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“I will help the women,” Charles said, meeting Andrew’s gaze. “And I will see to it that they make it home safely.”
Andrew, looking massively relieved, nodded once and took off toward the area of parked carriages where Mr. Pepper had carried Giulia. A footman standing nearby in the Hart livery had evidently heard all that had transpired and began taking down the tent as a maid he had beckoned worked to clear the table and load the items into baskets.
They watched the Pepper carriage roll away in silence as Melbury men clapped one another on their backs, jovially celebrating their win. The tall, blond man threw his head back and laughed over something his companion had said and the sound niggled the back of Amelia’s mind, ringing a bell of familiarity, though she could not quite place where she had heard the sound. She watched them a moment longer, but her stomach only soured further. Anxious for Giulia and frustrated for her brother and his friends that they were unable to finish their match, Amelia felt a sudden desire to quit the place altogether.
Standing between Charles and Hattie, she indicated to the group celebrating. She was stunned by the turn the day had taken. “This was not how I anticipated the match ending.”
“Nor I,” Hattie agreed. “Though my father predicted it. He was certain the Melbury men had something dishonest planned.”
“And to think it was our men who threw the match and not the other side,” Charles muttered.
Both women turned to face him, and his neck went red, bleeding up to the tips of his ears.
“What do you mean?” Hattie asked, narrowing her eyes.
He shrugged. “The Tucker boys did their best to lose when they were batting. By the time I noticed what they were up to, the match was nearly over. Who knows what they did to aid in Melbury’s win before that point. I hadn’t thought to look to Graton men for the opposition.”
“I know they aren’t the most savory characters sometimes,” Hattie said, disbelief in the bend of her eyebrows, “but do you truly believe they would purposefully lose cricket?”
Charles shrugged. “I’m not sure. But I intend to find out.”
He started toward the Tucker boys when Amelia shot out her hand and clutched his sleeve. “Not now, please.” The last thing they needed was for Charles to get into an argument with the Tuckers and end up with a broken nose directly after Andrew had left the area.
He looked down at where she held his sleeve and swallowed hard.
She let go of his arm and slid her hand up her forearm, clutching her elbow and pretending her fingers didn’t tingle. Pasting on a bright smile, she said, “There are happier things to concern ourselves with at present. Let’s not ruin today with an altercation.”
His eyes glittered from the midday sun. “Very well. I’ll hold off for now.”
“Thank you,” she said and thoroughly meant it. “Though it’s a shame we didn’t know of this before. Andrew could have saved himself the trouble of gambling.”
“Which is why I never do,” Charles said.
Amelia paused. “Never what, exactly? Gamble?”
He nodded. “Waste of time; waste of money. I’ve never seen the attraction to it.”
And for some reason, that made him quite attractive to her.
By the time they finished supervising the servants taking down the Peppers’ chairs, table, canopy tent, and food items, most of the pitch had emptied of its spectators, and the Pepper carriage was long gone—most likely home by now. Amelia was eager to get home so she might receive news of Giulia’s condition straight away, but she knew it was likely going to be hours before Andrew would finish up at Halstead Manor and return home.
“It is too bad Mabel could not join us,” Amelia said. She hadn’t seen Mabel in at least two months, and her heart ached for a conversation with her dear, wise friend. “I miss her.”
“She is wise enough not to travel when she’s so near to giving birth,” Hattie said.
Charles laughed. “Or Mac isn’t allowing her to do so. She has another two months, does she not? I do not think she is so close to her time as to avoid travel. Perhaps she would expire from the heat of prolonged riding in a carriage, though.”
“Yes, about two months.” Hattie strung her arm through Amelia’s. “We must go and visit her soon.”
“As soon as Giulia can manage it,” Amelia said. “I will write to Mabel and arrange the outing myself.”
Hattie sighed. “Good. I long for the seaside.”
They crossed the lawn and Charles helped them into the carriage before climbing in behind them. He had ridden to the match with Mr. Pepper and Mr. Green, and now the extra horses were tied to the back of Amelia’s carriage—though Mr. Green intended to ride alongside like a postillion.
“Are you certain your father would not prefer to join us in here?” Amelia asked, looking out the window as they rolled forward on the pocked dirt road.
“He would rather ride when given the option,” Hattie said easily.
