mill Ruins. She’s in another outbuilding. All are well constructed and all but the big hay sheds have doors that close, which is wonderful in bad weather.
Vi, young, is the mate of Gris, also young. They live at Tollbooth Farm in pleasant circumstances.
THE BIRDS
Athena, the great horned owl, is two and a half feet tall with a four-foot wingspan. She has many places where she will hole up but her true nest is in Pattypan Forge. It really beats being in a tree hollow. She’s gotten spoiled.
Bitsy is eight and a half inches tall with a twenty-inch wingspan. Her considerable lungs make up for her tiny size as she is a screech owl, aptly named. Like Athena, she’ll never live in a tree again, because she’s living in the rafters of Sister’s stable. Mice come in to eat the fallen grain. Bitsy feels like she’s living in a supermarket.
St. Just, a foot and a half in height with a surprising wingspan of three feet, is a jet-black crow. He hates foxes but is usually sociable with other birds.
SISTER’S HOUSE PETS
Raleigh, a sleek, highly intelligent Doberman, likes to be with Sister. He gets along with the hounds, walks out with them. He tries to get along with the cat, but she’s such a snob.
Rooster is a Harrier bequeathed to Sister by a dear friend. He likes riding in the car, walking out with hounds, watching everybody and everything. The cat drives him crazy.
Golliwog, or “Golly,” is a long-haired calico. All other creatures are lower life-forms. She knows Sister does her best, but still. Golly is Queen of All She Surveys.
Atlas, a chihuahua, stays with Sister when Ronnie Haslip, his owner, is injured.
J. Edgar, a young box turtle with a beautiful shell, has landed at Roughneck Farm. Golliwog, the cat, is appalled.
USEFUL TERMS
Away. A fox has gone away when he has left the covert. Hounds are away when they have left the covert on the line of the fox.
Brush. The fox’s tail.
Burning scent. Scent so strong or hot that hounds pursue the line without hesitation.
Bye day. A day not regularly on the fixture card.
Cap. The fee nonmembers pay to hunt for that day’s sport.
Carry a good head. When hounds run well together to a good scent, a scent spread wide enough for the whole pack to feel it.
Carry a line. When hounds follow the scent. This is also called working a line.
