Lord Iverbrook's Heir Part 20

Selena was silent and straightened a little in her seat, but did not remove his arm. Emboldened, he continued.

"You may remember that I once asked you to marry me?" It was her turn to blush.

"I was not listening at the time," she confessed, "but afterwards, when I thought back, I knew you had."

"Your response did not precisely encourage me to try my luck again. However, fool that I am, I cannot

help myself! Selena, there is nothing I want more in this world than to have you for my wife. Will you

marry me?"

She did not answer for a moment, then said with difficulty, "You are not asking me because of tonight?

Because you feel you ought to?"

"No!" The explosive violence of his reply startled the horses into a trot. For a moment he was occupied with the reins, slowing them one-handed to a walking pace again. Selena had stopped shivering and he was in no hurry to return her to her family. "No," he said again, in calmer tones, "and I hope, indeed I know, that you have too much strength of mind to allow such considerations to influence your decision. I should be no better than Sir Aubrey were I to take advantage of you in such a way. No one need ever know in what condition I found you."

She giggled. "Except Bannister. You will never succeed in smuggling me past his watchful eye. And Polly will wonder what has become of my gown, not to mention my pelisse and my shoes and my hat and my gloves!"

"You did not leave your clothes with your cousin!"

"No, I threw them into the river. I thought they would compromise me as thoroughly as my presence."

"Clever girl! Now, with that problem out of the way, how about an answer?"

She turned and, promptly forgetting her state of undress, flung her arms about his neck. "Oh yes, Hugh, I

will marry you. And I promise never to suspect you unjustly again!"

"No promises you can't keep!" he mumbled into her hair, returning her embrace with fervour. Then he came to his senses and wrapped her up again in rug and coat. "You will get cold again," he said severely.

"If I catch an inflammation of the lungs, will you nurse me?"

"Willingly, my love, but I suspect your mama might have something to say about that. Do you feel

unwell?"

"Not in the least. I have never felt better. Hugh, do you know the story of Artemis and Actaeon?"

"Was he not the one who saw her swimming naked, and she was so angry she turned him into a stag? He

was torn to pieces by his own hounds. You do not mean to turn me into a stag, I trust?"

"No." She turned and kissed his cheek. "It would be such a waste. Do you know about Endymion too?"

"That is not the sort of tale I should tell to a gently bred female!"

"That is what Papa always said. But now we are betrothed, could you not tell me?"

He looked down at her. Even by moonlight he read the mischief in her face, and she heard the laughter in

his voice as he answered.

"Minx! Very well. I obey the moon G.o.ddess, but only because it will bring such a blush to your face as

will stop you feeling the cold. To begin with, the situation was reversed. Endymion was sleeping naked ona mountain. . .""That makes me feel colder!""Come closer then, and don't interrupt.""I can't get any closer.""As I was saying, Endymion was asleep and Artemis-or shall I call her Selene?-saw him and fell in love with his beautiful form. She, uh, visited him in his sleep and he enjoyed the visit so much that he prayed to his father, Zeus (who, I'm sorry to say, was her father too), to give him eternal youth and eternal sleep so that he could go on dreaming. Selene-oh very well, Artemis-bore him fifty daughters, and for all we know still visits him regularly. Now, are you hot all over?"

"Warmer," she admitted. "What shocking morals the ancients had!" * * * *

The sound of the carriage crunching up the gravel drive brought the family to the doorstep and the entire staff of the Manor to the front hall.

"So much for smuggling you in unseen," grunted Lord Iverbrook, carrying Selena up the steps as Tom

ran to lead the horses away.

"Never mind," she said blithely. "Mama, I am to marry Hugh!"

"How delightful, dearest," said Lady Whitton. "I knew he would bring you back safely. But where is

Aubrey?"

The viscount looked at her blankly, and then a broad grin spread across his face.

"Do you know," he said, "I had quite forgot him. Poor Aubrey is going to have to spend the night all

alone in a monk's cell at the haunted abbey!"

Chapter 16.

Early the next morning, Lord Iverbrook and Mr. Hastings set off for Abingdon in the barouche. Jem was driving, "It being my lady's carriage," and Tom kept him company on the box in case another pair of strong arms was needed to release Sir Aubrey from his prison.

Both Selena and Delia had expressed a desire to be present, only to have the suggestion grimly vetoed by the viscount.

"Hugh, you will not come to blows with him!" Lady Whitton said anxiously. "To be sure, he behaved very shabbily in trying to take advantage of Selena's situation, but there is no proof that he had a hand in planning it."

She had to be content with his a.s.surance that he would take her point of view under consideration.

Clouds had blown in from the west overnight, and when they reached Abingdon Bridge a light rain was falling. Mr. Hastings turned up his collar and remarked that it was ill weather for rescuing rogues.

"Hush," said his lordship. "What's that noise?"

Across the water came a confused babble of voices. As Jem drew the horses to a standstill, Tom stood up precariously on the box and gazed at the far side of the river.

"There's a whole fleet of boats over there, m'lord," he said. "Over by that wall. We c'd likely see more a

bit further on."

Jem drove on past the Nag's Head and stopped just before the end of the bridge. Lord Iverbrook and Mr. Hastings both rose to their feet and looked up-river.

Nine or ten small boats had gathered near the wall. Boys in skiffs and dinghies were laughing and jeering,

while two men in a fishing dory shouted advice and encouragement, judging by the sound of their voices.The source of the excitement was a pale blob, high on the wall.The viscount's eyes gleamed with unholy joy."Jem, can you row?" he demanded."Aye, my lord. I've lived by the river all me life."

"Find us a boat. Hasty, we are going for a short cruise."

Mr. Hastings looked down at his spotless fawn unmentionables, sighed, and agreed that if things were as they appeared to be, he would not miss the sight for the world.

They were not mistaken.

The crowd fell silent at their approach. "Why, Sir Aubrey, what a pleasure to see you here!" said Lord Iverbrook.

The baronet was not his usual striking self. His yellow hair hung in lank locks, dripping rainwater into the

river below. The sleeves of his cerise coat were torn and begrimed. Beyond that they could not see, for

only his head and arms protruded from the wall. He groaned and grimaced."Very bad ton!" said Mr. Hastings disapprovingly. "Not at all the thing to make yourself abobbing-block for the local citizens."

"Get me out of here!" Sir Aubrey croaked in desperation.

"Usn tried to reach him wi' the boathook," reported one of the men in the dory. "But he can't hardly move his arms and we was afeard to snag his coat case of hurting him."

"How long has he been here?" asked the viscount, trying with poor success to hide his grin. Apparently

none of these b.u.mpkins had thought to attempt a rescue from the gentleman's nether end.

"Dunno," answered one of the boys. "Usn come down at dawn to fish off'n the island and there he were,

like a cork in a bottle."

"Stuck tighter'n a penny in a miser's pocket," confirmed one of his mates.

"Hafta take the wall down," opined another, a witticism greeted with general laughter.

"Have none of you business elsewhere?" asked Lord Iverbrook. "I intend to go round into the abbey to

see what can be done there to release this unfortunate. Should it prove necessary to eject him in thisdirection, will you remain here to haul him out?""Aye, sir," said the man, "us'll stay, for 'tis too late in the day to do any other sort o' fishing."Jem turned their commandeered skiff and headed back to the jetty below the bridge."'Tis my belief, my lord," he said, "as 'twill be a sight easier to push the Bart out nor it will to pull him in."

His lordship laughed. "Do you know, Jem, I'm inclined to agree with you!"Tom had taken the carriage to the Crown and Thistle and he met them on the bridge. The four mensauntered into the abbey grounds, in no hurry to put an end to the baronet's captivity. They found thedoor of his cell without difficulty.