An Adventurous Lady

by Valerie King

  Only then, as he allowed his mind to imagine the worst, did he come to realize that after all his intentions of keeping Lady Evelina at bay, she had somehow managed to invade his heart. For the first time, he considered the possibility that he might be in love with her.

  * * * * * * * * *

  Evelina made her way back from a very deep fog. She did not know where she was or why her head ached so fiercely. Opening her eyes became a painful process until at last the deed was accomplished. She met Dr. Dungate’s concerned gaze. He was holding her wrist and counting her heartbeats, his lips forming each number.

  “Ah, Lady Evelina,” he murmured softly. A warm smile suffused his face. “You have returned to us.”

  “Was . . . I gone so very long?” Her throat felt very dry.

  “You must be thirsty,” he said.

  He held a cup to her lips and supported her neck. She gulped the water gratefully. Only then did she glance around the chamber. Her family smiled at her: William, Sophy, Alison, Euphemia and her mother. “Where is Lord Rotherstone?” she asked.

  “Here.” He emerged from the shadows beyond her bed.

  “Have you the map?”

  At that, everyone laughed, though she did not quite understand why.

  Her mother, sitting in her Bath chair, which had been pushed close to the bed, stretched out her hand to her. “The very last thing any of us give a fig for is that horrible map.”

  Evelina knew she had been struck a hard blow to her head, for she still could not understand why her mother would speak so. Mia moved closer as well. “Evie, we thought you might . . . well . . . die.”

  At that, Will’s face crumpled.

  “No, no, my love,” she said, gesturing for her brother to draw near. “I would never do so.” He threw himself on her chest, a sudden movement that made her wince for the pain that shot through her head. She held him tightly, however, and waved the doctor away. “I merely had an adventure,” she explained. “And it was very exciting. I should do it all over again did I have the chance.”

  “You would?” he asked, lifting a wet face to hers.

  She tousled his red hair. “Of course. Only, I wonder if you might do me a very great favor.”

  “Anything,” he said.

  “I beg you will make certain that Lord Rotherstone has had a proper meal and at least one tankard of ale before he leaves Wildings.” She lowered her voice. “I fear your sisters will not know to be attentive to a man in that way.”

  “Of course I will,” he said, straightening up at once. He turned to Rotherstone. “Come with me.”

  “With pleasure,” the earl responded.

  Evelina called to him before he parted the chamber. “I wish to speak to you before you leave.”

  He met her gaze but lifted a teasing brow. To William he said, “Your sister found her tongue quickly enough. She has already begun ordering me about. I begin to think she was merely pretending to have been hurt.”

  Evelina delighted in her brother’s sudden burst of laughter as the pair quit the chamber.

  Over the next half hour, Dr. Dungate examined her and told her what she might expect from having taken so fierce a blow to the head. He recommended that she rest a great deal in the coming days and said that he would call on her each afternoon to see how well she progressed, until he was satisfied her recovery was complete.

  He soon took his leave, and she was left to speak with her sisters and her mother. She reassured them as best she could about the attack but promised that until the business of Jack Stub’s treasure had been resolved, she would travel the lanes about Maybridge only if she had at least one footman to offer some protection.

  Mia finally shook her head in some wonder. “Are you aware, Evie, that Lord Rotherstone carried you for well over a mile?”

  Evelina frowned slightly. “I suppose he must have,” she said slowly. “I know I was looking down and laughing because the map was beneath his boots, dirty and torn. The next thing I knew, I was looking into Dr. Dungate’s hazel eyes. And he really carried me all that way? I am astonished. Was he greatly fatigued when he arrived?”

  The ladies intoned as one, “No.”

  Lady Chelwood said, “You were as a bird in his arms, I swear it is so.”

  “I was very angry,” Rotherstone called from the doorway. “So much so that I believe I could have carried her another fifty miles.”

  Evelina turned to look at him and was suddenly overwhelmed with all that he had done for her. “My lord, how shall I ever repay you? I begin to think you saved my life.”

  He drew close and would have answered her, but Lady Chelwood withdrew her hand from about Evelina’s and said, “My dear, I am feeling a little fatigued.”

  “Mama, I am so sorry to be a worry to you.”

  “Stuff and nonsense. However, the children have not eaten their dinner. I should like to see them all fed. Cook will be sending you her special broth very soon, I am sure. Even if you are not hungry of the moment, I hope you will eat something of it. She will take a pelter if she thinks you have stopped eating.”

  “Of course, Mama.”

  “Come, Mia. Sophy, you may push me if you like. No, Alison, do not pull a face. You pushed me all about the garden this afternoon, remember?”

  Their voices faded as they left the chamber and creaked the wooden floors all the way down the hall.

  Rotherstone came to stand close to the bed. “Whatever am I to do with you?” he asked, clucking his tongue and shaking his head. “I should never have allowed you to remain even five minutes at Blacklands that first day, for you have been trouble ever since.”

  Evelina could not help but smile. She extended her hand to him. “You have proven yourself a friend in so many ways. But this. Did you truly carry me all the way to Wildings?”

  He nodded.

  “You will be sore for days.”

  “I certainly shall,” he said, rubbing his arm.

  She could only smile a little more.

  The amused expression on his face faded in quick stages. “I do not suppose I could persuade you to give up this ridiculous treasure hunt?”

  She shook her head. “What a poor creature I would be were I to permit a trifling bump on my head to disrupt our hunt.”

  “I wish you would be a little more serious,” he said firmly.

  Her heart sank. She could see he meant to be difficult, but how was she to explain her determination to him?

  He suddenly squeezed her hand, which she only now noticed he was still holding. “Enough,” he whispered gently. He leaned down and kissed her forehead. “There will be sufficient time in the future for us to brangle over our disagreements. For the present, you must rest and make yourself well.”

  “Thank you,” she murmured, sighing deeply.

  “I shall take my leave, but I promise I will call again very soon.”

  “I should like that.”

  He bowed and turned to quit the room.

  “My lord,” she called out. “Only tell me first, where is the map?”

  He rolled his eyes, reached into the pocket of his coat and withdrew the torn and tattered parchment. He crossed to her and she took it from his hand, once more thanking him.

  He merely scowled his displeasure in response and in two seconds more had left the chamber on a quick tread.

  Evelina unfolded the torn map gently. It nearly hung in two pieces now. She was a little surprised at how she felt about having it back in her possession. She had already memorized the entire map; however, tomorrow, when she felt better, she intended to draw a new one, copying everything exactly as Jack Stub had created it.

  For now, however, she merely touched it with the tips of her fingers, grateful that she was still alive and even more grateful, though she did not understand entirely why, that the map had not been taken from her.

  ***

  Chapter Ten

  The next day, Evelina lay quietly in her bed. Her head still ached, probably a little more so because he
r mind had become occupied by the attack. By now, everyone in a ten-mile radius of Maybridge, both highborn and low, would have known that she had found Jack Stub’s map and that a treasure hunt was in progress primarily at Blacklands.

  In her naiveté, she had never considered for a moment that she might be in some danger. The hunt was for her an adventure, and if it truly did yield a fortune, she rather thought their small community could donate the whole of it to the orphanage at Studdingly. She had never truly had a thought beyond this.

  Now, however, she had to consider the possibility that someone, though probably not a member of their party, was desperate to have the treasure.

  She had discussed the situation at length with her mother, but Lady Chelwood had been at a loss as to what ought to be done next. “Certainly if you had seen your assailant,” she had said, “we might know better how to proceed. However, I should tell you that yesterday Rotherstone sent Mr. Creed about the entire neighborhood to make inquiries concerning anyone who might have been seen in the lane where you were attacked. Not a single individual, much less a suspicious sort of person, was witnessed in the vicinity that day. Not one.”

  “And Rotherstone did this for me?” she asked, astonished. “Is this indeed true?”

  “Of course. I would have expected nothing less of him.”

  “Is this your true opinion of our neighbor? You perceive his character to be so worthy?”

  “Very much so.” Her mother had tilted her head. “You do not hold him in as much esteem as I, do you?”

  “I confess he is doing much better of late, but you must admit that his reputation among our neighbors was previously quite shocking. “

  “So it was,” she had said, a deep frown between her brows. She then gave herself a shake. “Well, I suppose we cannot know all the particulars, especially from Rotherstone’s point of view these many years and more. That is the true difficulty of coming so late to a neighborhood.” She paused and appeared to consider the situation again. “On this other matter, Evie, I beg you will take to heart what happened to you yesterday. You will promise not to go about by yourself again?”

  “I most strongly assure you I have no intention of doing so.” She had touched her head quite gingerly in that moment. “I cannot tell you how ill I was yesterday, and today I vow I am as weak as a kitten. No, I have no interest in making it easy for my assailant to hurt me again.”

  * * * * * * * * *

  Over the next two days, Evelina received visits from nearly every one of their party. The horror with which the attack upon her person had been received always dominated the initial part of each call. Shortly afterward, however, the frustrating conclusion followed that little could be done in light of Mr. Creed’s investigation.

  Her neighbors were in agreement on two fronts: that Evelina refrain from going out in the lanes alone, and that the hunt continue, but with a greater urgency, if possible, to see it brought to a speedy conclusion. The sooner Jack Stub’s treasure was found and disbursed, the better.

  Evelina of course agreed with the general consensus, for the more quickly the treasure was discovered, the more certain no further injury could befall any of the party. She realized she had not as yet discussed with Rotherstone the fact that Mr. Creed believed he had solved the map’s secrets. Were he to be prevailed upon to allow the solution to be made known, there was an excellent chance that the treasure could be recovered almost immediately. She hoped he would be reasonable the next time he called, for she fully intended to persuade him to release this most valuable information to the community.

  On the third day of her recovery, Colonel Carfax, Mr. Crookhorn and Mr. Fuller called. Each was particularly solicitous.

  “And you are certain you are well?” the colonel asked. “I have been anxious for your health from the moment I learned of the attack.”

  “Indeed, you must tell us how you fare,” Mr. Crookhorn added.

  Mr. Fuller nodded as well.

  Evelina gestured for them to sit down. When they were settled, she said, “I am so much improved that even Dr. Dungate is surprised.”

  Colonel Carfax smiled. “That is excellent news, although I will not be in the least offended if you must absent yourself from my ball on Tuesday next.”

  Evelina pretended to appear affronted. “I should think myself a poor creature indeed if a small bump on the head should prevent me from attending your fete. Indeed, knowing that such a pleasure is in store for me has elevated my spirits more than you can know.”

  “Then I shall claim a country-dance even now and hold you to it.”

  “Done,” she returned, smiling.

  His expression, which had been affable, now dimmed, a concerned frown marring his brow. “But when you were attacked, you truly saw no one?” he asked.

  “Not in the least,” she responded. “Merely a blur from my right, and though I knew I cried out, the next moment I awakened to Rotherstone’s voice.”

  “Too wretched by half,” Mr. Crookhorn murmured, his face twisted with distress. “But are you, that is, are you absolutely certain this person was intent on getting the map? Could there have been some other reason for the attack?”

  Evelina sighed. “I believe my assailant had only the map in mind. The velvet with which I protected the map had disappeared, but the map itself had slipped unawares to the bottom of the ditch. If the attacker had not wanted the map, the velvet would have been in the ditch as well.”

  “Very true,” Mr. Crookhorn commented.

  “I also suspect that he may have heard Lord Rotherstone’s whistling, become frightened and may not have ascertained that he actually had the map in his possession before fleeing. There would be no reason for the person who did this to take the length of velvet otherwise.”

  “No, indeed,” Mr. Fuller said. He cleared his throat and glanced around the drawing room as though searching for something. He tapped his throat. “Very hot day. Deuced uncomfortable.”

  Evelina laughed at him. “Would you gentlemen care for a little ale?”

  Mr. Crookhorn nudged his friend and rolled his eyes.

  Mr. Fuller in turn ignored him. “You are very kind, Lady Evelina, but I would not want to put you to any trouble.”

  Euphemia rose. “I shall tend to it at once.” She gave a tug on the bell-pull, and within a few minutes the gentlemen had their ale.

  * * * * * * * * *

  By the fourth day, Evelina found that her head was no longer giving her even the smallest pain. The day was fine, and she was permitted to be out of doors. She reclined with Will on a chaise that had been brought to the foot of the garden and settled beneath an apple tree. Several chairs were scattered about in anticipation of the family spending some time during the day in the garden, but instead of making use of one of them, her brother had stretched out beside her. Together they were looking at a leaf collection he had made the summer prior.

  “Hallo,” Rotherstone called from the terrace. He waved and held up his fishing tackle.

  Will bolted from the chaise before Evelina had a chance to stop him. He began to run.

  “William,” Evelina called after him. “One moment, please.”

  Will skidded to a halt and turned to face her. “What is it, Evie?”

  “You will not want to wear your new shoes to Scrag Stream.”

  He looked down at his feet. “No, indeed. Mama would have my head, and Mia, too, for she told me not to wear them outside.”

  With scarcely more than a hurried bow to Rotherstone as he shot past, William disappeared into the house.

  Rotherstone laughed and continued in her direction.

  “Good morning,” she called out.

  “And to you,” he responded. “A perfect day for lying on a chaise in the garden. How are you feeling? I must say your complexion is greatly restored.”

  “I am feeling very well indeed,” she said. Her heartbeat quickened as it always did when he drew near. Even in garb designed to take the hardship of traveling up and dow
n a creek bank in search of trout, his presence still affected her feminine heart. He wore a low leather hat that appeared to have been in use since he was a young man, a coat of brown stuff she was certain would be shed as soon as propriety would allow and aged buckskin breeches tucked into serviceable top boots. Even though his attire was more useful than elegant, his neckcloth was a work of art, the fine white linen setting to strong advantage his dark eyes. She took a deep breath, trying to settle her heart, and continued, “I have not had even the smallest bit of a headache since yesterday. I believe Dr. Dungate will permit me to begin going about in society very soon.”

  “I am glad to hear it,” he said, laying the tackle basket and rods on the grass nearby. Drawing a chair close, he sat down. “I brought you some roses from my garden. Your sister is putting them in water. I believe she means to bring them out to you.”

  Her heart turned upside down. “You brought me a bouquet?” she asked, smiling broadly. “How very romantic.”

  He narrowed his eyes at her. “I believe flowers to be a proper offering to the sickroom.”

  She laughed. Then, reclining as she was, she let her gaze drift upward. Through the branches of the apple tree, she watched a single puffy cloud pass over a deep blue sky. “Could anyone want for a finer sickroom than this? They have quite spoiled me, you know.” Shifting her gaze back to him, she added, “I am brought soup and tea every half hour—yes, I swear it is so, or very nearly—and all our neighbors have called upon me at least once. You are right about the flowers, however. My bedchamber now resembles the hothouse.”

  He laughed. “Well, I am glad to hear our neighbors have been attentive to you.”

  “I fear the news of the attack has had quite a sobering effect on everyone but I have been attended to with great kindness. Indeed, I have never known such a wonderful group of people, a circumstance that makes me very happy you are at last coming to enjoy the society about Maybridge. This of course leads me to ask whether or not Mr. Creed has discussed with you his belief that he knows where the treasure—”

  Rotherstone lifted a hand. “Forgive me. I do not mean to be discourteous, but I have no wish to discuss anything about Jack Stub’s treasure today. I have come to inquire after your health and to take your brother fishing. Anything more, I fear will have a very unhappy effect upon me.”