Regency High Society Vol 1: A Hasty Betrothal / A Scandalous Marriage / The Count's Charade / The Rake and the Rebel

‘I still cannot see why he should have fallen at this spot,’ he said, shaking his head. ‘He is fairly lucid now and continues to maintain that something caused his horse to go down, but I have scoured the area and can find nothing untoward. He does not recollect seeing an animal on the path or hearing anyone in the vicinity, but swears that Cobalt went down all of a sudden …’

‘Perhaps he got a flint in his foot?’ suggested Harriet. ‘I have seen horses go down in that way. And you say that Cobalt was a veteran—did he suffer from a rheumatic condition which might have caused his legs to fold?’

Sandford considered. ‘Smithers didn’t mention it, but it is possible.’ He studied her curiously. ‘You seem to know a great deal about horses,’ he said.

Harriet gave a wry smile. ‘For a girl, you mean. You are forgetting that I practically grew up in the cavalry,’ she replied. ‘Being an infantryman, you had only your own string with which to concern yourself, but we had to be horse doctors as well as soldiers, you know.’

She pulled ahead of him as the path narrowed and he was obliged, for the moment, to ride behind her in silence which, as well as preventing him from uttering an indignant rebuttal, gave him ample opportunity both to admire her straight back and elegant posture and to think better of his intended remark.

The bridleway from Beldale opened out through a wide-barred gate into a clearing and Sandford indicated the Westpark gate on the other side of the meadow.

‘This is the short cut that the two families use,’ he said. ‘Carriages have to go round by the lane, of course, which adds five miles to the trip.’

Harriet gauged the distance across the field. ‘Race you,’ she offered, and was off like an arrow before he had time to reply.

‘Watch out for rabbit holes!’ he shouted and was after her in a trice, but she had the advantage and reached the far side ahead of him. He reined in beside her, his face wreathed in smiles. Harriet’s face was bright with the exhilaration of the gallop and her green eyes were sparkling with delight as she looked at him.

‘She’s a beauty! Thank you so much for letting me use her,’ she said, as she patted the mare’s neck fondly. ‘Clipper! What a fitting name for her.’

‘I’m glad you approve. You ride very well—and don’t say ‘'for a girl'', for I’m sure I don’t mean to minimise your ability. Only, next time, give me fair warning before you challenge me!’

‘Oh, I’d hardly take on that boy of yours in fair play,’ she laughed. ‘I believe in the element of surprise, your lordship. I’m amazed you never encountered the strategy in your battles!’

‘Oh, I encountered it, all right, Miss Cleverboots,’ he laughed, leaning down to close the gate behind them. ‘Now I shall be on my guard—just make sure that you are, also!’

They rode on, side by side, exchanging similar persiflage until they eventually turned into the stableyard at Westpark House, where their horses were handed to the grooms and they entered the house by the rear doors.

‘We got into the habit of doing this,’ said Sandford, as he ushered Harriet through the entrance. ‘Lady Butler doesn’t approve, of course, but Phil and I always found it more convenient …’ He paused, then continued, ‘… this passage leads into the main hall. The staff will already have been notified of our arrival.’

He pushed open a green baize door and nodded to the waiting footman.

‘Good morning, Finchley. Mrs Hurst is expecting us. Is she in the small parlour?’

The elderly manservant nodded disapprovingly. ‘Yes, my lord,’ he intoned gravely, as he led the way and showed them into a cheerful sitting-room where Judith was to be found playing spillikins with her two children while her mother was half-heartedly attending to the tapestry on her fulsome lap.

At the footman’s announcement, Judith rose gracefully and came towards them, hands outstretched.

‘Oh, you came! I’m so pleased. Look, Mother. Robert has brought Miss Cordell to visit us—and what a stunning outfit, I do declare. Do sit down, won’t you? Shall I have Finchley bring in some tea—or would you prefer coffee?’

Sandford was already engaged in the game with his niece and nephew and declined refreshment. Harriet, having accepted a glass of lemonade, seated herself opposite the elderly Lady Butler and asked her politely how she did.

‘I must not complain,’ said her ladyship, pulling her copious shawls about her ample shoulders more snugly, although the day was warm and humid. ‘One is beset by so many aches and pains. But I have learned to bear my discomforts with fortitude.’

She leaned forward, peering closely at Harriet. ‘You are very young, to be sure. Just out of the schoolroom, I suppose. Do your parents allow you to travel about the countryside without a chaperon? In my day it would have been unheard of.’

Harriet laughed. ‘I am not as young as I look, ma’am,’ she said, ‘and I disremember ever having been in a schoolroom. And as for a chaperon, you must agree that Sandford will serve?’

The old lady sniffed. ‘I’m told you met Robert while he was off fighting—a camp-follower, or some such, I hear.’

Sandford stiffened and raised his startled eyes to meet Harriet’s. She, however, smiled and nodded her head at Lady Butler.

‘We certainly had to follow the camp, ma’am, but we were in excellent company. Several of their lordships’ wives and daughters were with us, you know, and it was not fun and frolics quite all of the time!’

The viscount’s eyes gleamed with amusement, then became more serious as he intervened.

‘Hardly any of the time, actually,’ he said, getting up from the floor, ‘and as for camp-followers, ma’am, we would have been hard pressed, at times, to manage without their assistance. I must inform you, ma’am, that Miss Cordell’s father was a courageous comrade of mine and her mother was well respected for her voluntary tending of the wounded.’

‘Oh, do not start to discuss these unsavoury matters again, I beg you.’ Lady Butler shuddered, reaching for her vinaigrette and breathing in some of its heady contents. ‘Tell me instead of your father. First we are told he is at death’s door and now he is quite recovered, I hear? I would that I were blessed with such stamina! What a pity Hurst did not have his father’s constitution!’

Sandford winced as he answered, ‘Beldale is getting stronger by the hour. Sir Basil hopes that he will be able to come downstairs in a few days but I am afraid that he will be unable to attend Judith’s party next week. We are looking forward to it, of course,’ he finished, gamely attempting a show of enthusiasm.

‘Well, it will be a great deal of trouble to arrange, you know, at such short notice, but I am sure we shall try to put on a creditable show. Why it cannot have waited until Lady Caroline could see to it herself, I cannot imagine.’

She folded her untouched Berlin-work and rose to her feet.

‘Now, if you will excuse me, I suppose I must see Mrs Walters about the menus.’ She trod majestically across the room and left.

There was a moment’s silence then Judith laughed, a little self-consciously.

‘I hope she does not do such a thing! Mrs Walters would faint from astonishment! Take no notice, Robert, dear. You know how Mama is. I am sure that she means no harm.’

Sandford doubted this, but let it go. ‘If this party affair is going to cause you a lot of trouble …’ he said hopefully, but Judith looked shocked.

‘Trouble? I’m looking forward to it. I have been in mourning for a whole year now, Robert, and this is the first time we will have had any sort of gathering at Westpark since Philip’s—funeral—and you know he would not have wanted it so!’

Gathering up the skirts of her black bombazine gown, she began to pirouette around the room, much to little Elspeth’s delight.

‘Shall we have dancing, do you think? A few country reels, perhaps?’ She stopped, flushed prettily and sat down once more beside Harriet. ‘What shall you wear, Miss Cordell—oh! Do say I may call you Harriet! I have a gown I have never yet worn. I think it may be just the occasion to bring it out!’

Having only recently come out of mourning herself, Harriet could sympathise with the young widow’s feelings and, happy to defer to her hostess’s obvious knowledge of what was fashionable and what was not, she was quite amenable to hear Judith’s suggestions. She could see that Sandford seemed perfectly content to be entertained by the two children. He pored over Christopher’s snail-shell collection with apparent fascination and even helped his little niece to fasten a miniature cape around her beloved doll, with no sign of the self-conscious reticence she expected from most members of his sex when confronted with young children. She noticed, too, that Judith was viewing the scene with a certain fondness and wondered if, perhaps, her own unexpected appearance had interrupted a blossoming relationship between Sandford and his sister-in-law. Judith’s words, however, dispelled that thought.

‘He is so like Philip,’ she said tremulously, bright tears shining in her eyes. ‘They do miss him so. Robert has been absolutely marvellous with them and given them so much of his time.’

‘I’m sure he loves them dearly.’ Harriet laid her hand on Judith’s. ‘And who would not. They are such sweetly behaved children. Lady Caroline has said that they are a credit to both their parents. She dotes on Elspeth, as you must know.’

Judith nodded, composing herself. ‘We were very happy together, Philip and I. I do so wish the same joy for you and Robert. I was afraid he would never meet anyone. He was always so involved with his regiment that it seemed to me that he had no sort of social life at all. You should have known him when he was a boy—he was quite the young tearaway!’

‘Do I hear my character being demolished over there?’ came Sandford’s amused voice. ‘I hope you are not about to apprise Miss Cordell of my youthful misdemeanours, Judith. I have worked very hard to gain her approbation, I assure you, and if you are set on ruining all my efforts …’

Both ladies burst out laughing and, seeing Sandford reach for his hat and gloves, Judith rose to see them to the door. Elspeth curtsied shyly to Harriet while Christopher begged his uncle to ‘come again soon'. The viscount assured him that he would be over to take him riding the following day and the little boy was allowed to lead the visitors back to the rear exit.

‘Grandmama says you shouldn’t use this door,’ he confided, as they walked out into the stableyard, ‘but Papa and

I always did and, as I am now the man of this house, I give you both my permission.’

Sandford took his nephew’s proffered hand and inclined his head. ‘We are pleased to be so honoured, Christopher,’ he said gravely.

Harriet nodded smilingly, adding, ‘And thank you for including me.’