The Sergeant Major's Daughter (5 page)

4

The small hand clutching Felicity’s prickled with perspiration. As they neared the stable yard, it began to tremble. Felicity knew a moment of angry exasperation; all her careful preparations had been set at nought by the tears of one foolish woman.

Amaryllis justified her morbid fears, having had an elder brother most horribly maimed when his horse had fallen on him in the hunting field, but nothing could excuse the attack of near-hysterics which the sight of Jamie in his new riding clothes had precipitated.

Aware of the child’s white, frightened face, Felicity had swallowed her rage in a desperate effort to salvage some of Jamie’s wilting courage.

She stooped to cover her cousin’s plucking fingers. “Amaryllis,” she urged in a low voice, “will you not try—for Jamie’s sake? I think he would not be fearful if you would encourage him a little—wish him luck! I have been taking him down to the stables each day, and he had become so much less nervous.”

The tear-drenched blue gaze accused her. “Indeed, yes! I know very well that I have you to thank for this piece
of treachery! You have been positively encouraging Stayne to notice the boy, have you not?”

“Amaryllis—Jamie must learn to ride.”

“He is too young!”

“He is six—nearly seven. Can you not
see...
?”

“I can see that my opinion counts for nothing where my son is concerned!” Amaryllis had snatched her hands away with a pettish air of drama. “I only pray that you may not live to regret your high-handedness.”

With Jamie now totally demoralized, Felicity was forced to hurry him; even so, the Earl was in the stable yard before them. He saw them and checked his impatient stride, but it was an unfortunate start.

“Ah—at last,” he said. “Come along, young man. Here is Mr. Dandy waiting.”

Jamie eyed the shining new leather saddle on the patient gray cob’s back—and shrank away.

Stayne frowned. “Come, Jamie,” he commanded, his tone peremptory.

Felicity felt compelled to intervene. “My lord,” she said quietly. “The child is frightened. Would it not be wiser to let
him ...
take matters more slowly?”

“No, madam—it would not. And if that is to be your attitude, then I suggest you return to the house and leave Jamie to me.”

The small hand tightened convulsively in hers.

“Indeed I will not!”

“Very well. But if you are to stay, pray be silent and allow me to know what I am about.”

“If you will only listen,
sir ...
Jamie is frightened ... Amaryllis
...
”

“Oh, good God!” Stayne exploded. “That boy has been smothered and indoctrinated until he is in danger of becoming a regular namby-pamby!”

“That is unjust! I have done my best to overcome his reticence, but Jamie’s fear of horses has been long fostered—it cannot be eradicated in an instant.” Felicity glared. “I am particularly fond of horses myself, but if I
were
afraid, I am sure there is nothing I should like less than being compelled to ride.”

“Nonsense,” said the Earl curtly, “Jamie is not afraid. Are you, lad?”

Jamie had almost forgotten his terrors in the fascination of their argument. No one argued with Uncle Max! His mamma would sometimes rail against him, but no one argued!

“
Are you,
Jamie?” his uncle repeated.

“N—no, sir.” He didn’t sound sure, but when Stayne held out a hand and again commanded him to come, he did so, with lagging step.

Felicity let him go with a smile of encouragement. While she waited, she wandered from stall to stall—a by
now familiar tour. There was no denying that his lordship kept an enviable stable. Halfway along she made her customary halt, as a bay with a white blaze on its brow pushed an inquisitive velvet nose forward.

“Oh, you are beautiful!” Felicity exclaimed, putting out a hand to be nuzzled. The mare nickered softly. There was breeding in every movement—in the proud lift and shake of the head, the way the ears pricked, the liveliness of eye.

“Starlight has fair taken to you, ma’am,” said Benson, the head groom, at her shoulder. “She’s his lordship’s latest—a fine mare—and a prime goer, but for all that, she’s a rare handful and no mistake.”

T
he sound of Mr. Dandy returning sent them both hurrying back to the yard. Felicity was relieved to see Jamie being lifted down, none the worse for his expedition. He turned a shining face to her.

“Did you see me, Cousin F’licity? Uncle Max says I did very well!”

She praised him warmly, aware of the Earl’s mocking gaze; it said unmistakably, “I told you so!”

“And I may come again tomorrow, mayn’t I, Uncle Max?”

“Certainly, child. If you do as well, you shall feed Mr. Dandy an apple.” The Earl’s gaze returned to Felicity. “You expressed a love of horses, Miss Vale. You ride, of course?”

“Tolerably well, my lord.”

“Cousin F’licity was only two when she first sat a horse,” Jamie insisted, with a mixture of pride and envy. “I told you, Uncle Max!”

“So you did, my boy.” Felicity was beginning to feel uncomfortable under that sardonic eye. “Well, Miss Vale, we must find you a suitable mount. I should have thought of it sooner. Would you care to come now and choose?” With Jamie clinging tightly to her hand, she again walked down the line of stalls—and was again drawn irresistibly to the bay mare.

“Starlight? You are ambitious, Miss Vale. Can you manage her, do you think?”

Felicity detected a note of amused skepticism and rose impulsively to the challenge.

“I believe so, sir. At any rate, I should like to try.”

“Very well. You may put her through her paces.”

She looked up, startled. “You
mean ... now
?”

“Why not. There is no time like the present,” said my lord blandly. “You do have riding dress?”

“Yes, of course,
but...
”

“Cold feet, Miss Vale?” he suggested.

“Certainly not!” she retorted with spirit. “But there is
Jamie...”

“Nurse will cope adequately for a short time. Benson will have Starlight saddled while you deliver Jamie into her charge—and change your dress. You may have twenty minutes.”

There was a curious silence when she had left the yard. Benson, squarely built and forthright of manner, coughed and shuffled his feet.

“Beggin’ your pardon, m’lord—but that Starlight is no fit mount for a lady, and I’m surprised at your countenancing such folly when there’s a sweet-natured hack like Amber just waiting to be exercised.”

“Doubtless I had my reasons.” The Earl’s manner discouraged argument.

“Well, it’s courting disaster if you ask me,” the groom persisted stubbornly. “A nice young lady like that!”

“I am not asking you,” said my lord gently. “You are a prince among grooms, Benson—I have often remarked it, but do not be so foolish as to trade on my good opinion; I do not pay you to air your views. You will oblige me by doing as you are bid—and you may have Vulcan saddled for me.”

Felicity came back into the stable yard looking confident and business-like—and inches taller in a riding habit of dark green wool. The close-fitting jacket with black frogging emphasized the junoesque proportions of her figure. A severe, high-crowned shako in black, trimmed with the same dark green, completed her outfit, together with a pair of soft black leather gloves.

The sight of the two horses being walked by a couple of young stable hands brought an instant thrill, followed by slight misgivings. On closer inspection, the young mare displayed an uncomfortable degree of temperament; Felicity hoped she would be equal to her impulsive boast. As for that raking black hunter ... she swung around to the Ear
l.
“You are riding with me, my lord?”

“Naturally, Miss Vale. You do not suppose that I would permit you to ride unaccompanied.”

Was she imagining the note of fiendish anticipation? The suspicion that he was expecting her to make a cake
of herself put an added sparkle in her eye. She accepted his compliments on her appearance with a composure she was far from feeling and allowed herself to be led to the mounting block.

Starlight greeted her in the usual way, but the moment Felicity settled
i
nto the saddle she could feel the packed-down energy waiting to erupt. She commanded the groom to let go and in the ensuing seconds forgot Stayne and all else in her efforts to thwart the mare’s manifest determination to unseat her.

She was vaguely aware of faces—white blurs only at first as the horse caracoled, backing and rearing in an attempt to dislodge her; figures revolved like a crazy roundabout—Benson, granite-jawed, crouched, swaying lightly on the balls of his feet, ready to spring; pop-eyed stable lads, and Stayne’s young tiger, eyes bigger than the rest, shouting encouragement. But, above all, there was Stayne, tense, the scar showing lividly against one cheekbone, eyes narrowed as though gauging the exact moment he would intervene.

The mere possibility lent Felicity renewed determination. She had good, light hands and experience enough to resist the novice’s trap of tightening the reins. She leaned forward, one hand grasping the mare firmly in the middle neck, petting and soothing her with soft, crooning words until, recognizing her voice, the nervous creature began to respond.

It was at this precise moment that a highly strung stable lad, against a clamor of protest, ducked in to grab at the staf
fl
e
...
and the mare, thoroughly frightened, reared again with renewed ferocity.

Felicity cried out in exasperation: “For God’s sake, get that idiot out from under
!”

The boy was dragged away, catching a sharp blow on the head from one flailing hoof for his pains.

In the confusion, Felicity saw both Stayne and Benson move. In desperation she brought Starlight down sharply, turned her in a tight circle, and while she was still confused, drove her forward; together they streaked past the astonished company, under the archway of the stable yard, and headed out toward open country.

Once clear, Felicity gave Starlight her head, reveling in the sheer exhilaration of being on horseback once more. Presently she began to look about her. They were on a bridle path where the flying hooves raised a cloud of dust from the dry earth. It was new territory for her and a sharp bend in the path brought new problems. A tree had been recently felled and lay barring the way.

She selected a place where the larger branches had been lopped and with familiar tightening of stomach muscles, she gathered the horse together. They sailed over in joyous unison, and she laughed aloud.

The unexpected sound drifted back to Stayne as he thundered in pursuit. He rounded the bend in time to see horse and rider clear the obstacle in such perfect accord that he felt a swift stab of admiration.

He drew abreast and she turned a glowing face to him. By common assent they slowed to a steady trot.

“My compliments, Miss Vale. A masterly display by any standards.”

Felicity’s grin could have been termed impudent.

“Thank you, my lord. You are very kind—and generous, considering that I must have proved a sad disappointment.”

“Now, why pray, should you think that?”

She looked demurely ahead, but a dimple quivered near her mouth. “Because you anticipated I would take a toss.”

She saw the Earl’s gloved hand tighten on the rein and turned to meet his sharp glance with a very straight one of her own.

“Oh, you may deny it if you will, sir—but I shall continue to suspect that the whole business was contrived in order to give me a set-down.”

“What an extraordinarily devious mind you have, Miss Vale.” Stayne’s expression had grown sanguine. “I should be foolish in the extreme to attempt any such stratagem with a young lady
so
intrepid that she has ridden with fearless courage over perilous mountain passes, through treacherous ravines; who has crossed the Douro on planks, bivouacked in the High Sierras in raging blizzards—and has fought her way gallantly through the parched heat of the Spanish plain...”

“
Enough, sir, I beg you!” cried Felicity, in laughing, blushing confusion. “You must know Jamie has been fabricating stories!”

“
Why—how is this, madam?” The eyebrow rose a little. “Am I to understand that you did none of these things?”

“No ... that is ... yes, of course I did,” she stammered. “I daresay I
may
have embellished certain incidents in the telling
... for Jamie’s benefit...”

The eyebrow rose a little higher and she concluded with spirit, “But never, I swear, to the Gothic proportions you have just catalogued!”

To her amazement, the Earl uttered a distinct chuckle. “At all events, Miss Vale, you would appear to have led a most extraordinary life. I wonder you can put up with our humdrum ways. Did you never miss the more conventional advantages of a settled home?”

“I don’t believe I ever considered my life unusual, sir. But I know I should have found a conventional upbringing a dead bore. You can have no idea how much excitement can be derived from a life following the drum!”

Watching her enthusiasm, his glance grew quizzical
.
“And were you never lonely—as you grew older, perhaps?”

Felicity found the suggestion diverting. “Lonely?
Glory—no! There was too much to do ever to be lonely or bored.”

They had by now come to a gateway which led out into the village. She had seen it previously only as a distant cluster of cottages through the trees on her Sunday drives to church. Now she saw that it was quite idyllic, with a well and a duckpond and an even strip of green. It was larger than she had thought, for there were several houses lying back from the road in neat gardens, and on the
corner
of a lane leading out of the village a cottage was set apart from the rest by reason of its dilapidated appearance. Beyond ran the boundaries of some private land, heavily fenced and barred.