Read Online Heir to Rowanlea by Sally James - Free Book Online Page B

unbeatable. The projected race was a favourite topic of conversation amongst the sporting young men, and Charlotte, as cousin to both the contestants, was asked for her opinion so many times she grew to dread hearing the opening gambits. While Harry’s friends were unstinting in praise of his skill, and readily admitted his pair could outmatch any they themselves possessed, they showed great admiration of Jack’s new chestnuts.
    “They’ve never been matched with Harry’s cattle before, but it’s well enough known only Pauling’s own bays have ever bested them, and that was a close thing, though admittedly Pauling was driving the chestnuts, and he’s a capital whip,” Richard Davies explained.
    “Harry drives better than Jack,” Charlotte persisted. “Surely that makes a difference?”
    “Jack’s not so cow-handed as you seem to think,” Richard replied with a laugh. “It can make some difference, but will it be enough? I’m tempted to lay my blunt on Jack!”
    He led Charlotte off to dance and they joined a set next to Lord Fenton and a small dark girl. Lord Fenton bowed to Charlotte, introduced his partner as a Miss Wolverley, a distant cousin who was staying for the season with his mother, her godmother, and then turned to ask Richard about the race, opining that both contestants would come to grief or else cause some serious accident through racing on the public highway.
    Charlotte defended her cousins spiritedly and was infuriated by the calm condescension Lord Fenton displayed when he replied that females should have no opinion on such matters.
    “He and Elizabeth would make such a conformable pair!” she muttered angrily to Richard.
    “He and Miss Maine?” Richard asked, surprised. “Is Fenton one of her suitors?”
    “He dangles after her,” Charlotte replied curtly.
    “I think the dowager will have some influence against such a match,” Richard said thoughtfully. “I heard my mother saying she intended Miss Wolverley for him. She’s an even bigger heiress than Miss Maine, you know.”
    At the end of that dance Charlotte found herself near Elizabeth, and went to express the hope she had fully recovered from the fright Wolf had given her. Elizabeth smiled, and then looked up at Harry who had also walked across to them.
    “Indeed yes, and I do so regret behaving so foolishly! You must have thought me a complete ninny!”
    Politeness prevented Charlotte from agreeing, but Harry spoke before she could think of an unexceptional answer, or ask whether Harry had yet invited Elizabeth to drive in the race with him.
    “It was no wonder, since you have an aversion to dogs, and had not expected to see Wolf,” he said calmly, and Elizabeth cast him a grateful look. Then Harry turned as he heard his aunt say his name, and found Lady Weare standing next to him with Mr Penharrow, whom she introduced.
    “What was that about Wolf?” she asked, after all the introductions had been made. “It was Mr Penharrow who rescued James on that occasion.”
    “And was in a way responsible for introducing Wolf to the house, so I trust he has not been misbehaving?” Mr Penharrow remarked, looking quizzically down at Elizabeth.
    She blushed slightly, and glanced quickly at Charlotte.
    “I am not accustomed to large dogs, and was a trifle nervous when—when he tried to make friends,” she said hesitantly. “I had not expected him to come bounding into the room like that, and he looked anything but friendly! But it was nothing, I assure you.”
    “He did not expect you to be there,” Charlotte said indignantly. “And as for looking friendly, why, his tail almost swept the journals from the table!”
    Mr Penharrow laughed.
    “Still, I can imagine such an experience to be decidedly unnerving,” he commented, earning a grateful look from Elizabeth. “Ah, they are striking up the next dance. Miss Maine, will you honor me?”
    She inclined her head and walked away with him, smiling confidingly at him, leaving