your mama to arrange a date for that month?"
"Noooo."
Tessa screeched the word. "I have not agreed to marry you."
He
chuckled. She was so much fun to spar with it boded well for their future. "Pity,
it would have given you more time to get your bridal clothes." Nat bowed
and left the room, whistling as he did so. The sound of something hard hitting
the door just as he left the room made him laugh out loud.
Really
that had gone rather well, all things considering.
****
"But
what if 'e 'ates me?"
Cubby
switched from excitement to worry at regular intervals. If Nat hadn't known how
earnest the lad was in doing all that he should, he could have snapped at him.
But Cubby was, well, Cubby and Nat would do nothing to upset him. Even in the
short space of time they'd been acquainted, Cubby had become important to Nat.
"Why
should he?" Nat asked the lad. "Are you going to pull out the hen's
tail feathers? Torture the cat? Refuse to do as he says? Make me a fool for
trusting you?"
"Course
not, I wouldn't do any of that stuff."
"Then
he will not hate you." Nat risked a quick glance at his companion. Cubby,
dressed neatly in clean, serviceable clothes, did, in the words of Nat's
housekeeper, scrub up well. He still didn't appear like an angelic choirboy, but
nor did he look like a disreputable ruffian, either. Nat looked back at the
road and checked where they were. A long, straight, quiet, little-used road,
not far from the inn where he intended to spend the last night of their journey.
Fairly open and with no low branches to unseat anyone not paying attention to
their surroundings, it was the ideal place for what he had in mind.
"Here.
Remember they need a gentle hand." He passed the reins to Cubby, who took
them automatically, realized what he was holding, and almost dropped them.
"Me?"
He squeaked the word. "Yer chestnuts?"
"You.
You have a way with horses. My chestnuts are the only ones I can see."
"I
loves 'em," Cubby said simply. "All of em, not just these. Though
mind, these are special. And if you loves 'em and treats 'em right, they loves
you and treat you right back."
"I
noticed. Watch and learn well. Orsman, who looks after my horses in Devon,
wants to retire soon. If you prove your worth, I reckon his retirement will coincide
with the time you are ready to take over."
Cubby
didn't say a word, but the look in his eyes made Nat feel somewhat emotional. He
watched and waited as the young lad steered the horses around a pothole. His
face was a study in concentration, and the end of his tongue poked between his
lips.
Eventually
Cubby sighed. "Ooh err. Thank you, my lord. I reckon it will." Even
his voice had taken on a new tone. Less street urchin, more respectable youth.
"I willern't er, will not, I mean, let you down."
It
was enough to make Nat realize his instinct had been true. Now he had to hope
it also was with regards to his plans for Tessa. For several minutes he sat and
cogitated while keeping half of his mind on Cubby, the other half on Tessa. The
trees and fields didn't hold much of his attention, nor did the few cottages
they passed. Only once did he prepare to take over when a gig drew near, but a
quick glance at Cubby's face showed Nat all was well. He returned to his
thoughts.
"Mist...m'lord,
the Post is a comin'. I'm not up to passing by it yet." Cubby's voice was
sharp and worried.
Nat
dragged his mind back to the there and then, and took the reins as the Exeter
to London mail swept passed them, horses sweating and coach rocking.
"Cor."
The admiration in Cubby's voice made Nat laugh.
"Do
you wish we were on it?"
"Nah,
I prefer this. Say, are we stoppin' soon? I'm fair clemmed."
"Rubbish,
you are not starved. You ate enough at breakfast for both of us."
Cubby
grinned and showed the gap in his teeth where one had fallen out after he and
the newel post at the bottom of the town house stairs had met. "I'm a
growin' lad, you said so."
"Outward
as well as upward at this rate," Nat remarked
"Noooo."
Tessa screeched the word. "I have not agreed to marry you."
He
chuckled. She was so much fun to spar with it boded well for their future. "Pity,
it would have given you more time to get your bridal clothes." Nat bowed
and left the room, whistling as he did so. The sound of something hard hitting
the door just as he left the room made him laugh out loud.
Really
that had gone rather well, all things considering.
****
"But
what if 'e 'ates me?"
Cubby
switched from excitement to worry at regular intervals. If Nat hadn't known how
earnest the lad was in doing all that he should, he could have snapped at him.
But Cubby was, well, Cubby and Nat would do nothing to upset him. Even in the
short space of time they'd been acquainted, Cubby had become important to Nat.
"Why
should he?" Nat asked the lad. "Are you going to pull out the hen's
tail feathers? Torture the cat? Refuse to do as he says? Make me a fool for
trusting you?"
"Course
not, I wouldn't do any of that stuff."
"Then
he will not hate you." Nat risked a quick glance at his companion. Cubby,
dressed neatly in clean, serviceable clothes, did, in the words of Nat's
housekeeper, scrub up well. He still didn't appear like an angelic choirboy, but
nor did he look like a disreputable ruffian, either. Nat looked back at the
road and checked where they were. A long, straight, quiet, little-used road,
not far from the inn where he intended to spend the last night of their journey.
Fairly open and with no low branches to unseat anyone not paying attention to
their surroundings, it was the ideal place for what he had in mind.
"Here.
Remember they need a gentle hand." He passed the reins to Cubby, who took
them automatically, realized what he was holding, and almost dropped them.
"Me?"
He squeaked the word. "Yer chestnuts?"
"You.
You have a way with horses. My chestnuts are the only ones I can see."
"I
loves 'em," Cubby said simply. "All of em, not just these. Though
mind, these are special. And if you loves 'em and treats 'em right, they loves
you and treat you right back."
"I
noticed. Watch and learn well. Orsman, who looks after my horses in Devon,
wants to retire soon. If you prove your worth, I reckon his retirement will coincide
with the time you are ready to take over."
Cubby
didn't say a word, but the look in his eyes made Nat feel somewhat emotional. He
watched and waited as the young lad steered the horses around a pothole. His
face was a study in concentration, and the end of his tongue poked between his
lips.
Eventually
Cubby sighed. "Ooh err. Thank you, my lord. I reckon it will." Even
his voice had taken on a new tone. Less street urchin, more respectable youth.
"I willern't er, will not, I mean, let you down."
It
was enough to make Nat realize his instinct had been true. Now he had to hope
it also was with regards to his plans for Tessa. For several minutes he sat and
cogitated while keeping half of his mind on Cubby, the other half on Tessa. The
trees and fields didn't hold much of his attention, nor did the few cottages
they passed. Only once did he prepare to take over when a gig drew near, but a
quick glance at Cubby's face showed Nat all was well. He returned to his
thoughts.
"Mist...m'lord,
the Post is a comin'. I'm not up to passing by it yet." Cubby's voice was
sharp and worried.
Nat
dragged his mind back to the there and then, and took the reins as the Exeter
to London mail swept passed them, horses sweating and coach rocking.
"Cor."
The admiration in Cubby's voice made Nat laugh.
"Do
you wish we were on it?"
"Nah,
I prefer this. Say, are we stoppin' soon? I'm fair clemmed."
"Rubbish,
you are not starved. You ate enough at breakfast for both of us."
Cubby
grinned and showed the gap in his teeth where one had fallen out after he and
the newel post at the bottom of the town house stairs had met. "I'm a
growin' lad, you said so."
"Outward
as well as upward at this rate," Nat remarked
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