Page 43 of Counting on Love

He laughed. “Don’t lay wager on it.”

The shouting grew louder, and she heard the horses. Twenty yards ahead, the first rider appeared, flying over the ridge: Lieutenant Taverston, going hell-for-leather. Olivia appeared moments after, bonnet fallen to one side, dangling by strings. Lieutenant Taverston soared over the hedge and continued a short distance while he slowed. Olivia followed, chasing her brother, shouting and laughing.

Then came the Willowsetts, their horses neck-and-neck, crowding one another as they approached the hedge. Georgiana cringed.

Lord Taverston muttered, “Idiots! Spread out.”

Just before the jump, Jeremy’s horse shied. Georgiana gasped and Olivia cried out. Jeremy was thrown against Jeffrey’s horse as they both went over the hedge. The horse landed badly. He stumbled a few steps then his forelegs crumpled. Jeffrey, thankfully, slid clear.

Everything next happened at once. Mr. Taverston and Alice stopped on the far side of the hedge. Mr. Taverston dismounted, dropped his reins, and caught Jeremy’s horse. He handed both the reins to Alice and then hurdled the hedge. Lord Taverston and the Lieutenant also dismounted.

All three converged upon the catastrophe.

Jeffrey stumbled toward his brother, aghast, making incoherent apologies, but the Lieutenant had beaten him there and was already kneeling in the grass, tending to the injured boy. Lord Taverston blocked Jeffrey’s approach.

“Take Jeremy’s horse back.” Projecting calm and authority, he seemed every inch an earl. “Tell Mundy to come with the cart.”

Pale and shaking, Jeffrey quieted, staring at him helplessly. He tried to nod.

Lieutenant Taverston called, “Have them bring Adam also. And send for Dr. Haraldsen.”

Georgiana’s attention shifted. The Lieutenant had removed his neckcloth and was pressing it to Jeremy’s head.

“My God!” Jeffrey moaned. “I didn’t mean to crash into him.”

The men were all speaking loudly over the restless whinnying of the horses and one’s frantic squeals of pain. Nevertheless, Lord Taverston sounded calm.

“Of course not. You were both riding like gudgeons. Now go fetch the cart if you want to help.”

Olivia rode closer, calling, “I’ll come with you, Jeffrey.”

Georgiana felt useless. Sickened. It frightened her how still Jeremy was.

Lieutenant Taverston glanced up, looked around, and shouted over the noise, “Georgiana, go to the bag behind my saddle. There are spirits and bandages. Will you bring them?”

A shot rang out. Abruptly, the world became silent. Everyone turned to the downed horse. And Mr. Taverston. Whose pistol now pointed at the ground.

“Right,” Lord Taverston said finally. “Jeffrey, Olivia, go.”

Jeffrey clambered over the hedge to retrieve his brother’s horse from Alice. Olivia jumped hers over neatly. Georgiana slipped from her own saddle to fetch the spirits and bandages. She had to pass close by Mr. Taverston, whose head was lowered and whose expression was wooden. Unthinkingly, she put her hand on his arm for a moment in passing. He did not look up.

What an impressive trio the lords of Iversley were, Georgianna thought. In a crisis, without conferring, without argument, each had leaped to a separate, necessary task as if their assignments had been preordained. And Mr. Taverston undertook the most thankless.

*

Alice peeled off her gloves and dropped them on the bed. Jeanette stood ready to help them change for tea.

“It was horrible. That poor boy. And Georgiana! You were so brave. I don’t know how you did it.” Alice sank onto the bed.

Georgiana did not have gloves to remove. Lieutenant Taverston had demanded them of her before allowing her to remount. They were bloodstained. Very. She hadn’t noticed. He apologized and said he would see to replacing them. She said she had other pairs. It had been a rather inane exchange.

“There is, I think, a bit of blood on my sleeve, Jeanette. And mud on my skirt. If it won’t come out—”

“I will see to it, my lady.”

Jeanette helped her to remove her garments, then produced a bowl of hot water so that she could thoroughly clean her hands and arms and knees.

“Will he be all right?” Alice asked. “He looked horrible. And his brother was so contrite. And Olivia was so upset. They were trying to impress her.”