Working Man, Society Bride. Mary Nichols

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СКАЧАТЬ sat a horse very well. It reminded her that she had promised herself to concentrate on his good points, so, while they walked their horses through the leafy shade, she began to list them. There was, of course, his obvious wealth and prospects. He was handsome in his own way, had a slim figure and was well turned out. The cost of clothes would not be an issue with him. He was educated, but how well she had no idea; his manners were polite and he did not appear to be governed by temper. Perhaps she had been unkind to call him a cold fish, because any show of passion would not have endeared him to her.

      And then she came to a stop. She had no idea of his likes and dislikes, whether he would be a loving and affectionate father to his children, what his plans were concerning the life he meant to lead. Surely not one of indolence, which appeared to be the case at the moment. No doubt Lord Gorridge was grooming him to take over the estate and that was no mean task. Could she learn to love him? Was love something that could be learned? According to her mother, it was. But her mother belonged to another generation, when young ladies were expected to obey without question, to marry from a very narrow selection of gentlemen. Society was changing and changing fast and the old ideas were dying, but not quickly enough to help her.

      They emerged from the trees, trotted up a narrow lane past a single cottage with a few chickens pecking in the yard and a dog on a chain, which barked ferociously as they passed the gate. Then they were on the moor and Edward urged his horse to a canter, followed by Victor, then Dorothea. Lucy kicked hard, hoping to find Cinder had a little life in him. He obeyed after a time and she realised his sluggishness was habit; he had never been given his head before. Once urged into a canter, he went well and she soon caught the others as they reached the highest point and stopped.

      ‘There!’ Edward said, waving his crop about him. ‘All that is Gorridge land—the farms, the village of Gorryham and goodness knows how many smaller hamlets and farms. There, on the far side of the lake, is Luffenham land. See the river—it’s the same one that flows past Luffenham Hall.’

      ‘What are those white posts?’ Lucy asked, having noticed a row of them following the line of the river.

      ‘That’s the line of the proposed railway.’

      ‘I see. It looks as though they are going to cross my father’s estate after all.’

      ‘So they are. There is Gorridge land, then a strip of Luffenham and then Moorcroft’s grounds. After that there are several small holdings before it reaches Peterborough and joins up with the proposed line to Grantham.’

      ‘But I do not think Papa will agree to it. He is against the railway going over his property.’

      ‘Oh, he will change his mind. My father will persuade him that it makes sense. We need the railways to carry freight as well as passengers and having to avoid the Earl’s strip will cause no end of problems and put the cost up.’

      ‘You sound as if you know a great deal about it.’ Now they had touched on the subject of railways, she began to ponder the navvy again, just when she thought she had put him out of her mind. Would it remind Mr Gorridge of him, too?

      It was Victor who laughed and said, ‘We had a lesson in railway building last evening, didn’t we, Teddy?’

      He looked daggers at his cousin. ‘From Mr Masters, the engineer, yes. I met him to discuss progress.’

      ‘Is that what it was?’ Dorothea put in. ‘I thought it was to enjoy a convivial evening with the hoi polloi. I cannot think why you like to frequent that common alehouse. It is full of peasants.’

      ‘Why should I not go there?’ he demanded. ‘It belongs to our father and the men I see there owe him their living and they know their place. And they know mine, too.’

      Lucy wasn’t sure what to make of that statement. ‘But the railway engineer wasn’t one of those,’ she said.

      ‘No, of course not, but he’s working in the area and so decided to stay there.’

      ‘What about the man who brought you home last night?’ Dorothea posed the question Lucy did not like to ask.

      ‘His assistant, I think, some sort of jumped-up navvy. I cannot be sure, for we were not formally introduced and then I was taken unwell.’

      ‘Are you fully recovered?’ Lucy asked him.

      ‘Yes. It is a weakness I have that occurs now and again, but nothing to concern yourself with, my dear. I am, as my physician will confirm, hale and hearty.’

      ‘Goodness, I wasn’t questioning the state of your health, Mr Gorridge, simply making a polite enquiry. I suggest we change the subject.’

      ‘I could not agree more. Shall we ride on?’

      They walked their horses in silence for a moment, not at all sure what subject would be acceptable, then Edward suddenly said, ‘My horse is getting lazy. I’m going to give him a gallop.’ And with that he set off across the moor, followed by a determined Victor.

      ‘You must forgive my brother, Lady Lucinda,’ Dorothea said as they followed at a more sedate pace. ‘He knows he ought to be thinking of marriage and he has said how much he favours you, but he is perhaps a little anxious as to your reply and that makes him behave in a silly fashion. He has always been the same, ever since childhood. I suppose it is a kicking over the traces, a way of showing he is not to be coerced and will make up his own mind, even when it is what he wanted in the first place.’

      ‘I hope he does not think he is being coerced into marrying me. If I thought that, I should never entertain the idea.’

      ‘But it would be such a good match. You would be good for him, I think. Mama thinks so, and of course Papa and the Earl have so much in common, both from ancient families with adjoining estates.’

      ‘I cannot see how having adjoining estates matters. I am not an heiress—I have a brother, you know, so no advantage would come to Mr Gorridge through that.’

      ‘Yes, I know. I heard your mama talking to mine about him. She is devoted to him, isn’t she?’

      ‘Of course she is, but she has no favourites and loves us all.’

      ‘How fortunate you are. I think I should like to have you for a sister-in-law.’

      ‘Thank you.’ She did not want to continue with the conversation. Even if Edward was not being coerced, she felt as if she was, and, like Edward, she wanted to rebel. How could two people who had been pushed into a marriage expect it to be happy? She pointed at the men, who had stopped and dismounted a little way ahead. ‘Shall we join the gentlemen?’ She spurred her horse and this time he responded a little more enthusiastically.

      Edward and Victor were standing on the highest point of the hill deep in conversation, but stopped when the ladies rode up. Lucy noticed they were standing with their backs to a large boulder, which was a shelter from the wind that blew across the moor, and were facing a second valley. Here, too, were white stakes, but they stopped short on the opposite slope. ‘More of the railway surveyors’ work?’ she queried.

      ‘Yes. They are down there, can you see?’ Edward said.

      Her heart jumped into her mouth when she saw where he was pointing. The tall navvy and his two companions were pacing the ground, quite oblivious to the people who watched them from the opposite hill. ‘So I see.’ She tried to sound indifferent.

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