Anne Herries - The Rake's Rebellious Lady

‘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 can find a home for it. I have several dogs at home and they would make mincemeat of the creature. It can go to my stables. The grooms will know what to do for it.’

‘You are generous, sir. I am grateful.’

‘The dog remains your responsibility,’ Freddie said gruffly, for something in her look had touched him. ‘You should be aware that your dress has become stained, Miss Holbrook—and I would advise you not to throw yourself down from a carriage so precipitously in future. George was about to move on and you might have been injured.’

‘What can that signify?’ Caroline asked with a toss of her head. She bent her head to kiss the puppy’s neck. ‘Please take care of him, won’t you?’

‘I have never neglected any animal,’ Freddie said a trifle haughtily. ‘I do not think you need fear for this one.’

‘No, of course not. And thank you for your assistance, though there was no need. I should have hit him if he had tried to attack me.’ Her eyes flashed defiantly.

‘Next time I shall remember,’ Freddie said, a flicker of amusement in his face. ‘I think you should go now, Miss Holbrook. George’s horses begin to fret.’

‘Oh, yes, I had forgot,’ Caroline said and flushed. ‘I did not mean to sound ungracious—thank you.’

She ran towards the waiting curricle and was handed up by George while his groom held the now impatient horses.

‘You know you owe your good fortune to her, don’t you?’ Freddie murmured, scratching the puppy behind its ear. It had now settled in his arms and he was inclined to optimism about its condition. Painfully thin, it had obviously been starved, but with some good food and care… ‘Ridiculous!’ he said aloud, causing a passing lady to stare at him. ‘I do not know who is the greater fool.’

Freddie stood watching as his friend drove on by with a wave of his hand. The girl was an original, there was no doubt of it. She would either become the latest rage or fall foul of some sharp tongues. It would be interesting to watch her progress.

He was not likely to be caught in her toils though, he told himself. She was lovely, intelligent and lively, and it seemed that she was both brave and compassionate, but he was not in the market for a wife. Though Miss Holbrook had certainly enlivened what had looked like being a damned dull Season before her arrival. He tipped his hat to a passing acquaintance, deciding to visit the club of a certain pugilist he favoured after he had handed the puppy to his groom. He was feeling oddly restless and in need of some exercise before he kept his appointment with George later that afternoon.

Tom Holbrook frowned over the letter from his grandfather. He had not been expecting it, but he was not averse to visiting the old gentleman. He had never been afraid of Bollingbrook, as some of his cousins were, though he had thought it wise to hold his tongue. The Marquis had a volatile temper, and had never hidden his dislike of Tom’s mother.

Left to his own pursuits with nothing but a pile of debts to keep him company, Tom had been thinking that he might take a trip to town and visit his mother and sister. It would not bother him to make a small detour to visit his grandfather. The Marquis had said there was a matter of business to discuss, which did not sound promising. It was quite likely he was to be taken to task for putting up a part of the Holbrook estate for sale, but there was little else he could do in the circumstances. Tom had been forced to sell or risk losing everything, for his father had made some foolish investments.