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“Scott,” Felicia said as she tried to compose herself, “on the ride over here when I told Becky how much we love to hunt, she told me that her father has taken her up to hunt the Quorn a few times over the years!”
This so impressed Scott that his mouth dropped open. “Never say so? Upon my word, you hunt the Quorn, Miss Wilson?”
Becky nodded shyly, and Felicia laughed. “There, you see? He is mad about hunting. Has always talked about going north to do so.” She turned to Ashton and asked, “Have you ever hunted the Quorn, sir?”
“You and Miss Wilson are already on first names. Would that my name would come as easily to your lips,” Ashton said in an aside and then added a bit louder, “Indeed, I have hunted the Quorn often.”
Felicia eyed him and instead of replying to this, said, “I should like to do so one time, but right now I am famished. When do you think we may have some food?”
“Indeed,” Ashton said quietly and as he had bent close to her ear, only for her ear, “I am I find more famished every minute that passes.”
She eyed him saucily, for he was flirting outrageously with her and she quite liked it. “Ah, then I say we must eat … at once.” The tease was in her eyes, and she was encouraged by the smoldering look he gave her.
Scott and Becky had already entered a lively discussion about the many exciting differences of hunting the Quorn and paid them little heed as Ashton took Felicia’s hand and slipped it through his bent arm and led her towards the door.
“Do you two join us?” he said languidly over his shoulder.
“Not Scott, he needs his rest,” Felicia said worriedly.
“Pon rep, what, do you mean to starve a man of food and company?” Scott objected.
“You promised.” Felicia wagged a free finger.
“I think a meal will do him good,” Ashton said.
Scott, who had been reclining in his chair, hurried to his feet and as he winced with the sudden movement Becky immediately put a hand to his good arm and said, “Oh, sir … are you all right?”
He grinned and said as he bent to gallantly kiss her fingers, “Quite.” He offered his uninjured arm and followed Ashton and Felicia, who was astonished at the unsuspected gallantry her longtime friend had never before displayed.
Felicia found she could not stop herself from eavesdropping as Becky spoke to Scott, and she listened to their quiet conversation with great interest.
“Felicia told me you were shot trying to help someone on the road. It seems this county is full of scoundrels.”
This made Felicia smile to herself and take a peek at Scott over her shoulder as she watched him take center stage and recite the tale of his adventure.
Well, well, she thought, here was definitely a new and far more mature man. Who was he? Was he the Scott she had grown up with? He was actually trying to impress their new friend. This was very good fun to watch.
~ Eleven ~
AT FELICIA’S HOME, Easton Manor, a great deal of excitement and havoc was taking place.
Lady Daphne had finally arrived at the manor and was apprised of the intelligence that Felicia Easton and young Scott, the neighboring squire’s son, had run off together, and no one knew where they had gone.
Upon hearing this news, Lady Daphne had put a gloved hand to her forehead and slumped into a nearby chair. Had her darling Freddy been on hand, she believed she would have fainted dead away and allowed him to take charge. He was, however, not on hand, and her odious brother had not only dropped this all in her lap but was nowhere to be found.
It was up to her to do something, but she didn’t have a notion of what that ‘something’ should be.
She eyed the servants, and they shrank into the background. The squire arrived and introduced himself as Scott Hanover’s father. She allowed him her hand and asked, “Did you have a notion they would run off to marry? Did you object to the
marriage—is that it?”
He eyed her with his quizzing glass and made her understand in a blast of words that if she thought his son and the little minx, Flip, had run off to get married, she was no more than a fool.
She didn’t have the time to take insult. She glared at him instead asked instead, “Why then have they run off … together, pray tell?”
“From what I have gleaned from my people, and that only because one of ’em overheard Scott telling a friend of his, the duke was coming to abduct our little Flip away and marry her off. They took off to hide from the old fidget. Seems he meant to take her to Swindon of all the outlandish places, no doubt where she isn’t known and would have no protection. Felicia wouldn’t stand for it, and right she was. No woman should be forced into marriage, and if they had only confided in me, I would have stood beside them and taken care of the matter. They didn’t. Perhaps they thought I would not be able to do anything. At any rate, took fright and off they went.”
“Swindon … the duke …? Oh, you are speaking of my uncle?” Daphne shook her head, and then dawning lit in her eyes. “Oh … you don’t know. My uncle passed away, you see. Did no one even advise Miss Easton? Well, upon my word. But why my late uncle would have wanted to take her off … and, wait, he passed two months ago … why would she run now?”
