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“Good heavens, and I thought you were joking! But you are not in love with her.”
“It is not necessary to be swept away by emotion. I like her very well, and I think she likes me, too, for she is quite at her ease in my company. Yes, we shall deal together most agreeably.”
“Then you had better be careful not to stretch the bounds of propriety too far, James, for if her father forbids you from seeing her, you will be in the suds.”
“Ah. An excellent point.” James sighed. “You are, as always, quite right. I shall be more circumspect in future.”
~~~~~
Julia was not in the least circumspect, and so she had no hesitation in telling the whole family of her encounter with the hunt, not diminishing her own responsibility for the débâcle. The new Mama was shocked, naturally, but Pa took it in his stride.
“Well, puss,” he said, chucking her under the chin as they gathered in the saloon before dinner, “if you will go wandering off on your own, inevitably you will get into trouble occasionally.”
“At least she only ended up in a puddle this time,” Will said. “Last time it was the canal. Really, Jules, you are such a madcap girl. But it is a pity you set up Bellingham’s back. I hope it will not turn him against me when I am ready to join the hunt.”
“I shall write him a very handsome apology,” Julia said, “and Mrs Reynell, too. I always acknowledge when I am in the wrong.”
“So you do, puss, so you do,” Pa said mildly, “but it would perhaps be better not to be in the wrong quite so often, eh? But you could hardly have known about the hunt, so little blame to you there. I’m more concerned with this Plummer fellow who escorted you home by way of this hut of his. He isn’t making a flirt of you, I hope?”
“Not in the least. He was perfectly gentlemanly.”
“Even so, you must be careful, Julia,” Mama said. “These high-ranking gentlemen are more subtle than the young men you knew in Yorkshire, and he may be leading you astray without you being aware of it. You must consider your reputation at all times… unless… Julia, you get on well with him, which your father and I must approve when he is a neighbour and our rector, but you are not developing atendrefor him, are you?”
Julia burst out laughing. “Heavens, no! He is less stuffy than the rest of his family, that is all.”
“Even so, it was not well done of him to seclude you away in this cottage or hut of his, with no one else present. I hope you will not permit such a liberty in future. Should you care for my advice on your letters of apology?”
“I shall write them myself, but you and Pa may read them before they are sent.”
“And I shall convey them to the recipients for you, Jules,” Will said. “My greys have been eating their heads off ever since they arrived. It will be a good opportunity to stretch their legs a little.”
“Aye, you want to show off that curricle and pair to the neighbours,” Pa said indulgently. “Good, good. So no harm done, we hope. Ah, Keeble, is dinner ready?” he added, as the butler sidled in.
“It is too soon,” Mama said, with a glance at the clock. “What is it, Keeble?”
The butler looked harassed. “Begging your pardon, madam, but there is a lady arrived. On foot, madam. With luggage.”
“A card, perhaps? Or a name?”
“She said—”
But such questions became moot as a bedraggled figure appeared behind the butler, her gown and cloak grimy, her bonnet drooping and stray pieces of straw in her hair. Camilla Weston, it seemed, had run away to Hertfordshire.
“Camilla? Great heavens, what a fright you look!” Will said, with more honesty than tact.
Her chin lifted a little, but with what dignity she could muster, she curtsied formally. “Mrs Fletcher. Mr Fletcher. I apologise for my unexpected arrival, but might I beg the favour of a bed for the night?”
Mama rose magnificently to the occasion. “Of course, my dear. Ah, Keeble, tell Mrs Graham to prepare the blue room for Miss Weston, and send up hot water at once. Send word to Mrs Sharwell to delay dinner for one hour. Come this way, Miss Weston. Do you have your maid with you?”
She swept Camilla out of the room, the butler in her wake, leaving the room in stunned silence.
It was Will who exploded first. “Well, of all the damnable nerve!”
“Language!” Pa said sharply. “Remember your sisters, if you please.”
Will bowed gracefully. “I beg your pardon, sir, but the provocation was extreme. Camilla is incorrigible!”
“Whatever she is, she is here and our guest, so we will treat her with courtesy. However, her father will be frantic with worry, since he thinks she is safely with her aunt at Newcastle. Will, go and tell one of the grooms to be ready to ride with an express at once. It will not take me a moment to scribble a note to Tom.”
