Chapter 6
Max was minding his own business and counting down the minutes until they reached their next destination when Lady Allegra elbowed him in the side.
“Stop!”
Somewhat startled, he did as she asked, and she scrambled down from the gig unaided, picked up her skirts, and ran toward one of the fields.
“What in God’s name are you doing?” Max called after her.
She, of course, ignored him and knelt down in the mud. Max drew the gig over to the side of the road, told the horse to stay, and went to join her.
“It’s stuck,” Lady Allegra said.
Max leaned in to see what she was referring to and realized she was struggling to untangle a small dog from the bramble hedge.
“I’m sure he’ll be fine if you just leave him be,” Max said.
“Do you have a pocketknife?”
Sighing, Max got it out for her. “You’re getting terribly scratched.”
“That’s because I’m doing something useful rather than standing around making stupid remarks!” Lady Allegra took the knife and started cutting through some of the prickly strands. “His fur is caught up, and as he’s struggled to get free, he’s made it worse.”
“Wait.” Max knelt down in the mud beside her. “Why don’t you hold the dog still while I do the cutting.”
“Thank you.” Lady Allegra murmured to the terrified dog. “Uncle Max will make everything right, little one. You’ll be out in a jiffy.”
As soon as the last bramble was cut away, the small brown-and-white dog leapt into Lady Allegra’s arms and clung to her, trembling. Max put away his knife and helped her stand up.
“I wonder where the dog lives?” She looked around and pointed farther up the road. “There’s a farm there. Shall we go and inquire?”
“If you put the blasted dog down, he’ll probably run home,” Max pointed out, but true to form, she ignored him.
“I’ll walk there while you retrieve the gig.” Lady Allegra set off, her expression determined.
Yet again, Max meekly did as he was told. He drove the gig into the farmyard and got down just as Lady Allegra arrived. There was no sign of anyone, but that didn’t deter his companion.
“Hello?” she called out, and started to walk toward the house.
“Stand back!” There was a shout from the barn opposite the house, and a figure stepped out pointing an ancient blunderbuss at them.
As the gun went off, Max threw himself toward Lady Allegra and brought her down to the ground. His ears were ringing, the dog was barking, and someone was emerging from the farmhouse screaming.
“Good lord almighty!” cried the older woman as she rushed toward them. “What’s that daft old man gone and done now?” She turned to the barn. “Granddad, what are you doing with that old thing? You’ll hurt someone.”
“It’s only bird shot,” the old man said. “I just wanted to scare them a little.”
Max got to his feet. “Scare us? When all this lady wished to do was restore your dog to you? A dog that was trapped in the bramble hedge for God knows how long before she spotted it and insisted we stop to help.” He walked over to the man and took the weapon out of his hand.
“Please put that away before you do any more harm.”
“Sir,” the woman said from behind him. “Your lady.”
Max turned around and realized that Allegra was still on the ground, and the dog was licking her face.
The woman knelt beside her with a concerned expression. “There’s blood on her neck, and she’s not stirring.”
The desire to snap the old man’s neck consumed Max, but he took a deep steadying breath.
“Perhaps your bird shot did more damage than you anticipated, sir.” He strode over to Allegra, picked her up in his arms, and turned to the woman.
“Is there somewhere I might safely place my sister while I call for a physician?”
“Yes, of course, sir. Bring her into the house,” the woman said. “I’m Mrs. Bridges, by the way.”
“I’m Mr. Foster, and this is my sister, Miss Allegra Foster.” Max followed Mrs. Bridges into the stone farmhouse and up the stairs into a decently sized bedroom under the eaves.
He laid her gently on top of the bed and stared down at her pale face, a whole host of emotions battling for dominance within him. “Is there someone you can send for a doctor or can you direct me to one?”
“There’s no one but me, our maid Jane, and old Toby, my father-in-law, here today. Everyone else has gone off to market.” Mrs. Bridges wrung her hands. “I can’t tell you how sorry I am about all this, sir. I don’t know what came over him. He’s never been the same since he came back from the wars.”
“I’ll go and fetch the physician, Mrs. Bridges,” Max said as she wiped her eyes.
“Thank you, sir. And I’ll take good care of your sister while you’re gone.”
Max took the gig and, following the brief directions Mrs. Bridges had given him, drove to a small hamlet about half a mile up the road and stopped at the church and vicarage.
The local physician, Mr. Tarleton, was the vicar’s younger brother, and Max was grateful to find him at home.
He agreed to come back to the Bridges’ farm, and Max was somewhat dismayed to discover Mr. Tarleton was the chatty type.
Max endured his conversation on the short drive only because he so desperately needed the man to help Allegra.
They were greeted at the door by Mrs. Bridges, and she took Mr. Tarleton up the stairs. Max was left in the large kitchen with the grandfather, who eyed him somewhat apologetically.
“I didn’t mean to shoot your sister, sir. You won’t have me hanged, will you?”
“I suppose that depends on whether she survives,” Max said.
The old man nodded. “Fair enough. Would you like some ale while you wait? It’s fresh brewed.”
Allegra regained consciousness to find herself in her nightgown, tucked up in bed with a strange man bending over her. He smiled as she studied him.
“Miss Foster, I’m so glad that you are awake. You had us all a bit worried there.” He smiled. “I’m Mr. Tarleton, the local physician.”
“What happened?” Allegra asked. “I remember coming into the yard with the dog, and then there was an explosion of some kind, and I fell to the ground.”
“There was an incident with a blunderbuss filled with bird shot going off in your vicinity,” Mr. Tarleton said with commendable diplomacy.
“You mean I was shot?”
“Not on purpose.” A woman stepped into view, her expression anxious. “Please don’t think that. My father-in-law is an old man, and his wits are somewhat befuddled.”
“From what I understand from Mrs. Bridges,” Mr. Tarleton said, “Mr. Coggins thought you and your brother were intruders and meant to threaten you with the blunderbuss, but he inadvertently set it off. He’s a decent sort, and I doubt he meant to harm you.”
Allegra raised her hand to her shoulder, which was stinging quite badly.
“You were hit on the neck and the shoulder, Miss Foster. The rest of you was protected by your cloak.”
“Thank goodness,” Allegra murmured.
“The wounds are mainly superficial,” Mr. Tarleton continued. “I’ve cleaned them out, and I’ve left some salve with Mrs. Bridges to reapply when needed.” He paused. “I would suggest you stay in bed for the next day or two and make sure you are fully healed before resuming your journey.”
“I do have something of a headache,” Allegra confessed.
“I suspect you hit your head when you fell,” Mr. Tarleton said. “I’ll leave you something for that, as well.”
He took a glass bottle out of his bag and spoke in low tones to Mrs. Bridges while Allegra tried to work out why she felt so ridiculously weak and tearful.
“Is the dog unharmed?” Allegra asked.
“Yes, little Pippin is fine,” Mrs. Bridges assured her. “I’ll bring him up to see you later if you wish. I thought he’d gone in the cart with my husband to market and didn’t realize he was missing until he turned up with you, miss.”
“Is my brother all right?” Allegra asked.
“Yes, he was unscathed,” Mr. Tarleton said. “He came to fetch me in his gig, and now I hope he’ll take me home.” He bowed. “Pleasure to meet you, Miss Foster. I’m fairly certain you’ll be up and about in no time, but please call on me if you need my services again.”
They both left the room, and Allegra was alone with a surfeit of feelings and the headache to match. When the door opened and Max came in, she burst into tears.
He took a hasty step toward her and then stopped. “Come on, now, this isn’t like you. Why aren’t you telling me off for not protecting you?” He sat on the side of the bed and offered her his handkerchief.
“You did your best.”
A shudder ran through him. “I wasn’t quick enough.”
“You turned me sufficiently to stop me getting shot in the face,” Allegra countered. “Thank you.”
He took her hand. “We are the most unlucky pair, aren’t we?”
“I’ll be better by tomorrow,” Allegra assured him. “And we can resume our journey.”
“Mr. Tarleton said you are not to move for two days, and that if you still have a headache, or if your wounds haven’t healed, you should stay longer.”
“I feel fine,” Allegra protested.
He squeezed her fingers. “Yes, that’s why you burst into tears when you first saw me. You’ll stay put until you’re better, and that is the end of it.”
Allegra sighed. “I must confess that I do feel quite awful.”
He lightly kissed her fingers and then stood up. “Mrs. Bridges says she’ll look after you until you’re fit to leave and that she’ll be bringing you up some broth for your supper.”
“Thank you.”
He looked down at her. “It’s the least she could do, considering I could lay charges against that old man for shooting you.”
“You won’t, though.” Allegra held his gaze until he reluctantly nodded. “Promise?”
“Yes, now go to sleep and get well.”
The next morning, as Max enjoyed a hearty breakfast at the kitchen table, Mrs. Bridges went up to attend to Allegra. When she came down again, she was frowning.
“Is everything all right?” Max asked.
“Your sister has a bit of a fever,” Mrs. Bridges said. “I’m keeping an eye on her.”
Max’s desire to eat fled. He put down his knife. “Should I fetch Mr. Tarleton?”