A Lady’s First Scandal by Merry Farmer

Author:Merry Farmer [Farmer, Merry]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2019-06-21T04:00:00+00:00

Chapter 12

Rupert scowled and gripped the handle of his cricket bat as though his life depended on it, staring Fergus down as he completed his run-up as though the devil himself were charging at him. As soon as Fergus released the ball, Rupert’s instincts took over. He grunted as his muscles worked to swing the bat as hard as he could. The ball hit the bat’s blade square in the sweet spot with a satisfying thwack.

“Whoa!” Freddy called from mid off, twisting to watch as the ball sailed high over everyone’s head and well beyond the boundary.

Reese stood from his position as keeper behind Rupert’s wicket, letting out a long whistle. “Shot!” he called out in congratulations, raising two hands skyward, as though he were the umpire as well as the keeper. As they were just practicing, he might as well have been both.

“That’s the third ball you’ve donated to the urchins of St. John’s Woods,” Fergus said, shaking his head and marching across the wicket to thump Rupert’s back. “And you’re not that good of a cricketer.”

Rupert straightened in indignation, knocking his bat against his pads to work off more of the restless energy pulsing through him. “What do you mean I’m not that good?” he demanded, far more irritable than he should have been at a friendly practice with his closest friends. “I was one of the regiment’s star players in South Africa.”

“In your dreams, perhaps,” Freddy said, jogging toward the group forming around Rupert. He and Fergus exchanged chummy laughter.

“He was the captain of our team at Cambridge,” Harrison said, striding in from square leg.

John joined them as the other men they’d managed to recruit for their impending match against Denbigh and his cronies continued tossing a ball around or practicing batting at the far end of the Lord’s Cricket Grounds field.

“Captain or not,” Fergus said, resting his forearm playfully on Rupert’s shoulder, “something is clearly eating at him.”

Rupert shrugged his friend off, heat flooding his face. “Let’s forget the idle chit-chat and resume our practice. The last thing we want is for Denbigh to show us up at the match.”

“The last thing we want is our star player too distracted to hit a ball straight,” John corrected him.

Rupert glowered at him. “Did you not just see the six I hit?”

John smirked. “How many times have we seen a lad hit a ball like that only to be bowled out on the very next ball due to lack of concentration?”

It was true and Rupert had to admit it. He sighed and banged his bat against the dirt of the wicket before turning and walking toward the bench at the side of the field.

“Hold up,” Fergus said, chasing after him. The others followed in his wake. “It wasn’t an insult. We’re just having fun with you. Especially since we all know good and well what’s turned your head so thoroughly.”

“The fairer sex makes fools of us all,” Harrison laughed in agreement.

“How would you know?” John teased him. “You haven’t seen the right side of a skirt in months.

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