Read Online A Curious Courting by Laura Matthews - Free Book Online

possible that Henry had been invited to dine at Oak Park and had neglected to send her a message. Possible, but unlikely. Lady Southwood would not forget. Selina sent a message to the kitchen to put dinner back an hour. If Henry had not arrived by then, she would eat, if she could, but she would send a messenger to Oak Park to enquire, no matter how distressing it might be to her cousin to be checked on in such a way. She could not pay attention to her knitting for more than a few minutes at a time but jumped up frequently to gaze anxiously out the window.
    It lacked but ten minutes to six when she heard the sounds of arrival in the drive. Tossing her handiwork carelessly on the spindle-legged table, she hastened from the room and out into the chilly hall, where no amount of fuel in the mammoth grate managed to alleviate the cold. McDonough, well aware of her anxiety (since he shared it), was already in the process of drawing back the heavy oak door. Up the stairs and across the terraces came Henry and Mr. Rushton, the former white-faced but grinning from ear to ear, the latter supporting his companion while they sang a sporting song incredibly off-key. Henry’s arm was in a sling.
    The boy gazed up and saw his cousin in the well-lit hall. “Ho, Selina! Sorry to be so late. Took a while for the doctor to come.” He slurred his words as he spoke. “Famous day’s hunting! They gave me the brush!” He dug with his good hand in the pocket of the red hunting jacket and withdrew his trophy, waving it about delightedly.
    Exercising the utmost control over her tongue, Selina replied, “You must have done very well. Congratulations. What has happened to your arm?”
    “Broke it. A clean break, the doctor said. Should heal in a trice.” By now he stood before her, a trifle sheepish but defiantly proud as well. “Sir Penrith says I’m a bruising rider.”
    “I hope you did not injure his horse when you had your accident.”
    “Good God, no. Fact is, Selina, Sir Penrith said it was not in the least my fault. Practically everyone had trouble going in and out clever but Trafalgar was superb. Thing was, they must have been doing some draining on the other side, just where we landed, for there was a ling-filled trench under the snow. Trafalgar just sank right in and toppled over, but I got clear of him, all but my arm.”
    Mr. Rushton took up the narrative at this point. “Your cousin maintained the greatest presence of mind, Miss Easterly-Cummings. He held onto the reins and had the horse on his feet in no time. Then he mounted and rode off as though nothing had happened.”
    “You completed the run with a broken arm?” Selina asked faintly.
    “Hardly hurt at all, my dear, and I had no need of my whip hand. Had no call to urge Trafalgar on. He’s mad for the hunt. Sir Penrith says I may ride him again if I like.” His speech had become more fuzzy as he stood talking and now he passed a hand over his face. “Had a bit of brandy before the doctor set my arm. I think I shall go lie down for a spell. If you will excuse me, Selina? Servant, Rushton.” With some difficulty, he executed an awkward bow and wandered toward the stone stairs.
    Selina answered McDonough’s questioning look with a nod, and the butler moved forward to assist Henry in his dazed climb up the stairs. She did not say a word until they were out of sight, then she turned to Rushton. “I am in your debt for seeing him home, sir. Will you join me for dinner? Obviously Henry is in no condition to do so, and I don’t doubt you have missed yours at Oak Park.”
    “It would be my pleasure, Miss Easterly-Cummings, but please do not speak of any obligation. Sir Penrith and I are distressed that your cousin should have met with an accident his first time out, but I must say it does not seem to have daunted the lad. He is all eagerness to have another go.”
    Rushton left unasked the question as to whether Henry’s cousin would allow him to repeat his day’s