Free Courting Lord Dorney by Sally James Page B

men?’
    ‘Those who tried to - to make me go with them, when you threatened to shoot them,’ Mary said, her voice shaking.
    ‘In Bristol?’
    ‘Yes, in the town.’
    ‘Did he recognize you?’
    ‘I - I think so. He leered at me in a nasty sort of way.’
    ‘Did he speak?’
    ‘He warned me to take care. He said there wouldn’t always be someone to protect me.’
    Bella tried to reassure her. ‘He can’t know you live in Bath. He won’t find you here.’
    ‘But he followed us to where Tom - I mean Jackson, had stabled the horses, and I saw him talking to the ostler as we left to meet you.’
    ‘Had Jackson told him we came from Bath?’
    ‘Yes, when we first got there. He knew the man, you see, and was telling him about his new job.’
    ‘Well, you’ll just have to take extra care, and not go anywhere lonely by yourself. They can hardly abduct you from the middle of Bath!’
    ‘No, Miss Bella,’ Mary said, but doubtfully.
    Bella sighed. She supposed she would now have to order Jackson to accompany Mary on her errands into the town. She suspected they would neither of them object, and wondered whether she was assisting in a budding romance.
    * * * *.
    A select riding party gathered outside Lord Dorney’s rooms in the Royal Crescent on the following day. His cousin Alexander was there on a showy black, in attendance as usual on the lovely Miss Hollings, mounted on a beautiful but frisky little roan mare. A young matron was introduced as her married sister, Lady Andrews, and an older man as Sir John Andrews. A recently married couple, Mr and Mrs Dudley, completed the party.
    Soon they were riding up Lansdowne Road, Lord Dorney on his magnificent grey hunter close beside Bella.
    ‘Where are we going?’ she asked.
    ‘First to see the old battlefield, then eastwards across the hills to where my servants will meet us with food for an alfresco nuncheon. If everyone has the energy we can go a little further until we come to the Avon and return along the river bank. Are you happy with your mount?’
    Bella patted the neck of her chestnut gelding.
    ‘He’s not like my own beautiful Lady, but a good enough ride,’ she replied.
    ‘I hoped you might be taking us to visit Dorney Court,’ Lady Andrews, who had been riding behind, interrupted.
    ‘That’s rather too far away for a single day,’ Lord Dorney replied easily.
    ‘Dear Felicity is so eager to see it,’ her sister went on, edging her horse forward so that she rode on Lord Dorney’s other side. ‘Alexander has told her so much about it, you know.’
    ‘It’s not very splendid, just a couple of hundred years old, built in the local stone, and with what these days are considered small rooms,’ he said dismissively. ‘My brother built on an extra wing with a ballroom, but that was really for his wife. I cannot imagine what I shall use it for. I may even pull it down.’
    ‘That would be a great pity. Does your brother’s widow live there?’
    ‘Selina lives in London, with a cousin,’ he replied shortly.
    He seemed unwilling to talk either of his home or his widowed sister-in-law, and Bella observed him curiously. She had heard the occasional comment about his family from people in Bath. Unusually reticent, she had not liked to question him herself. There was some mystery, she was sure, and it seemed connected with his brother’s widow.
    As Lord Dorney spurred forward to ride with the Dudleys Lady Andrews moved closer to Bella.
    ‘Such a pity Dorney Court is so far away, and no hostess there so that Felicity might visit for a while. But he seems to dislike it. She’s naturally anxious to see the place, you know,’ she confided. ‘Alexander is such a pleasant boy, don’t you think?’
    ‘Is he? I mean, yes of course, but I don’t know him very well,’ Bella answered, and contrived to drop back to ride with Jane.
    ‘She’s hinting her sister and Alexander are betrothed, or likely to be,’ she told Jane. ‘Clearly she sees Felicity as