Page 21 of Dared By a Lyon
“I see you worked up an appetite. And so, Miss Vickers and I shall continue our discussion about America while you eat. Then I shall ask you to inform us about the accident site.”
He nodded. His mother gave him a good ten minutes before she asked him. He took a sip of strong coffee and shared with them what he and his men had seen, and what he planned to do to prevent any more accidents in that stretch of road.
“Well…what does the carriage look like by the light of day?” his mother asked.
“I left five men pulling the carriage out of the mud. It appears that a wheel broke in the accident, and one of the axles looks cracked. It may have hit one of the bigger rocks on the side of the road. Theo knows someone who he thinks can fix it, but it may take some time. The men will do their best to clean it up.”
Ashlyn frowned. “I think the entire plan to attend the house party has been messed up. Even if the carriage is fixed, I don’t have a driver. I certainly can’t allow Billy Crutchins to drive it. Had I any idea he was fourteen—well, it’s a lesson to me to make sure to meet my hired staff, orstew in my own juices, as they say.”
“Oh! That is the most delightful idiom I’ve heard in a while,” the countess said. “I suppose it means to suffer the consequences.”
“Yes, I’m so sorry. I’ve been trying to be conscious of words and phrases specific to America and those I’ve tried to learn for England. But when I get rattled…” Ashlyn said.
“Oh, don’t worry about it, my dear. We’re all guilty sometimes. I actually quite like this one!”
Ashlyn’s lip twitched as she relaxed, visibly relieved at the countess’s remarks. “I think it came from our frontier,eventually making its way to Boston. And I think my father used it once, and I’ve used it a time or two.”
“Anyway, my son has planned to go to the party, so he can drive you and your maid,” the countess offered. “You will be much safer in our carriage. Isn’t that right, Gabriel?”
“Truly? That is most kind of you, Lord Ravensthorpe,” Ashlyn said. “I hope it is not an intrusion on your time.”
“It is no trouble at all,” he said. “We will have a smoother journey than the one you experienced in the carriage you contracted. However, we will require an additional day because of all the mud on the road. There are still some places that we found impassable for a carriage. Theo is getting some of the men from the village to help clear it out, and it should take at least two days to mend your carriage and clear the road.”
Ashlyn said.
“Oh, my dear,” the countess said. “You will make it to the house party, but I assure you that house parties are notoriouslynotsmaller-scale events. You have a smaller number, yes. But you are thrown into close quarters with the group—and if everyone doesn’t get along, it could be stressful.” She turned and smiled at her son. “But I’m certain that Gabriel will ensure your experience is wonderful and memorable. Is that not so, son?”
His mother’s words jolted him, and he realized he had been staring at Ashlynagain, remembering the middle of last night. He just wished he had not had to end their time together so quickly. He’d wanted to hear more about her love of cooking—or anything she wanted to speak of, for that matter. And as though he were a schoolboy pining after his first crush, he’d hoped she would bake some of those cookies she had mentioned…Cookies, not biscuits. He suddenly had other sorts of visions of what he would like to do in the kitchen with Miss Vickers.
Good God, what had come over him?
“Er…yes, Mother, I will make certain of that.” He didn’t know what else to say. He couldn’t very well say he didn’t plan on taking his eyes off her. Even if thatmightbe his plan.
What was he doing? He didn’t want to get married. And he knew there would be debutantes at the party he’d have to avoid. And the infamous Mrs. Dove-Lyon, as well. He’d not fall for any of her machinations.
Maybe the right idea was to stay close to Miss Vickers. He would do everything in his power to make sure that she was well protected from fortune hunters.
Chapter Ten
The next day
Gabriel stood inhis study, looking out the tall, mullioned windows at the garden his mother had lovingly cultivated in the yard outside. When she was home, she took great care in tending her flowers. Her red and white roses were in full bloom, and she always wanted them to be seen whenever the study drapes were open. From his spot, the vibrant flowers made a stunning backdrop, making him think of a painting and filling him with a calming sense of peace, just as they often did.
He reflected upon the previous evening, acknowledging it had been calm. Grateful for a second night’s peaceful sleep without the intrusive nightmares, he wondered if he had reached a breakthrough in his grief—and wondered, as he had the day before, if Miss Vickers was the reason.
A moment later, Miss Vickers entered the garden, seeming to search for something. He watched her check beneath the rosebushes and then hurry outside the iron gate to examine the boxwoods. She appeared to speak to someone walking next to her, but the person was much shorter, and he couldn’t see who it was because of the profusion of roses and Miss Vickers,who were both in his eyeline. And then she shifted, and he saw Caro pointing at something. Fascinated, he watched. Just a day earlier, he couldn’t have imagined this scene. His niece had always preferred solitude or the company of his mother or himself, but never desired her nanny’s presence beyond what was required. Her communication since the accident had always been whimpering and pointing, as she was doing now. Then he saw what they were searching for—a muddied dog that must have strayed into the garden, possibly lost in the storm.
Gabriel watched the small dog retreat beneath a boxwood before Miss Vickers got down on her knees and seemed to coax the pup out. Then she gently picked it up, making cooing sounds and smiling as she wrapped the pup in a blanket and cuddled it against her chest.
He struggled to understand how she and Caro even communicated. Miss Vickers clearly captivated his niece, and the two seemed to understand each other easily. Only those who had been around Caro her entire life were able to read the girl’s whimpers and facial expressions, and yet Miss Vickers seemed to have no problem. It was truly remarkable.
“Gabriel, there you are,” his mother said, entering the room. “Are they still out there?” She looked down at the garden.
“Yes. How did you know?” he asked.
“Forgive me if I sound rushed, but this is so exciting. When the rain stopped, I grabbed my pruners and the basket and ran outside, ready to prune some dead rose blossoms, and I heard a whimpering sound. At first, I thought it was Caro, until I realized it sounded different, more like a dog. I investigated when I heard Miss Vickers’s voice and a different sound. This time it sounded like Caro’s soft whimper—you know, when something upsets her.”
He nodded.
