is the younger of your brothers, I believe?’
‘We are but eleven months apart in age. My elder brother Tom manages the estate, of course. I am fond of Tom, but it was Nicolas with whom I shared so much.’ She laughed as she recalled some of the naughty escapades that had landed her in hot water when she was younger.
‘Yes, I see,’ George said. ‘It is natural that you should feel closer to Nicolas with him being so near in age.’
‘It is more than that.’ A husky chuckle escaped her. ‘Nicolas was sometimes a little high-spirited, and he encouraged me to do things of which my governess did not always approve. We escaped our tutors together, and he always shouldered the blame as much as he could, though I confess that the ideas for our adventures were not always of his making.’
George smiled inwardly. Her laughter was infectious and he thought her enchanting. She seemed to have no fear of speaking out, though some of her revelations might displease the old tabbies who considered themselves the arbiters of good taste and decorum.
‘You were fortunate in having such a companion, Miss Holbrook. I, on the other hand, was an only—’ He broke off as he saw who was approaching them on foot. ‘There is Freddie. I think we must pull over for a moment…’
Caroline made no comment. She knew that he could not neglect to acknowledge his friend, but would have preferred to drive past with a polite nod. Something about Sir Frederick Rathbone unsettled her, whereas she was perfectly comfortable with Mr Bellingham.
‘Good morning, George—Miss Holbrook.’ Freddie’s dark eyes dwelled on her face. With that flame of hair peeping from beneath her chip-straw bonnet, which was tied with green ribbons to match her gown, she was certainly a beauty. She would not lack for suitors, he thought, and wondered why the idea of her being pursued by all the young bucks should be slightly irritating. ‘Are you enjoying yourself, Miss Holbrook?’
‘Very much, sir, thank you. I have seldom seen a finer pair than Mr Bellingham’s greys.’
‘You haven’t seen Freddie’s fine chestnuts,’ George said, generous to a fault. ‘Miss Holbrook is a great rider, Freddie, and a judge of horseflesh. You must take her up in your phaeton one of these days. I am sure she would enjoy it.’
‘Oh, yes, I should,’ Caroline said without pausing for thought. ‘Nicolas let me drive his phaeton sometimes, and we once raced a friend of his around the estate…though perhaps I ought not to have said so? I believe it might be frowned upon by some?’
‘You have just damned yourself in the eyes of the old tabbies,’ Freddie said, amused. Her way of confiding in one was attractive, for she did it with such innocence that one could not help being charmed. ‘But fear not, Miss Holbrook. Neither George nor I shall betray you.’
‘Thank you,’ Caroline replied, a faint blush making her look touchingly vulnerable for a moment. That was the second time he had said something of the sort. Had he taken her in dislike? She lifted her head defiantly, meeting his gaze. ‘I think my tongue will land me in trouble one of these days. I should learn to curb it, but it runs away with me.’
‘No, no,’ Bellingham assured her, but Sir Freddie remained silent. His silence made her feel that he disapproved of her and that made her want to challenge him. For why should he censure her? She had done nothing outrageous, and his manner had pricked her pride. ‘Though you might offend the tabbies without meaning to.’
‘Who are these tabbies?’ Caroline asked innocently, though she was well aware of their meaning. Her eyes were bright with mischief, bringing a laugh from George and a thoughtful look from Freddie. ‘Please do tell, for I am all at sea.’
‘You are a minx,’ Freddie told her and now there was a hint of amusement on his lips, which caused her heart to flutter oddly. ‘I think you mean to tease us, Miss Holbrook. George, I shall not keep you. I am certain you are wishing me to the devil.’
‘Not a bit of it.’ George smiled. ‘All is fair in love and war, they say. I shall see you later at White’s…’ The words died on his lips, for at that moment Caroline gave a little cry and jumped down from the carriage, lifting her skirts clear to avoid stumbling as she ran across the grass. ‘What the devil is she doing?’
Sir Freddie did not answer—he had seen what had caused Caroline to risk life and limb and dash off so suddenly. A youth was tormenting a puppy, kicking at it cruelly, and the creature was yelping with pain. Without reference to George, he set off after her, arriving just as Caroline rounded on the youth in a fury.
‘How dare you?’ she cried as the animal cowered away from yet another blow. ‘Stop that at once or I shall teach you better manners, sir!’
‘What yer gonna do, then?’ the youth asked, leering at her. He was a dirty, ragged boy and his face was smeared with dirt. ‘Can’t stop me. Master told me to get rid of it—and he’ll kill me if I go back with the flea-ridden brute.’
‘Then go back without it,’ Caroline said. ‘Touch it again and I shall have you beaten!’
‘Yeah? How yer gonna do that, then?’ the youth asked, squaring up to her. He lifted his fist as if he would strike her, only to have his arm caught in an iron grip. Looking up, his face turned white beneath the dirt and his eyes darted to Caroline in fear. ‘Call him off, miss. I weren’t gonna hurt yer.’
‘No, you certainly were not,’ Caroline said, head up, eyes glittering. ‘For I should have hit you with my parasol. Let him go, sir.’ She addressed Freddie in a tone of command. ‘He may run back to his master and say what he will. This poor thing shall not be tortured again.’ Turning her back on them as though neither were of the least importance, she did not notice Sir Freddie give the youth a sharp clip of the ear before sending him off. Caroline was on her knees beside the puppy, stroking its head softly as it whimpered and shrank away from her hand. ‘Oh, you poor little thing. He has hurt you so, but he shan’t do it again—no one shall, I promise you.’
‘The creature may well have fleas as well as broken bones.’
Caroline turned to look up at Freddie. ‘The fleas are a matter of indifference to me, and may soon be cured with a warm bath—the broken bones are a different thing. He must be looked at by someone who understands these things and then…’ She faltered, for she had suddenly remembered that she was a guest in her aunt’s house. Lady Taunton would not welcome a bedraggled puppy in her home. ‘He is not the prettiest dog, perhaps, but he deserves to be cared for, do you not think so?’
Freddie bent down and picked the puppy up carefully. He ran gentle hands over its quivering body, but, though it whimpered at first, it seemed to quieten at his touch.
‘I believe he likes you,’ Caroline said. ‘Do you think—?’
‘Oh, no,’ Freddie said instantly. ‘I do not wish to be saddled with a mongrel—and he most certainly has fleas.’
‘I was going to ask only if you could direct me to a place where I can arrange for him to be cared for until I can claim him. I can pay for his keep and when…when I go home he shall come with me.’ Her eyes were bright and filled with unconscious appeal that placed him on his mettle. Freddie struggled and lost. She saw it in his eyes and gave him a dazzling smile. ‘I promise I shall claim him as soon as I can.’
‘Very well,’ he said reluctantly. ‘I shall take charge of the wretched thing—but only until you
