Free Ridiculous by D.L. Carter Page B

done.”
    Without thinking, Millicent slapped him across the back of his arm. Then flushed and withdrew her hand. That move, in an assembly room with fan in hand, would have been judged flirtatious. Man to man, she was uncertain if the gesture was acceptable. Truly, she should pay more attention to her manners. She cast her eyes down as Shoffer roared with laughter and slapped her hard across the back, nearly knocking her from her saddle.
    “My dear Mr. North, you are too uncertain of your own skills. Have you but recently come into your responsibilities?”
    It took a few moments of searching her memory for Millicent to find the answer. It would not do for some chance remark of Mr. Prichart's to reveal an inconsistency.
    “Ah, it has been some six years since my father's death. But this is the first serious matter to come to my attention since then.”
    “In that case you have been much blessed. I find I must deal with a disaster somewhere at least once in every year.”
    “Rather, perhaps, you have been cursed.”
    “Or you have been negligent.”
    Millicent paused, blushed, and looked away. Shoffer leaned closer still.
    “I am sorry, my friend. Please do not take offense. I am not as skilled a rattle as you and only wished to match your humor.”
    “No, Your Grace, you have not offended. Instead, you have reminded me of my indolence. Once granted my inheritance, I retreated to one of the smaller estates to the north and did not venture out again for several years. My only excuse…” she paused and considered believable lies to explain the years the real Mr. North spent closeted up in his Yorkshire estates. Saying she had been a practicing miser and misogynist would not do.
    “Lack of preparation?” suggested Shoffer. “You are young for your responsibilities and could have been no more than eighteen when your father died. Your father could hardly have expected you to inherit so soon. My father trained me from boyhood for my estates. I imagine if the training were not completed, I would have found it difficult, nay, impossible. Even a small estate has its particulars and problems. If I may be so impolite as to inquire, how large an estate weighs on your mind?”
    Millicent closed her eyes and rattled off the list of Mr. North's properties she had memorized. She opened her eyes and peered up at Shoffer sitting tall on his much larger horse, with a rather stunned expression on his face.
    “That is a considerable estate,” he said, after a pause.
    “I know.” By this time they were back within sight of the manor buildings. Despite the weather, Mrs. Prichart and her daughters were out and about in the kitchen garden. One of the girls caught sight of Millicent and Shoffer and her shout immediately set off a round of handkerchief fluttering waves and curtsies. Exchanging a glance with Shoffer, Millicent straightened her spine. “The sad thing is, so do they.”

Chapter Four
    Dinner, set at country hours, was not bad. Millicent concentrated on being the fribble and rattle that everyone seemed to accept so well and distracted the women of the family for most of the meal with humorous stories of Bath society. The eldest daughter, Eilowen, positioned between Shoffer and Millicent, practiced what coquetry she knew to no avail. Millicent pretended not to notice and left Shoffer to suffer and deal with the situation as best he could. As with every social event both good and bad, dinner came to an end and Mrs. Prichart, determined to demonstrate the superiority of her household, summoned the ladies to accompany her to who knew where since the other parlor was currently a bedroom.
    A bottle of port was brought to the table and Shoffer offered around his own selection of cigars. Millicent declined both.
    “I must say,” said Mr. Prichart to Millicent as the door closed behind the ladies. “That you are not the man your father's letter led me to believe you were.”
    Millicent's hand trembled on her wineglass. Letter?