The Reckless Wager by April Kihlstrom

Author:April Kihlstrom [Kihlstrom, April]
Language: eng
Format: epub

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Captain Pickworth and his wife, Amanda, had a snug house very close to Inglewhite. He was Sir John's younger brother and he had inherited the estate from an uncle who felt someone ought to provide for him. And since the uncle had also been named Matthew, he had taken it upon himself to do so. He had made his will in the boy's favor and purchased colors for him when he voiced an ambition to enter the military. Captain Pickworth had served with distinction in India and been retired for medical reasons some ten or twelve years before. He had never ceased to mourn the injury that forced him to sell out before he had a chance to pit himself against Bonaparte's armies.

Giles had visited the house near Inglewhite often and now he greeted its appearance with a relief that might have seemed all out of proportion to the event had the journey thus far not been such a horror.

First, the carriage had overturned and the three been forced to take refuge in a wholly unsuitable inn overnight until the damaged wheel could be fixed. Fortunately, that had occurred south of Ravenstonedale so even if they were pursued, it was unlikely anyone would get wind of them or their accident.

In the past hour it had begun to rain and all the evils attendant upon traveling in an open carriage had been borne in upon Giles, making him extremely unhappy with himself for not foreseeing the possibility such a thing would occur.

Now he pulled up in front of the house and made an attempt to brush the worst of the mud off of his pants before handing the reins to Elizabeth and descending from the carriage. It was still raining and Giles mounted the steps two at a time to reach the portico where he would at least be afforded some shelter. He sounded the knocker on the door but it seemed a long time before anyone answered and Elizabeth and Leala both decided to climb down from the carriage as well.

"I hope someone is home," Elizabeth said doubtfully, as they reached Pickworth's side. "It will be dark soon."

"Hope someone is home?" Giles repeated impatiently, "Of course someone will be home. My aunt and uncle never go anywhere."

At last the door was opened by a woman who looked at Giles and the two ladies with the liveliest astonishment. "Why, Master Giles! Whatever are you doing here?" she demanded.

"Hallo, Mrs. Goods! How are you? You look as wonderful as ever. Are my aunt and uncle in? I've come to visit and brought a couple of friends with me," Giles answered with a friendly grin.

At this a worried frown appeared on Mrs. Good's face. "Come to stay for a visit?" she asked. "I can't think why the captain didn't tell me. But surely there must be a mistake dates for they've been in London the past three weeks or more. They're simply not here."

Elizabeth, Leala, and Giles stared at the housekeeper in dismay.

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