CHAPTER NINE
Inexplicably, Sir Lucius did not see Miss Ashling out riding until several days after the meeting with Lord Collingbourne.
She was trying, without success, not to be jealous of those who could enjoy a decent canter without expending more effort than the beast beneath them, and it was with acute embarrassment that she saw Lord Godmanchester and Sir Lucius Radstock coming towards her.
She could do nothing more than acknowledge their greetings, and try to ignore the pained look upon Sir Lucius’s face.
The sight of Miss Ashling’s mount was almost too much for him to bear.
Lord Godmanchester had to bite his lip at his friend’s mutterings as they drew up.
The fact that Miss Ashling was clearly not a timid horsewoman for whom such a beast might just have been appropriate made it all the worse.
‘Good morning, Miss Ashling. Enjoying the fresh air, I see.’
‘Good morning, my lord, Sir Lucius. The fresh air is enjoyable but that is as far as my pleasure extends.’
‘Ah. Your mount does not seem …’
‘Equine? Quite probably.’ She made no attempt to excuse the animal, and sounded thoroughly fed up. ‘I am the only female in the family who enjoys riding, and alas, my uncle believes a ladies’ hack must be sound in all paces, assuming only that it has but two.’
‘My dear Miss Ashling, you have our sympathies, doesn’t she, Lucius?’
118Sir Lucius nodded.
‘You must know, Miss Ashling, that my friend here is just the man you should consult if you want a good bit of horseflesh.’
‘Indeed. Sir Lucius appears to be “just the man” one should consult upon so many things.’ She flashed him a brittle smile.
Lord Godmanchester threw his friend a swift glance, but Sir Lucius seemed impervious to the barb. He still seemed overwhelmed by the hack’s bad points, which were too numerous to list.
‘Lord Chalford actually selected this beast? Did you not have any influence upon his choice?’ Sir Lucius sounded genuinely bemused.
‘I fear that my own preferences count for little.’ Miss Ashling coloured. ‘He did not consider it reasonable to bring my own hack up from Sussex. Were I to use my allowance to purchase or hire another animal I would risk insulting my uncle.’
Sir Lucius frowned, and glanced at his friend. ‘Would Lady Godmanchester not be grateful if Miss Ashling would exercise her hack whilst she is unable to do so?’
There was a pause for a fraction of a second. ‘Now that is a splendid idea. Would you permit me to ask Lord Chalford if you might do that? It would be doing us a service.’
‘I …’ Elizabeth hesitated. ‘It is very generous of you. I did not know Lady Godmanchester was a keen horsewoman.’
‘She has taken up riding more in the country, admittedly.’ The Earl smiled a little self-consciously.
‘Then, thank you. I would be very pleased if you 119broached this with my uncle. But, of course, I will ask Lady Godmanchester this afternoon, myself, if she is happy for me to ride her own horse.’ Her smile was very genuine.
Bowing politely, the two gentlemen went on their way.
‘And what exactly prompted that, my friend?’ Lord Godmanchester looked sidelong at his companion.
‘You saw the beast. Good God, Giles, you wouldn’t permit your wife to be seen abroad on a screw like that.’
The Earl laughed. ‘No, though I am not sure Helen would describe herself as so bold a rider as Miss Ashling. And what hack is this?’
‘I shall provide one by tomorrow, never fear.’
‘I am more concerned as to what you expect Helen to say this afternoon.’
‘Nothing more than she cannot ride, obviously, and would be glad to have the horse exercised by her friend.’
‘And if she asks, perchance, details of the animal?’
‘It being a Monday, I suggest we take a look in at Tattersall’s sale. It should provide a morning’s entertainment, and Lady Godmanchester will be able to describe “her” horse with only a very little coaching.’
‘And who is purchasing this horse, Lucius?’ The Earl raised an enquiring eyebrow.
‘I am, but it will be eating your fodder. When Miss Ashling leaves London, well, either you can purchase it if you think your wife might care for it in the future, or I sell it.’
‘Your motivation verges on the altruistic.’
‘Verges, Giles? It is entirely altruistic.’
‘So you harbour no further thoughts than it would be 120a crime to force Miss Ashling to sit upon that revolting animal again?’
‘Exactly, my friend. The lady is obviously a fine horsewoman. Did you not see her hands? Such a pity she does not drive.’
‘She does not? Would you be the man to teach her?’
‘Alas, I think that were I to offer, Miss Ashling would, er, jib, and besides, Easby has already offered his services.’
‘Easby? But …’
‘I know. I think if he has aspirations in that quarter, however, he is heading for disappointment. Not easily won over is Miss Ashling. I seem to set up her bristles at every encounter without even trying.’
‘She is not the most approachable of ladies, I admit, although I have not found her anything but charming, and she has been a good friend to Helen. I suppose it is natural in the circumstances.’
‘The circumstances? You make that sound ominous.’ Sir Lucius grinned, but his eyes were watchful.
‘But surely … Ah, no, of course, you were not in London most of that Season. I am sorry.’
‘Since there was nothing that you could have done, being sorry is singularly pointless. But you could usefully tell me what did occur.’
‘It was quite simple really. Miss Ashling’s father died.’
‘As I am well able to vouch, that should not make a difference in the long term.’
‘It does if he drinks himself to death and leaves nothing but debt from some incautious scheme or other. Miss Ashling was threatened with the loss of everything, even her home.’
121‘Unfortunate, certainly, but she is not impoverished now, unless her relatives are all lying.’
‘No, but that came later. The thing is that Miss Ashling was on the point of contracting an alliance with Syston, well, Henry Freshford as he was then. According to Helen, she was very taken with the youth, and he with her, though personally I cannot conceive what she found to admire in him. I always thought him a trifle …’
‘Weak and watery?’ Sir Lucius sneered.
‘Indeed. Well, you can imagine how little Syston liked the idea of his heir being betrothed to a girl who was the centre of gossip, and dowerless.’
‘Syston was ever a warm one when it came to money, and cold when it came to humanity.’
‘He certainly had no interest in his son’s feelings for Miss Ashling. He forbad him having anything more to do with her, once the circumstances of the death were known.’
‘And Freshford would, of course, obey, the spineless puppy.’
‘Of course. Miss Ashling left Town with a bruised heart and no future. I’ll say this for Chalford, he might not be able to pick a horse, but he worked hard on her behalf with the lawyers for the best part of a year.
Then Chalford’s brother – do you remember Gerald Chalford?
Poor chap died of wounds after Waterloo – left all his money to Miss Ashling. ’
‘I never realised the army paid that well. What an opportunity you and I must have missed.’
‘Hardly. But he had savings, and he got his man of business to buy into Funds when everyone else was selling 122before the battle. Good move. Pity he never lived to enjoy the fruits of his acuity.’
‘But it means Miss Ashling is restored to “marriageable” status in the eyes of society.’ Sir Lucius frowned.
‘Indeed she might have returned last Season, had she so wished.’ His voice dropped almost to a whisper.
‘And yet she did not do so. I think, Giles, I have done the unfortunate young lady a great disservice.’
‘You, Lucius? But …’
Sir Lucius looked grim, and shook his head.
‘But you are purchasing her a horse.’
‘Indeed I am. How inadequate.’
Lord Godmanchester frowned, but said nothing more and wondered.
Tattersall’s was, of course, busy, being both auction and settling day.
They took a brief look into the subscription room, and Sir Lucius collected his winnings from a bet he had laid upon one of his fillies, racing at Newmarket.
He appeared to be one of the more fortunate, since many more were paying rather than receiving.
‘Don’t tell me, this is what you are going to use to purchase the hack for Miss Ashling. You are the luckiest of fellows.’
‘It wasn’t so much luck. I had every hope for Damselfly, and the opposition was not likely to trouble her. The odds were quite short, though, so do not see this all as profit. Oh, and keep your voice down, there’s a good fellow.’
Having exchanged greetings, congratulations and commiserations with a number of gentlemen, they made 123their way outside to the auction.
Sir Lucius was in his element, and at his most relaxed, laughing and joking with his fellow horse lovers.
He also kept his eyes on the horses being paraded around the outside, and soon had his eye on a promising grey mare.
He spoke to one of the auctioneers, took a close look at her as she was trotted up and down, and had a whispered conversation with one of the stable staff.
‘She’s the one,’ he said, quietly, to Lord Godmanchester. ‘Good quarters on her, intelligent head. The lad says she has no vices in her but can be a bit lively, and I think our Miss Ashling will enjoy a bit of a challenge after her current mount.’
Lord Godmanchester noted the possessive ‘our’, but kept his own counsel.
‘Right, she’s coming up next. Let us see what the opposition will offer.’
The bidding started in a desultory way, but then picked up. Sir Lucius prompted his friend to up each bid, since ostensibly it was Godmanchester’s purchase. As the figure rose, Lord Godmanchester gave a muttered ‘Are you sure, Lucius?’ but obeyed the pressure at his elbow.
Only one other bidder remained, and Sir Lucius detected a falter. ‘Keep going; he’ll fold.’