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‘Lovely, as always,’ Mark said.
‘Magnificent,’ Drew added.
Jane was silent as they made their way to the front of the house and mounted. The road was busy and they could only ride in single file until they entered Hyde Park, when they walked their horses at a sedate pace along the Row. It was not Jane’s idea of going for a ride, but she could not leave Isabel who was intent on seeing and being seen.
* * *
They had been riding for perhaps half an hour when another rider coming towards them stopped when he reached them. ‘Wyndham, good day,’ he said. He was a tall, elegant figure with dark curly hair and almost black eyes, which looked Isabel over appreciatively, then turned towards Jane and then to Drew. ‘Ashton, we meet again.’
‘Indeed,’ Drew said.
‘Wyndham, are you not going to present me to the ladies?’ the newcomer asked.
Mark seemed reluctant, but he turned to Isabel first. ‘Isabel, may I present Lord Bolsover. My lord, Miss Isabel Cavenhurst, my future wife.’
Bolsover swept off his tall beaver to her. ‘My felicitations, Miss Cavenhurst. My friend Mark is a fortunate man.’
Isabel replied with a ready smile and a nod. ‘My lord.’
Mark turned to Jane. ‘And this is Miss Jane Cavenhurst.’
His lordship bowed again, but Jane could not bring herself to smile at him. She inclined her head without speaking.
‘Daughters of Sir Edward, I assume,’ he said. ‘And sisters to Teddy. I am indeed glad to make your acquaintances.’
Isabel, who had never heard of Lord Bolsover in connection with her brother, was inclined to be friendly towards him. ‘Oh, are you a friend of Teddy’s?’
‘I know him well,’ he said. ‘But I have missed him of late. I do hope he is not ailing.’
‘Oh, no, he has gone to India to make his fortune.’
Bolsover laughed aloud. ‘So that is where he has hidden himself. No matter, there are other ways of skinning a cat.’
‘Isabel, I do not think we should detain Lord Bolsover,’ Jane put in quickly. ‘And we must be on our way.’ She gathered up her reins to move off.
‘No doubt we shall meet again,’ he said, touching the brim of his hat. ‘I have business with Sir Edward.’
‘I do not like the sound of that,’ Jane said to Mark as they resumed riding. ‘It sounded almost like a threat.’
‘Don’t worry, he can do nothing while Teddy is out of the country.’
‘He could threaten Papa.’
‘I doubt he plans to leave London to go to Norfolk in the middle of the Season, Jane. He can make a fortune fleecing the young bloods who come to town to enjoy themselves. He would not forgo that.’
‘Are you really his friend?’
‘Certainly not, no more than he is mine. I detest the man.’
‘Why?’ Isabel demanded, catching the end of the conversation. ‘I found him very civil.’
‘He is the one to whom Teddy owes money,’ Jane said. ‘It is that man who drove our brother to emigrate.’
‘It was Teddy’s own fault, if you ask me,’ Isabel said. ‘He did not have to gamble.’
‘You are right, of course, but I fear Lord Bolsover has not finished with us yet.’
‘What can he do?’
‘Nothing,’ Mark put in. ‘Let us forget him and enjoy the rest of our ride.’
‘Yes, let’s,’ Isabel said and kicked her horse into a trot and then a canter. ‘I’ll race you to that tree over there.’ And she was gone at a crazy gallop.
There was nothing they could do but follow, led by Drew, who was the only one riding his own mount, which gave him the advantage. Jane was a good horsewoman, but on a hired hack could not catch her sister, let alone keep up with the men. She was well behind them when she saw her sister ride under the tree she had pointed out. In an effort to pull up, she was caught by an overhanging branch with such force it threw her to the ground.
Drew was off his horse in an instant and kneeling beside her. He had her head cradled in his arms when Mark and Jane arrived and dismounted. Jane fell to her knees beside them.
Isabel was unconscious, her face paper white. ‘I fear she is badly hurt,’ Drew said, with an unaccustomed tremor in his voice. ‘We must get her back to Mount Street as swiftly as possible and have a doctor fetched.’
He turned from addressing Mark to look down at Isabel and the expression on his face filled Jane with alarm. It was more than just the concern of a gentleman towards an injured lady, more than that of a friend. He loved Isabel. She looked up at Mark to see if he had noticed, but if he had, he betrayed nothing of his feelings as he prepared to remount his horse and go for help.
