“No,” Hal agreed, awkwardly. “I suppose not.”
Luke left the drawing-room a moment later, being summoned down by Mr. Halston, leaving Hal alone. He leaned on the mantelpiece, looking out of the vast windows toward the distant hills.
Luke was trying to reassure him, he knew. But, in many ways, his reassuring words simply made his worry all the more acute. He needed to ask Lady Hartfield’s permission, but he had the terrible feeling in his heart that she would refuse him. Then all hope would, well and truly, be lost to him for good.
Chapter Five
Meeting on the Road
The light shone in through the drawing-room window at Amhurst Heights. Hestony closed her eyes against the brightness, leaning back in the chair where she rested. Made of pale green velvet in a wing-back design, thickly upholstered, it was a perfect place for a weary soul to curl up in the sunshine.
“Why am I so tired?” she murmured to herself.
It had been a week since she’d been caught in the rain and then had a raging fever as a result. She had thought she was recovered, but this strange listlessness prevailed, making it hard to walk down the stairs to the parlor and take tea with the others.
Hestony heard footsteps cross the threshold into the drawing-room and sat up sharply. She hadn’t realized she’d fallen asleep again! She quickly sat up straight and tidied her hair, but it was Miss Allgrove, the maid, coming in to fetch the tea-tray. She walked straight to the table and then out, not even noticing Hestony where she rested on the chair by the window.
When the maid had gone, she leaned on the chair and stood, walking slowly through the door and to the top of the stairs. She paused there, hearing people talking in low voices in the hallway. She frowned as she heard someone laugh. It was lonely up there, she realized. Yes, she was terribly weary and had developed the habit of dropping off to sleep if somebody talked too long or too monotonously, but that didn’t mean she didn’t ache for human company sometimes! Since Hal’s visit, two days ago, she had not seen him, and though her heart still sang from that sweet, brief moment, she wished he would come back to visit again.
She considered taking the stairs down, just to see who was there, but by the time she got to the landing, she was already exhausted. She was still paused there, waiting to catch her breath, when somebody came to the bottom of the stairs.
“Lady Hestony!”
“Lady Raphaella?” She smiled, recognizing the lady. With masses of reddish curly hair and a gentle, sweet face, Lady Raphaella was the sister of Lord Westmore’s best friend, and a firm member of Emilia’s circles. Hestony was pleased to see her – over the last few weeks they had become good friends, too.
“I’m so pleased to see you,” Lady Raphaella said fondly. “I heard from Emilia that you have been ill these last days. I hope you’re recovered now?”
“I am.” Hestony nodded, still leaning on the wall, though she was already feeling a little better. “I’m still a bit tired.”
“I see.” Raphaella bit her lip. “I hope not too tired…for I was going to ask you if you would like to take a ride in my new two-wheel coach? My brother bought it for me for my birthday, and I’m still a little nervous to go in it alone!”
“Oh?” Hestony considered the idea. It was extremely tempting, she had to admit.
As she thought about it, wondering what route they would take, her spirits fell. She didn’t want to risk going up along the track toward Westmore House, where she had seen the highwayman.
I don’t want to risk seeing him – not ever again.
“Well?” Lady Raphaella frowned, though she had a little smile about her lips. “I hope you say yes! It would be such fun. And Lord Westmore won’t let Emilia go – it’s far too dangerous for her, right now.” She grinned.
“I would like to go,” Hestony said in a small voice. “But…can we go south, down to the river?”
“Of course!” Lady Raphaella beamed. As Hestony climbed slowly down the last steps, she linked arms with her. “I think the south road would be positively grand! It’s quite steep in the beginning, but we will take it slowly. I really don’t want any accidents in the thing.”
Hestony nodded. “We’ll go slowly.”
Outside, in the drive, stood the coach. A slender thing with enormous wheels and almost no body-work, it was clearly built for speed rather than for safety, and Hestony eyed it with a mix of excitement and apprehension. Two horses stood in the traces, matching white ones, with compact, muscular bodies and soft manes. They turned around and eyed Hestony with vague interest.
“This is it?” she asked.
Lady Raphaella laughed. “This is it!” Her eyes were sparkling as she stepped up into the driver’s seat. Painted a bright white, the thing glinted in the sunlight. Hestony swallowed nervously and reached up to take her friend’s hand.
Lady Raphaella clicked her tongue gently, and the two horses stepped slowly down the drive.
Hestony hung on to the fragile bodywork, feeling her stomach tighten with nerves as they rattled down the road. She had heard of the latest craze for two-seater coaches, built for speed – many of the young dandies and more daring society ladies had them, and races with them were both fashionable and dangerous. But, as yet, she’d never actually seen one up close, much less ridden in one.
“Shall we go a bit faster?” Lady Raphaella asked, hands on the reins.
“Maybe a bit…” Hestony said nervously.
“Yah!” Her friend shook the reins, and the horses shot off. Hestony screamed and clung on. Beside her, Lady Raphaella was flushed with enjoyment, and Hestony felt the beginnings of exhilaration.
“Whee!”
Lady Raphaella joined her in her whoops and yells. Her fear of the dark rider forgotten, Hestony clung to the side of the coach and felt her heart soar and her breath sing and the wild freedom of the ride. She forgot she’d ever felt weary, brought to life by this marvelous new game.
“We should turn left!” Lady Raphaella yelled over the sound of the churning wheels as they sped down the hill. “I think that track-way goes past the river, yes?”
“I think so!” Hestony shouted back. She clung onto her bonnet and the small, light carriage bounced over the stony ground as they shot downhill and then, as Lady Raphaella steered them, turned left.
“Halt!” Lady Raphaella yelled.
Hestony felt her stomach almost stop. They were facing two riders on the path! If they didn’t stop soon, there would be a collision. Gripping the sides of the coach, too shocked and transfixed by the riders to scream, she clung on and watched as their imminent destruction sped closer.