A Curious Courting (25 page)

Somehow, it had not occurred to Rushton that she would see anything absurd in his taking the boy under his wing. He had, in fact, thought, when he had thought about it at all, that she would see it as a sign, perhaps more pointed than he wished to give, of his interest in her. To have the tables turned on himself in this way was hardly pleasant. Resisting a desire to shake those slender shoulders, he asked, “Would you deny Henry the treat of seeing London, Miss Easterly-Cummings? Of meeting the other boys who will be there on Easter holiday? Of viewing the world through other eyes than yours?”

“I deny Henry very little, Mr. Rushton. Take him with you! Show him the cockpits and the prizefights. Have an ice with him at Gunther’s. Take him to a balloon ascent and a fair. You will have the most enchanting time. And don’t forget to take him with you to Covent Garden or Drury Lane. I’m sure your friends will be most amused by your latest acquisition. Perhaps others will scout out their nephews and cousins to sport them about town, too. You can start a new fad.”

“Selina,” Henry said brokenly, “I am sure Mr. Rushton meant no harm. He didn’t think of what a nuisance it would be to have a b-boy with him; he was only being kind.”

“I thought so,” Rushton remarked evenly, his temper well under control now. “At sixteen, I considered Henry old enough to amuse himself without my constant attendance. There will be other young men there, for him to explore London with and taste the delights that fellows his age find most intriguing. I had not intended to abandon him to his fate,
or
act as his nursemaid. I shall not be so preoccupied as to be unable to provide him with guidance, but if he isn’t old enough to scout about town on his own, I would not consider taking him.”

“He may go if he wishes, and if he feels capable of managing on those terms,” Selina replied with a notable lack of enthusiasm.

“Won’t you come and stay with the Southwoods?” Henry begged. “You have often spoken of all the things you would do if you ever got to London, and this is your chance.”

“This is not the time to visit them, Henry. No one wants a house-guest when they are preparing for a large entertainment.”

“But they’ve invited you!” Henry protested.

“Probably Maria is being impulsive. We have written of seeing one another this summer, and she is eager to show off her family to me. But that can wait. She plans to return to Oak Park with Lady Southwood at the end of the Season.” Selina laid a hand on Henry’s sleeve. “If you wish to go, Henry, then you should go. I trust you will behave yourself and not cause Mr. Rushton any trouble.”

Henry cast a despairing glance between his two elders, torn between a strong desire to visit the capital and an equally strong desire to please his cousin. This should surely be the time for him to keep his promise to show Selina respect, to accede to her authority. With a pathetic attempt to subdue his contrary emotions, he turned to Rushton. “It is very good of you to even think of taking me with you, sir, and I…I thank you most sincerely. I could not impose so on your good nature, however, and I shall have to decline.”

“Oh, Henry, you gudgeon,” Selina said mournfully. “I am not asking you to make sacrifices. Please go with Mr. Rushton. Impose on him! Eat him out of house and home! Use his horses and his carriages. Take up his time showing you about. He deserves to be repaid for all his thoughtful intervention in our domestic matters.”

Rushton had just decided that he was crazy to have ever considered Selina as his wife. With a tongue like that, he would not have a moment’s peace for the rest of his life. He caught a glimpse of her shaking shoulders as she turned away, and for a moment he thought she was crying again, but no, a gurgle of laughter escaped her, and soon she was laughing outright to both his and Henry’s astonishment. When she had regained sufficient composure to face them she said, “Forgive me! On the surface it
is
a ludicrous notion, you know. Why on earth would Mr. Rushton want to be unnecessarily saddled with a youngster? And in London, of all places! I am not used to thinking of your acting on generous impulses, sir. It is really very kind of you and I am sure Henry will enjoy himself tremendously. And I don’t think you would be unduly hampered by his presence. He’s quite able to look after himself, as you suggested.”

“And you think perhaps I would not lead him astray?” Rushton asked gravely.

“That I am not so sure of,” Selina said wryly, “but, do you know, I feel I may trust you. Oh, you will take him places that I would not go, but that is not to say that Henry shouldn’t. Did I... offend you, Mr. Rushton? I have a way of doing that, haven’t I?”

“Yes, my dear lady, you do. Just once,” he declared in imitation of her previous performance, “I would like to have an interview with you that did not consist largely of wrangling. Just out of curiosity as to whether it could be accomplished, you understand. If I were to present myself here tomorrow at two to take you driving, would you endeavor to satisfy my whim?”

Selina dropped her eyes from his. “Yes.”

“Very well. You may expect me.”

“You
will
have a good meal before you come, won’t you?” she asked impulsively.

His eyebrows rose in wonder, but he merely shrugged.

“Certainly, if you wish it. Henry, shall we get on with our lesson? Until tomorrow, Miss Easterly-Cummings.”

JOURNAL. March 30. Should have waited for the post before going to Shalbrook; Pen’s letter warned me that Miss E-C would hardly consider it commonplace for me to invite Henry to London. I have urged the boy to convince his cousin to go to the Southwoods’, but I see little chance of his success. The best-laid plans and all that... Lord John comes with the plans Friday.

Chapter Nineteen

“I thought I might show you my first endeavor in the vale,” Rushton suggested as he handed Selina into the curricle. Although the sun shone, the air was chilly and she wore the scarlet mantelet which he thought delightful on her. “Shall I put the rug about you?”

“No, thank you. I’m perfectly warm. Have you done something in the vale already?”

“Yes
,
but I intend for it to be a surprise. I’ve been organizing for the construction, too. Lord John has given me a list of the various trades we’ll have need of, and I have found a personable young man in Barton who has undertaken to arrange for the hiring. He has been instructed to use neighborhood people wherever possible, of course,” he assured her.

“I’m glad.”

“It was part of our agreement. His name is Drew Norton. Do you know him?”

“Yes.” Selina watched his large hands as they lightly guided the pair through the Shalbrook gates and left onto the road. “If you had asked my advice, I would have recommended him.”

“Hmm. It gave me great satisfaction to find him on my own,” he retorted.

“I’m sure it did. Have you seen Lord John recently?”

“No, he’s to come Friday. Construction will probably begin just when I am to leave for London.”

“Should you not delay your trip?”

“I can’t. Have you reconsidered going to the Southwoods’?”

“No. Have you reconsidered taking Henry?”

“No, Miss Easterly-Cummings, I have not. You aren’t really alarmed at the prospect, are you?” He watched her profile for a moment, since her gaze was toward the rolling hills.

“Of course not. It is just what he needs.” She returned her eyes to the road. “I feel sure Pen would assist you if…if you have other matters which will require your attention.”

There was a strange note in her voice which drew his attention. Now what could he possibly have said to hurt her? The brown eyes would not meet his, and those provocative lips were ever so slightly turned down. He said softly, “I won’t take him if you really don’t want me to.”

“But I do. I think it’s a splendid opportunity for him.” Selina studied the vale as they approached. “Should I be able to see your surprise now?”

“No. We will have to walk beyond the trees. You won’t mind, will you?”

“Not at all. Oh, you’ve made a gate, and had a drive started.”

“There were a number of things which we could begin before the actual house construction. I fear I am a trifle impatient.” Handing her the whip and reins, he jumped down to unfasten the new gate. “Drive them through if you will, and I’ll close it again.”

“Why not just leave it open for our return?”

“You’ll see.” He noted that she was as carelessly elegant in handling his pair as she had been in jumping her own fence with Scamp in her arms. As he climbed back in he asked, “Would you like to handle them for a bit?”

“Thank you. They’re very fine animals.”

The drive was still unfinished, and rough, but Selina had no trouble in guiding the horses through the first section of woods to the clearing. Here Rushton tied them and handed her down, explaining as he did so just where the house would be. “The glass room will be facing due south, over there, with the entry on the east. When Lord John comes Friday he’ll start Drew with a list of the material requirements, so that we needn’t be unduly delayed over obtaining them. Come, let me walk you through the house.”

His enthusiasm for their imaginary tour of inspection was infectious, and Selina smiled up at him. “And the stables? Where will they be?”

“Over there. No, you can’t come out through there,” he teased. “That’s a wall.” Pretending to guide her properly, he tucked her arm through his and led her out the door in the glass room.

“Have you decided what use you will make of it?”

“The glass room? Well, it depends. I prefer a billiard room, but under some circumstances I would be willing to use it as a breakfast parlor. I had intended a very masculine retreat, you understand.” That was quite enough to tell her, he decided, as he grinned down at her.

To his surprise her face lost its animation and she said in a choked voice, “I see.”

“What do you see, Miss Easterly-Cummings?” he asked, mystified.

Ever since he had said the previous day that he had promised to go to London, she had suffered from the most alarming thoughts. Had not Mr. Haslett told her that Rushton had offered for someone—a Miss Longstreet or Longmeadow? Of course Mr. Haslett had thought Rushton had been refused. Selina found that unlikely. Perhaps he had been, but the young lady had changed her mind. More likely, however, that they had arranged to meet during the Season and settle matters between them. Why else would Rushton speak of a promise? If he were going purely for his entertainment, he would not have said he “could not” delay his trip. He would not now be speaking of some unspecified change to his planned “masculine retreat.” Selina brought her unhappy thoughts to an abrupt conclusion to say diffidently, “I see that your use of the room is still flexible.”

Dissatisfied with her answer, he yet saw no advantage in pursuing his questioning. The only conclusion he could draw, and he refused to do so, was that she understood that he was contemplating offering for her, and the thought made her unhappy. He was not at all sure that she would accept him if he did offer for her, but there was no particular reason why his doing so should make her unhappy. If she didn’t want to marry him, she wouldn’t. As Henry had said, she very much followed her own course. Henry. Perhaps she thought he would not be willing to accept Henry along with her. Well, there was nothing he could say now to disabuse her of that idea, if he had not already done so by inviting the lad to go to London with him.

Selina continued to walk through the woods with him past the building site to the fields beyond, lost in agonizing thought. For some time she did not realize that he was speaking until she heard him say, “I thought there was no reason not to put the land to some use. Actually, I got the idea from Lord Benedict.”

Suddenly she pulled her hand from his arm and began to walk hastily back toward the woods. “Where the devil are you going?” he called, but she did not answer, merely walking a little faster. Stunned by her precipitate departure, it took him a moment to realize that she had no intention of returning. With long, angry strides he caught up with her as she entered the forest path, and grasped her arm in a tight clasp. “Will you answer me?”

“I am afraid of cows,” she gasped.

“Bulls, Miss Easterly-Cummings. You are afraid of bulls. No one is afraid of cows.”

“I am,” she whispered.

“For God’s sake, don’t be ridiculous. Half the land in Leicestershire must be used for grazing. No one raised here could possibly be afraid of cows.”

Selina gave an involuntary shiver. “You needn’t believe me, Mr. Rushton. It doesn’t really matter. Please take me home.”

“Now how in the hell was I supposed to know that you were afraid of cows?” he asked mutinously. “I’ve never met anyone who was afraid of cows. If you’d said so, I wouldn’t have taken you to see them. For God’s sake, slow down! They aren’t chasing us, you know.”

She sneaked a look behind her and forced herself to a more dignified walk. “I realize,” she said stiffly, “that it is an irrational fear. No cow has ever so much as harmed a hair of my head, so far as I can remember. They are, in fact, dear, sweet creatures of a rather placid disposition,” she continued as though reciting a lesson. “I have never been chased by a bull, either. On the other hand, I have never gotten close enough to a bull for him to chase me…and I do not intend to.”

“I haven’t even gotten a bull yet,” Rushton protested. “I’m having one sent from Farnside.”

“How nice for you,” she mumbled, climbing into his curricle without waiting for his assistance.

Thoroughly disgruntled, Rushton untied his pair and climbed up beside her. “That was my surprise,” he said hollowly. “I thought you would be pleased to see the vale put to some use in addition to the house.”

“A commendable project,” she murmured.

“Until a few minutes ago it certainly seemed so. I could have a deer park instead. Are you afraid of deer?”

“No, I’m not afraid of deer, but don’t be absurd. What does it matter if you keep cows? I will know better than to stray onto your land in future.”

“But... I want you to feel free to come here, to walk in the vale when you wish.”