Page 37 of How to Ruin a Rake

“Thank you.” She returned his interested gaze. “You look quite brown.”

He shrugged. “I’ve been out in the fields helping Mr. Bridges and learning about the intricacies of farming in Suffolk.”

He’d loosened his cravat and abandoned his waistcoat and looked like the pastoral hero in every dreadful country ballad.

“I’m hoping to persuade Mr. Tarleton that I am fit to leave,” Allegra said.

“That would be nice.” Max paused. “Tell Mr. Tarleton that we’ll travel more slowly and make frequent stops so that we don’t exhaust you.”

“Tell him yourself. He’s probably more likely to listen to you.”

“He thinks I’m an over-anxious fool,” Max said. “But I’m willing to try.”

To Max’s surprise, Mr. Tarleton was surprisingly amenable to the idea of Lady Allegra leaving the farmhouse.

“Miss Foster is a resilient woman. As long as you stop whenever she feels tired, then I’m sure you’ll be fine,” Mr. Tarleton said. “Her wounds are superficial, and healing nicely, and her headache and fever have gone. If she eats properly and regularly, I think she’ll be none the worse for her experience.”

Max tried to pay the doctor, but he was waved off.

“The Bridges have settled your bill with me. I believe they felt some responsibility for what happened to Miss Foster.”

“Some responsibility?” Max raised his eyebrows.

“Well, you did trespass on their property.”

“To return their dog, whom my sister rescued from possible death.”

Mr. Tarleton grinned at Max. “Good lord, you are quite intimidating when you put your mind to it.”

“It’s a skill I learned from my father.” Max held out his hand. “Thank you for caring for my sister, sir. I appreciate it.”

Mr. Tarleton returned the handshake. “It was a pleasure, sir.”

An hour later, the Bridges family, Jane, and Mr. Coggins were gathered in front of the house to wave Max and Lady Allegra off. Max had already said his goodbyes when Lady Allegra came out of the house. He took her large reticule from her and stored it safely under the seat while she shook hands with the men and kissed the women. He almost missed that Pippin was hiding in her skirts.

The dog seemed reluctant to let her go. Lady Allegra crouched down to pick up the dog and kissed his head. “Good boy. Now don’t go running off again and getting into trouble.” She put him down, and he whined and jumped up at her. “I can’t take you, Pippin. You belong here.”

There was a catch in her voice that made Max look over at her.

Mr. Bridges cleared his throat. “He’s not much use to us if he won’t do as he’s told, miss. Our dogs are working dogs.”

Lady Allegra looked at Max, and he sighed and put his hand in his pocket.

“How much do you want for the dog?”

Mrs. Bridges smiled at him. “Nothing at all, sir.”

“Are you sure?” Lady Allegra’s face broke out into a radiant smile. “I’d love to take him.”

Max lifted Lady Allegra onto the bench seat, handed Pippin to her, and got up himself. He touched the brim of his hat to the assembled family, clicked to the horse, and they were off.

He turned out onto the main road and headed inward, away from the coast and toward their eventual destination in Norfolk. They’d have to spend one more night on the road, but at last he could see the way to getting Lady Allegra safely home.

What might happen after that, he hardly dared think about. All his instincts told him that there was a scandal brewing. If it had just been about him, he wouldn’t have cared, but the implications for Lady Allegra’s future reputation might be insurmountable. Which wasn’t fair, but when had society ever cared about that? If it came down to it, his father might stir himself to save his family from embarrassment and ensure that Max survived the worst of it.

But the Musgroves were already considered an oddity in society, and no one would rush to save them. …

For the first time in his life, Max considered someone else’s future other than his own, and he had no idea how to help.