Lady Jane's Ribbons by Sandra Wilson

Author:Sandra Wilson [Sandra Wilson]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9780709094296
Publisher: Robert Hale
Published: 2011-03-24T16:00:00+00:00

She was composed and refreshed when Henry returned, and was taking tea in the garden, seated on a cane chair close to the roses which were in such magnificent bloom this summer.

He sat down on the grass close to her, plucking a blade to place between his teeth before lounging back to survey her. ‘I trust Aunt Derwent was in fine fettle?’

‘As ever.’

‘And your visit went off well?’

Did he know something? She met his gaze. ‘Yes.’

‘I’m relieved to hear it, since such a short stay hardly merited the effort involved.’

She relaxed, for she sensed that he didn’t know what she’d really been doing. She hesitated then, for she wanted to broach the matter of the ox-wagon and the Nonpareil. ‘How – how is the Iron Duke going along?’ she inquired lightly.

He looked slightly incredulous. ‘Good God, I do believe you’re actually showing an interest!’

‘It merely occurred to me that the race is less than two weeks away now.’

‘I’m staggered that such an unusual thought should cross your mind. It so happens that the Duke’s going on very well indeed, clocking up a very handsome time on today’s trial run.’

‘Trial run?’

‘With the new coach.’

‘Oh.’

‘I’m on to Chapman’s tricks. He’s been waiting for me on all my scheduled runs, so I confound the fellow by toddling off any old time in the new coach. He can’t be watching all the time and have his cronies waiting on every corner.’

‘Nor can you.’

‘No, but then there’s nothing I need to watch yet, since he hasn’t got his new coach. Besides, I know Sewell’s driving like the back of my hand; I know every command he gives on every corner.’

‘You sound a little too confident, Henry.’

‘Overconfident?’

‘Yes.’

He grinned. ‘Sewell’s a master, but predictible. If I’m confident, it’s because he’s made me so.’

‘I wonder if you dare be so sure.’

‘Sis, the day Sewell does something different, I will personally climb up the dome of St Paul’s and fling myself off.’

‘Yes, well they do say that pride comes before a fall,’ she remarked a little drily.

He picked another blade of grass, twirling it between his fingers. ‘I know what I’m talking about where Sewell’s concerned.’

‘But if Mr Chapman is so very devious—’

‘He’s a damned corkscrew, incapable of doing anything honest.’

‘What of you, Henry? How much of a corkscrew have you become?’

‘Oh, I’m a positive angel,’ he replied, grinning again and flicking the grass onto her skirt.

‘I find that hard to believe,’ she answered, sipping her tea and watching him closely.

‘Well, perhaps I do resort to the odd trick’ he admitted then.

‘Oh?’

He looked curiously at her then. ‘Why are you so interested all of a sudden? The last I knew, you couldn’t stand my coaching at any price. Now you’re all agreeability and questions.’

‘I thought you wanted me to be interested.’

He shrugged at the perverseness of women. ‘Yes, I suppose that’s true.’

‘So, what odd tricks do you get up to?’ she asked lightly.

‘As a matter of fact, I’ve started using informers.’

‘Like Mr Byers?’ she said without thinking.

He gave another incredulous laugh.

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