disbelief. Uncle Mercer had announced the sale of Nimbus the moment he
joined her and Sir George at breakfast the next morning. "But that's more
than four times—"
"Well done, Mercer," her father broke
in, just as her uncle sent her a warning look. "And well done, Tessa, for
I've no doubt your riding helped Mercer to get top dollar for the horse. That
should put paid to any questions about the quality of horseflesh at the Seaton
stables."
Tessa, however, wasn't sure of that at all. By
now, her calming influence over Nimbus had likely worn off. She only prayed
that he wouldn't revert entirely to the unmanageable beast he'd been when
they'd first bought him. Surely the time she'd spent with him the past few days
would have some lingering
effect?
"I hope you don't mind, Sir George, but I
used some of the money to buy a covert hack that I thought could be increased
in value with proper training," Uncle Mercer said then. "Harold
already has it in hand."
Tessa's father nodded. "That was wise. We
don't wish to deplete our stock by selling faster than we can acquire, after
all. At least Nimbus wasn't of our bloodlines, so we're still fine there. How
are the mares in foal doing?"
Uncle Mercer promised to send Cousin Harold up
to the house later to give Sir George a full report on all of the horses. Tessa
supposed it was a good sign that Papa was showing so much interest, after
leaving everything in Uncle Mercer's hands for so long, but she hoped he
wouldn't tire himself. She also couldn't help fearing it might lead to him
discovering too much about their financial straits. As for last night's sale .
. .
"Who purchased Nimbus?" she asked,
interrupting her uncle's self-serving monologue on how well he'd managed the
auction.
"I was getting to that," he said.
"Lord Killerby was the high bidder —a friend of those young men who
visited the house last week," he added to Sir George.
Tessa's heart sank. After seeing Lord
Killerby's performance in yesterday's hunt, she had no illusions that he'd be
able to handle Nimbus. Surely, though, he'd have his own trainer work with the
horse before attempting to hunt with him.
"Oh, that reminds me," her father
said then. "I sent a message round inviting those young men to dinner
after the Mountsorrel meet on Thursday. They seemed gentlemanly enough, and I
realized last night how much I've missed hearing about the hunt."
"What?" Tessa stared at her father.
"Papa, you know you haven't the energy for entertaining. Think of the time
away from your studies, your memoirs—"
Uncle Mercer nodded. "She's right, sir. As
well, I must say I'm not certain you should encourage such intimacy, after the
way those gentlemen questioned Harold's training —and the honor of this
family."
"Balderdash," Sir George exclaimed
with surprising spirit. "They quite understandably wished to discover more
about a horse one of them had just bought. No doubt the man you sold him to was
unable to give them as much information as they wanted."
"But Papa—" Tessa began.
"It's done," he said. "Who knows?
I may find I am able to entertain after all, which will open up all manner of
possibilities —for you as well as for me, my dear."
She could think of nothing to say that wouldn't
provoke futher argument, but she remained convinced that this was a most unwise
idea. Perhaps when Papa found himself exhausted by the end of Thursday's
dinner, he would realize that she was right.
* *
*
"Are you willing yet to admit I was right
about that hunter you bought?" Anthony asked Lord Killerby as they
prepared to leave for the Mountsorrel meet.
Killer laughed. "Not a bit of it. Carter
is making good progress with him already. Why, he didn't bite at all yesterday,
and only kicked one other horse. I've no doubt I'll be riding him in the hunt
by the end of next week."
The others chuckled, but Anthony only shook his
head. The gelding had begun by biting Killer's groom, and had been trouble ever
since. No other horse could be
joined her and Sir George at breakfast the next morning. "But that's more
than four times—"
"Well done, Mercer," her father broke
in, just as her uncle sent her a warning look. "And well done, Tessa, for
I've no doubt your riding helped Mercer to get top dollar for the horse. That
should put paid to any questions about the quality of horseflesh at the Seaton
stables."
Tessa, however, wasn't sure of that at all. By
now, her calming influence over Nimbus had likely worn off. She only prayed
that he wouldn't revert entirely to the unmanageable beast he'd been when
they'd first bought him. Surely the time she'd spent with him the past few days
would have some lingering
effect?
"I hope you don't mind, Sir George, but I
used some of the money to buy a covert hack that I thought could be increased
in value with proper training," Uncle Mercer said then. "Harold
already has it in hand."
Tessa's father nodded. "That was wise. We
don't wish to deplete our stock by selling faster than we can acquire, after
all. At least Nimbus wasn't of our bloodlines, so we're still fine there. How
are the mares in foal doing?"
Uncle Mercer promised to send Cousin Harold up
to the house later to give Sir George a full report on all of the horses. Tessa
supposed it was a good sign that Papa was showing so much interest, after
leaving everything in Uncle Mercer's hands for so long, but she hoped he
wouldn't tire himself. She also couldn't help fearing it might lead to him
discovering too much about their financial straits. As for last night's sale .
. .
"Who purchased Nimbus?" she asked,
interrupting her uncle's self-serving monologue on how well he'd managed the
auction.
"I was getting to that," he said.
"Lord Killerby was the high bidder —a friend of those young men who
visited the house last week," he added to Sir George.
Tessa's heart sank. After seeing Lord
Killerby's performance in yesterday's hunt, she had no illusions that he'd be
able to handle Nimbus. Surely, though, he'd have his own trainer work with the
horse before attempting to hunt with him.
"Oh, that reminds me," her father
said then. "I sent a message round inviting those young men to dinner
after the Mountsorrel meet on Thursday. They seemed gentlemanly enough, and I
realized last night how much I've missed hearing about the hunt."
"What?" Tessa stared at her father.
"Papa, you know you haven't the energy for entertaining. Think of the time
away from your studies, your memoirs—"
Uncle Mercer nodded. "She's right, sir. As
well, I must say I'm not certain you should encourage such intimacy, after the
way those gentlemen questioned Harold's training —and the honor of this
family."
"Balderdash," Sir George exclaimed
with surprising spirit. "They quite understandably wished to discover more
about a horse one of them had just bought. No doubt the man you sold him to was
unable to give them as much information as they wanted."
"But Papa—" Tessa began.
"It's done," he said. "Who knows?
I may find I am able to entertain after all, which will open up all manner of
possibilities —for you as well as for me, my dear."
She could think of nothing to say that wouldn't
provoke futher argument, but she remained convinced that this was a most unwise
idea. Perhaps when Papa found himself exhausted by the end of Thursday's
dinner, he would realize that she was right.
* *
*
"Are you willing yet to admit I was right
about that hunter you bought?" Anthony asked Lord Killerby as they
prepared to leave for the Mountsorrel meet.
Killer laughed. "Not a bit of it. Carter
is making good progress with him already. Why, he didn't bite at all yesterday,
and only kicked one other horse. I've no doubt I'll be riding him in the hunt
by the end of next week."
The others chuckled, but Anthony only shook his
head. The gelding had begun by biting Killer's groom, and had been trouble ever
since. No other horse could be
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