Chapter 7 Rupert
Rupert
At approximately the same time Theo and Emily were setting out in the phaeton, Rupert and Juliet were enjoying a fine breakfast of hot buttered rolls, eggs, bacon, cold pork, and preserves.
This had been served with plenty of strong coffee, which Rupert swore would help keep them awake for the rest of the day.
They’d broken their journey by stopping in a small town with a number of coaching inns and several likely looking stables where Rupert swore they could exchange their riding horses for the carriage Juliet had professed more desirable.
He’d taken this decision as she was already suffering the effects of not having slept at all last night, and was sitting in the small private parlor Rupert had obtained for them yawning prodigiously.
However, she was also hungry, as was he, and very soon the food restored her energy.
By the time their meal was done with, and their plates scraped clean, she was full of her usual bouncing excitement, which pleased Rupert no end.
For the last few hours he’d rather been missing the cheerful girl he’d fallen in love with.
“When will they bring our nice new carriage around?” Juliet asked, as she daintily wiped her fingers on her napkin.
“I own to being rather disappointed that we’re not to continue on the splendid horses you provided us with, but I’m just too tired to do so.
I’ve grown quite fond of Lucifer. I do hope the owner of the stables where you swapped them for a carriage and pair won’t be cruel to them.
I’m also, if I were to tell the truth, quite relieved I didn’t come with you on my own dear Star.
I couldn’t have borne being separated from her. ”
Rupert patted her hand. “I quite understand. That’s why I brought two of my own horses so that it would be I who would be forced to make the sacrifice.”
This seemed to placate Juliet and quiet her feelings for her late mount.
Rupert rather wished he hadn’t been forced to sell them to the man at the dealer’s yard, but if they were to keep going until nightfall, his Juliet would need to be able to rest her head and sleep, even if he couldn’t.
She was a young lady, after all, and a delicate flower in his opinion.
If they’d ridden on, she would surely have nodded off while on her horse, and fallen to the ground.
This way she could settle down in one corner of their carriage and sleep, although he would have to drive, as he’d not been able to hire a driver due to the fact that he was keeping his money for emergencies.
If only he’d thought to bring more, but his father had never kept much money in the house, and Rupert had followed his advice, in case of burglars.
Hence he had all the money he could find stowed in a purse in his pocket, but not enough for fripperies like a driver.
“I think that might be the carriage now,” he said, as his ears caught the sound of wheels on cobbles. “Shall we collect our bags and go?”
She jumped to her feet, full of enthusiasm for the next leg of their journey and, hand in hand, they hurried outside.
Their carriage was standing in the road.
Rupert regarded it in horror.
He’d asked for a carriage and two horses.
Perhaps he should have specified two living horses, as here he could see only one, and it looked as near to death as it was possible to be.
As for the carriage, it was more of a trap, only couldn’t be called a pony and trap as the horse was not a pony by any stretch of the imagination.
It looked like a woebegone cast off from the mail service, who were renowned for hammering their horses into the ground.
“Oh my goodness,” Juliet exclaimed, a hand to her mouth. “The poor thing. He looks half-starved. Whatever shall we do? We can’t possibly drive him all the way to Scotland.”
A disreputable man in a squashed and grimy old cocked hat was holding the horse’s head, but this was superfluous as it in no way looked as though it was about to escape.
Rupert swallowed. She was quite right. They couldn’t. And if they couldn’t drive this horse all the way to Scotland without bringing about its end, they would not be able to marry. A slight headache began to form just between his eyes.
“I know,” Juliet said brightly. “We’ll get a nice farmer to keep him for us until we get back and feed him well, for look.
” She slipped her fingers into the horse’s mouth and pulled its lips back to reveal its teeth.
“He’s not old at all, but has just fallen on bad times.
Go and find a farmer to take him in, Rupert, and then we’ll find ourselves another horse entirely.
” She regarded the trap, whose liberal spattering of bird droppings and bits of straw suggested a recent long incarceration in a barn.
“And this vehicle will do nicely.” She ran her fingers over the harness which looked dry and cracked and much in need of a good oiling.
“And although this harness has seen better days, it will suit us perfectly.” She turned a beatific smile upon Rupert, full of confidence that he could do what she’d just asked.
“You’d best hurry. After all, my brother will no doubt be hot on our heels and we don’t want him catching us, do we? ”
With a sigh he fought hard to conceal, Rupert set about following her instructions, while mentally attempting to count the finite sum of money he had reposing in his pocket.
He scowled. While he was at it, he might as well go and accuse that dealer of having duped him.
Or maybe not. He’d looked a rough sort and so did his man, who’d now speedily made himself absent.
In Rupert’s experience, men like that were not to be argued with, and it wasn’t as if he didn’t have plenty of money in his bank.
Just that it was inaccessible right now.
Perhaps he could get some of it back, though… ?