A Curious Courting (6 page)

“I don’t know,” she said honestly. “Legally you are in his power until you come of age. But he cannot force you to go to university if you don’t want to, or to study some particular subject. Where it is a matter of money, well, that is easily outmaneuvered. You know that I am more than willing to give you any sums you may need. I have no call for half the income Shalbrook brings. Would you like me to set up an account for you?”

“I can’t take your money,” he protested.

“If I were purse-pinched, it would be another matter, Henry. You are my only relation, and there is no reason why you should not share in my good fortune.”

“Some day you may need the money.”

“If I do, some day you will be in a position to repay me.”

“Would you let me earn the money, Selina?”

“Earn it? How would you earn it?”

“I should like to learn about farming. You know, about planting barley and wheat and oats and such, and about raising sheep and pigs and cattle. I could assist Mr. Sands; he’s getting on in years, you know, and could use a hand.” When his cousin looked skeptical, he continued eagerly, “I shall have a small estate of my own to manage one day, and I want to know how to go about it. What do you say, Selina?”

“It would cut into your study time drastically.”

He frowned. “It would be a more practical course of study.”

“Perhaps it would. Do you think you could convince Mr. Sands that you are serious?”

For the first time during their interview, he grinned. “Within a week! He’s a great sort, Selina, always ready to answer your questions.”

“I have a mind to give it a try,” she mused, “though we may hear repercussions from Lord Leyburn. Would you like to write him explaining the situation?”

“Could we not just try it for a while? No, I suppose not. Davenport would be sure to set up a row. Very well, I will write him.”

“Good.” Selina rose and walked over to her cousin, placing her hand on his arm. “I had no idea you chafed so under your restrictions, Henry. I wish you had told me sooner, for I would do anything in my power to make you happy.

“I...I know you would, Selina.” His face suffused with color. “I didn’t mean to rant and rave at you. God knows I owe you so much! I must seem the most ungrateful beast in nature. Can you forgive me?”

“Silly fellow,” she laughed, rumpling his hair. “We were used to sharing our problems, Henry. I hope you have not grown so old that you can do so no longer.”

“I didn’t know if you would understand, Selina. And I
am
sorry about the sledge. That was stupid of me.”

“We won’t mention it again,” she assured him as she slipped out the door.

Selina was not at all sure that she understood, or if she wanted to. He was growing up, and away from her. From the time he was eleven she had cared for him, sympathized with him, laughed with him. Dear God, he was only sixteen! Surely that was too young for him to be trying to stretch his wings. Too young to have the maturity to make important decisions, ones which could effect his entire life. But to thwart him would doubtless lead to an estrangement between them which she could not bear. If only Lord Leyburn were a
concerned
guardian... She found that her mind had wandered to Mr. Rushton’s disapproving face and she shook herself with annoyance. It did not matter in the least what he thought of her, but she must write that note to Penrith.

Chapter Five

“You see?” Sir Penrith declared triumphantly as he waved a folded sheet under his friend’s nose. “I have had a note from Miss Easterly-Cummings in which she apologizes for her ‘rash and ridiculous’ words to me. I am not held to blame for anything, and she regrets that she should have caused a scene, and can only excuse herself on the grounds of her shock and fright. And,” he added with a mischievous smile, “she has invited the lot of us to tea this afternoon.”

“Has she now? I imagine that is very unusual,” Rushton commented sardonically.

“Well, it is. I cannot remember the last time I was invited there, and I dare say it is not much more recent an occurrence for my mother and Cassandra.”

“It is her way of apologizing, no doubt. Just as bizarre as the costume she wears.”

“Does that put you off? The way she dresses? Lord, Gareth, you’d have to be blind not to see that she’s beautiful, even under those dowdy drapings.”

“I had not missed her essential loveliness,” he retorted dryly. “All the more odd of her to dress so peculiarly. It would be a real treat to see her in London dressed that way.”

“Perhaps she’ll dress more conventionally for this occasion,” Penrith suggested hopefully.

And there was some lessening to the strangeness of her costume, he noted as he followed his mother and sister and friend into the green drawing room at Shalbrook. Selina had honored the tea party with her yellowish-green gown, to be sure, but she had attached a fall of lace at the high neck and discarded the walking shoes. The scarlet shawl was replaced by one of brown and she sported an uninspiring cap, but it bore no resemblance to her nun-like ones. Sir Penrith could not know that Henry was responsible for this change in his cousin’s costume. The boy had adamantly refused to attend this social gathering unless Selina made some effort to observe it with dignity. “For how on earth am I to face Sir Penrith after the trimming you gave me yesterday? I shall have quite enough discomfort without blushing for your appearance, my dear cousin.”

Lady Southwood curiously surveyed the room into which she had been shown with its fourteenth century wainscot and painted ceiling. It was not a chamber she was unfamiliar with, though it was many years since she had been in it. “Your mama used to entertain here, my dear,” she said, turning to smile at Selina. “It was done in green then, too, but I can see that you have recently refurbished it. And your taste is quite as exquisite as hers. Who would have thought the plank chest would fit perfectly under that ancient tapestry? And you have brought the set of globes from the gallery, have you not? Delightful, absolutely delightful.”

“Thank you, Lady Southwood. I was not aware that my mother used the room, for we have come to use the East Room extensively these last years.” She turned to Cassandra, her eyes laughing. “I had no idea, from your demure appearance in church, what a dashing lady you had become, Cassandra. Are you to have a Season in London this year?”

“So Mama and Penrith promise me. And Maria is to be there, too.”

“Yes, I have heard from her recently and she said they were going up to London. She sounds decidedly content with her life and family.”

“Oh, yes, Franmore is the dearest man, and she has two adorable boys. Perhaps they will return with us for a while this summer so that you shall have an opportunity to see them.”

“I hope so,” Selina assured her. As the ladies seated themselves, she moved to Sir Penrith and Mr. Rushton, offering her hand to the former. “Am I forgiven, Sir Penrith?”

“You were used to call me Pen, Selina. And you have no need to apologize. Where is the young scamp?”

“He should be along in a moment. Punctuality is not well observed at Shalbrook, I fear. Would you be so very kind as to overlook my scolding him in front of you? It embarrassed him terribly, of course, and had I had my wits about me, I would not have done it for the world.”

“He’s a large responsibility for you,” Penrith suggested.

“No, no, not at all. Henry is the only family I have and a delightful companion.” With a nod she acknowledged Mr. Rushton. “I wanted to thank you for your... assistance yesterday, sir.”

“You did so at the time, Miss Easterly-Cummings. I trust you took no harm from your spill.” When she did not offer him her hand, he forced her to do so by extending his own.

Selina quickly withdrew her hand from his firm clasp. “None whatsoever. Here is Henry now. I don’t believe you’ve met him.”

After the introductions had been made and everyone was seated, Selina rang for the tea tray and guided the conversation to various topics of interest to the different members of the group. Henry’s embarrassment at seeing Sir Penrith again rapidly disappeared under that gentleman’s cheerful acceptance of him as one of the men of the group. Penrith’s assumption that Henry was knowledgeable about horses and other sporting matters was flattering, if somewhat bewildering, to the young Forrester. Sheltered as he was at Shalbrook, he knew little of boxing and prizefights, even less of cock-fighting or cricket. But he could hold his own on coursing, shooting, fishing and even horse-racing, as he managed to get hold of the Turf Remembrancer fairly regularly.

Mr. Rushton was not as oblivious to the gaps in the boy’s knowledge as Penrith appeared to be, and when Miss Easterly-Cummings was engrossed in a discussion of village matters with Lady Southwood and Cassandra, he purposefully explored the matter. “I suppose there is no cricket team in the area?” he asked, directing his question at Henry rather than Penrith.

“Not that I know of,” the boy replied, glancing questioningly at Sir Penrith.

“No, I haven’t played since I came down from Oxford. Never was much good at it,” Penrith confessed.

“I don’t believe I’ve seen you with the Quorn, Mr. Forrester. Have you no interest in hunting?” Rushton probed.

Henry flushed. “I should like to hunt of all things. It’s just... well, there have been my studies...”

Mr. Rushton’s eyes narrowed. “Perhaps your cousin has some objection to hunting?”

“Well, I... we…” Henry could not find a way to explain, and he fell silent under Rushton’s intent gaze.

Penrith cast a disparaging glance at his friend and intervened. “I imagine Selina keeps no hunters at Shalbrook these days. No matter. I can mount you, Forrester. Why not join us tomorrow? Ride over to Oak Park and leave your hack there. We leave about nine.”

“That’s awfully good of you, sir. I mean, you have no idea whether I could manage one of your hunters, or anything. I don’t know.”

“Nonsense! Have the greatest confidence in you. Just be there by nine, and we’ll have a great day’s sport,” Penrith assured him bluffly, not wanting the boy to think his cousin’s scold of the previous day had given him any lack of faith in the lad’s ability.

“I will then, thank you,” Henry accepted with a worried glance at his cousin. He could tell by the slight tightening of her lips that she had overheard the conversation, but she made no sign to him, composedly continuing her discourse with the ladies. It was not so much out of rebellion that he accepted, but out of his strong desire to do so, and under the pressure of the two gentlemen expecting that he would. After all, he had just said that he wanted to hunt of all things, and what would they think if he refused when they had made it possible for him to do so? With relief he found the conversation turned to other matters, and the subject did not arise again until the Oak Park party was about to depart.

In taking leave of his hostess, Penrith remarked cheerfully, “I have offered to mount your cousin on one of my hunters tomorrow, Selina. Not to worry, you know. I shall keep an eye on him.”

Biting back the retort she wished to make, Selina forced herself to say, “That is kind of you, Pen. He’s never hunted before, but I doubt he will disgrace you.”

“No, he’s a spirited lad. I shall put him on Trafalgar—great strength there, but well behaved, don’t you know?”

“Just see he doesn’t override the hounds,” she replied with a nervous laugh.

“Never fear. We’ll coach him in hunting etiquette before ever we reach Ashby Pastures. Should be able to draw thereabouts! Do you never have an itch to join the field these days, Selina?”

“My hunting days are past, which is all to the good, as I do not believe Mr. Assheton Smith is fond of ladies joining the hunt.”

“He tolerates them if they ride well and overlook his wayward tongue,” Penrith laughed. “But few dare to join these days, all the same.”

“Who can blame them?” Selina murmured as Mr. Rushton came to join them. She offered her hand, so that he could not fault her this time, but she found his touch disturbing, just as she did the faintly mocking light in his eyes, as though he were judging her, and not to her advantage.

“Who indeed?” Rushton rejoined to her rhetorical question. “Mr. Assheton Smith will never win any awards for his amiable disposition, but he is a worthy follower of Meynell’s tradition in his mastery of a pack of fox-hounds and the sport he shows.”

“My father rode with Mr. Meynell for many years. I hope the hunt will be enjoyable tomorrow.” Selina ignored the mocking light in his eyes, and was relieved when her visitors had departed, though it left her to confront Henry with his unique decision.

When they had returned to the drawing room, Selina did not speak and Henry wandered about the room, twirling the globes and poking at the fire. A sideways glance assured him that his cousin was not watching him; she had picked up a copy of the Ladies’ Monthly Museum and was perusing it with obvious interest.

“You know I have agreed to go with Sir Penrith on the hunt tomorrow,” he blurted at last. “Are you not going to beg me to reconsider?”

“Did you want me to?” she asked pleasantly, looking up from the magazine. “I felt sure you were all eagerness to go.”

“Well, I am, Selina. By God, it’s some of the best hunting country in the land, and I’ve never been.” He threw himself down on the sofa beside her. “Are you angry with me?”

“No.” She forced herself to smile at him. “I have been protecting you like a mother hen, haven’t I? Do forgive me. I rode with the Quorn several times when I was only a year or so older than you. When my father died I could not bear to part with his hunting coat, though I gave away his other clothing. Shall we see if it can be altered for you?”

“You would do that? Then you really are not angry with me?”

“How could I be? It is the most natural thing in the world to want to hunt when you’ve been raised on a horse and live in the Quorn country. Sir Penrith is the very one to teach you how to go on. It was kind of him to offer to mount such a stripling. Do not do anything to disgrace him,” she commanded with mock severity.