amuse himself. He did not look to be a young man who would be content to settle down to family responsibilities for some considerable time.
Ninian, however, divided his attention between Lydia and Georgiana while Diana, quiet and uncertain, rode beside Isabella. Lord Fordington, mounted on a magnificent black horse he referred to as Midnight, had dropped back a little and was chatting to William who, Isabella was relieved to see, was responding civilly and even with some animation. From the occasional scraps of the conversation that
she caught they appeared to be talking of horses and then of farming, and William became quite eloquent on the subject of the most effective rotation of crops. When Lord Fordington rode forward to talk to Isabella, William chatted with Diana with no trace of his former moodiness visible.
'Is your cousin reconciled to her banishment from the delights of town?' he asked quizzically. 'She and Ninian can commiserate with one another!'
'She does not repine,' Isabella replied. 'She finds much to amuse her here and will soon forget London. Any resentment she had over not coming out this year will soon be replaced by anticipation of next season. She is not a girl who harbours grudges or wastes time in wishing for what is impossible, for she finds too much of interest in whatever is happening about her.'
'I could wish my stepmama did the same,' he commented lightly. 'She misses London a great deal. I am hoping to persuade her to visit Lady Sharman, for she will be happier if she has some friends in the neighbourhood. She finds my Great-Aunt Selina, who lives at Priory Dene all the time, rather a trial, I fear, for she is rather deaf and inclined to uttering embarrassingly frank remarks!'
'I have heard of her,' Isabella said with a laugh. 'She has quite a reputation locally, according to Mrs Westerson, who once heard her admonishing the Bishop for not taking the Prince Regent to task for his behaviour towards his wife!'
'I did not hear that,' Lord Fordington said, amused. 'I must ask Mrs Westerson all about it. But Lady Fordington does not relish being told she pampers Ninian! She has rarely lived at Priory Dene, in fact, for she has always preferred my father's house in Buckinghamshire, which was both nearer to her own family and promised to Ninian,' he explained. 'Is your cousin well enough to receive visitors?'
'She would very much enjoy meeting Lady Fordington,' Isabella told him. 'If she leads a quiet life Fanny remains well. It is travelling, and the racket of London which makes her ill.'
'Then I will persuade my stepmama to come with me, perhaps, when I call on Sir Roderick to discuss those farms.'
After a few more remarks he manoeuvred his horse so that he was riding beside Georgiana, and Isabella contrived to draw Lydia aside. Ninian dropped back to talk to William and Diana, and soon Isabella heard them laughing together. Then the three of them spurred past, Ninian calling back that they were racing to a lone elm tree some distance in front.
Georgiana followed immediately, pursued by Lord Fordington, and Isabella laughingly bade Lydia join in the race, which Lydia was only too anxious to do.
Ninian and William were in the lead, and Lord Fordington, on the magnificent black horse, was rapidly overtaking Georgiana when her horse, about to jump a low gorse-bush, missed its footing and fell, with Georgiana sailing over his head to land on the far side of the bushes. Lord Fordington, close behind her, was out of the saddle and bending over her where she lay almost before Isabella realised what had happened. She arrived at the spot to find Lord Fordington supporting Georgiana in his arms while Georgiana protested she was unhurt, not even bruised by the soft turf on which she had landed.
'I'm thankful not to have fallen in the gorse,' she said with a shaky laugh.
William and Ninian had heard Lydia cry out, and rode up demanding to know what had happened.
'The horse fell, probably put his
Ninian, however, divided his attention between Lydia and Georgiana while Diana, quiet and uncertain, rode beside Isabella. Lord Fordington, mounted on a magnificent black horse he referred to as Midnight, had dropped back a little and was chatting to William who, Isabella was relieved to see, was responding civilly and even with some animation. From the occasional scraps of the conversation that
she caught they appeared to be talking of horses and then of farming, and William became quite eloquent on the subject of the most effective rotation of crops. When Lord Fordington rode forward to talk to Isabella, William chatted with Diana with no trace of his former moodiness visible.
'Is your cousin reconciled to her banishment from the delights of town?' he asked quizzically. 'She and Ninian can commiserate with one another!'
'She does not repine,' Isabella replied. 'She finds much to amuse her here and will soon forget London. Any resentment she had over not coming out this year will soon be replaced by anticipation of next season. She is not a girl who harbours grudges or wastes time in wishing for what is impossible, for she finds too much of interest in whatever is happening about her.'
'I could wish my stepmama did the same,' he commented lightly. 'She misses London a great deal. I am hoping to persuade her to visit Lady Sharman, for she will be happier if she has some friends in the neighbourhood. She finds my Great-Aunt Selina, who lives at Priory Dene all the time, rather a trial, I fear, for she is rather deaf and inclined to uttering embarrassingly frank remarks!'
'I have heard of her,' Isabella said with a laugh. 'She has quite a reputation locally, according to Mrs Westerson, who once heard her admonishing the Bishop for not taking the Prince Regent to task for his behaviour towards his wife!'
'I did not hear that,' Lord Fordington said, amused. 'I must ask Mrs Westerson all about it. But Lady Fordington does not relish being told she pampers Ninian! She has rarely lived at Priory Dene, in fact, for she has always preferred my father's house in Buckinghamshire, which was both nearer to her own family and promised to Ninian,' he explained. 'Is your cousin well enough to receive visitors?'
'She would very much enjoy meeting Lady Fordington,' Isabella told him. 'If she leads a quiet life Fanny remains well. It is travelling, and the racket of London which makes her ill.'
'Then I will persuade my stepmama to come with me, perhaps, when I call on Sir Roderick to discuss those farms.'
After a few more remarks he manoeuvred his horse so that he was riding beside Georgiana, and Isabella contrived to draw Lydia aside. Ninian dropped back to talk to William and Diana, and soon Isabella heard them laughing together. Then the three of them spurred past, Ninian calling back that they were racing to a lone elm tree some distance in front.
Georgiana followed immediately, pursued by Lord Fordington, and Isabella laughingly bade Lydia join in the race, which Lydia was only too anxious to do.
Ninian and William were in the lead, and Lord Fordington, on the magnificent black horse, was rapidly overtaking Georgiana when her horse, about to jump a low gorse-bush, missed its footing and fell, with Georgiana sailing over his head to land on the far side of the bushes. Lord Fordington, close behind her, was out of the saddle and bending over her where she lay almost before Isabella realised what had happened. She arrived at the spot to find Lord Fordington supporting Georgiana in his arms while Georgiana protested she was unhurt, not even bruised by the soft turf on which she had landed.
'I'm thankful not to have fallen in the gorse,' she said with a shaky laugh.
William and Ninian had heard Lydia cry out, and rode up demanding to know what had happened.
'The horse fell, probably put his
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