The Quiet Gentleman

Miss Morville, thoughtfully considering his caped driving-coat, the hat on his head, and the gloves in his hand, said in a voice of mild interest: “I expect you feel that a drive will do your shoulder good, my lord.”

He smiled. “Forgive me! I would not have hoaxed you, if I could have got rid of Lucy by any other means!”

She raised her eyes to his face. “Where are you going?” She coloured, and added: “I don’t mean to be prying and inquisitive, but I cannot help feeling a trifle anxious. If you don’t choose to tell me, you need not, of course.”

“I will hide no secrets from you,” he said lightly. “Indeed, I trust you implicitly, Miss Morville! I am going to see Theo.”

“Going to see Theo!” she echoed, staring at him. “Oh, pray do not! It — it is such a long way to Evesleigh!”

He took her hand, and held it. “No, it is not such a long way, nor shall I fall into any more ambushes. That is what you are afraid of, isn’t it? You need not be: Martin has gone to Grantham, and, although I trust he may not know it, Chard is watching him. He won’t let him out of his sight. Believe me, while Chard is with Martin I stand in no sort of danger.”

She swallowed, and managed to speak with very fair composure. “I believe you must be safe at Evesleigh. It is on the road! That is where it happened before!”

“But this time only you and Chard know that I am out.”

She was silent for a moment. After staring unblinkingly at a clipped hedge, she brought her eyes back to his face, and said: “It is never of the least use to interfere! I daresay you know very well what you are about. I only wish you may not return to Stanyon in a high fever!”

He laughed, and raised her hand to his lips, and kissed it. “You are a woman in a million!” he told her caressingly, gave her hand a pat, and let it go.

He found his under-groom, a zealous youth rigorously schooled by his senior, polishing a saddle in the harness-room. When he was bidden put-to the grays he looked surprised but pleased, and made all haste to obey the order. A couple of stableboys ran to draw the Earl’s curricle out of the coach-house; and while this was being done the Earl strolled away to look at his brother’s new hunter. Since he had not been expected to enter the wing of the stables devoted to Martin’s horses, Mr. Leek had no time to remove himself from the building, but shrank back instead into an empty loose-box. His nephew, who had been leaning on a broom-handle, began briskly to sweep out one of the stalls.

“Don’t be bashful, Leek!” said the Earl. “You were just having a word with your nephew, were you not? Where is Mr. Martin’s young ’un, Hickling? I haven’t seen him yet: fig him out!”

“Yes, my lord!” muttered Hickling, laying aside the broom, and casting a fulminating look in the direction of his uncle.

This gentleman, emerging from the loose-box, achieved a genteel cough behind his hand, and said that he hoped there was no offence.

“None at all,” replied the Earl, watching Hickling lead out a rather rawboned youngster, and following him into the yard.

“Exercising them grays, me lord?” enquired Mr. Leek, with another cough.

“A couple of inches too long behind the saddle,” said the Earl, disregarding this question.

“Very quick over his fences, my lord!” said Hickling.

“You run him down, Jem, and let his lordship see his paces!” recommended his uncle. “Meself, I’d say his middle-piece was a shade light — jest a shade!”

The Earl glanced at him. “You seem to know something about horses.”

“Brought up with them, in a manner of speaking, me lord!” said Mr. Leek promptly.

“Do you think you could handle my grays?”

Mr. Leek cast them a dubious look, but had no hesitation in asserting that he would back himself to the extent of a double finnup to do so.

“Well,” said the Earl, “Wickham cannot, so as I may need a little help you had better come with me in his stead.”

Hickling opened his mouth, and shut it again, as though thinking better of what he had been about to say. Mr. Leek’s expressionless eyes met the Earl’s rather quizzical ones with a blink. “Very pleased to go along with your lordship!” he said. “And to lend a hand with them grays, if and when so desired!”

Wickham had not been admitted into Chard’s confidence, but he had a shrewd idea that Chard would by no means approve of the new arrangement. Blushingly conscious that it formed no part of the second groom’s duties to expostulate with his master, he yet plucked up enough courage to make the attempt. He was silenced, though not unkindly; and was left, ten minutes later, uneasily wondering what Chard would have to say to him when he returned from Grantham.

The grays were very fresh, but the Earl gave no sign that the task of controlling them was imposing too great a strain upon his injured shoulder. As the curricle bowled along the avenue, Mr. Leek ventured to enquire what was their destination.

“I am going to Evesleigh, to visit my cousin,” replied the Earl.