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Dick nodded.
Cassie shook her head. She wondered at the concealment. Here was Grandmama forbidding Cassie to go near the horse, but secretly allowing Hermes to run. It made no sense, but her grandmother answered to no one. She could do what she liked with her horses. Still Cassie resolved to speak to her grandmother. To the boys, Cassie said, “Hermes can run, and if you get on Mr. Snell’s good side, you can probably watch him.”
“Mr. Snell doesn’t like us,” said Joe.
“’e sez we cause trouble,” added Ben. “But we only come on account of Mr. K.”
Joe and Tim turned on Ben and offered him a flurry of whacks with their caps.
After the blows and Ben’s yelps subsided Cassie asked, “Mr. K?”
His companions glared at Ben.
“It’s only the stable boys that don’t like us, Lady C,” said Tim. “They sez we want to take their jobs and we have no place ’ere. It’s war between us and ’em.” He punched the air with his fist.
“Oh dear,” said Cassie. “A stable is no place for a war. I think you need to tell me what Mr. K has to do with it.”
The boys’ expressions turned sheepish.
Cassie held up her basket. “I have sandwiches. Mr. K is Mr. Kydd?”
“’e is, Lady C,” Joe admitted. “Gave us each a bob to spy for ’im.”
“Spy?”
“’e wants us to find out if ’ermes can run. Mr. K said ’e’d give us more when ’e comes back if we see the ’orse run.”
“Ah,” said Cassie. “And do you know when he will return?”
The boys looked at each other, and shrugged.
Cassie refused to be uneasy about Mr. Kydd’s return. She would simply tell Sir Adrian and Mr. Kydd about Bluebell and be done with it. Another thought occurred. Maybe the boys could spy for her and warn her when the two gentlemen returned. In the meantime she would see for herself how Hermes was doing and tell her grandmother that she, Cassie, was ready to ride again.
She squared her shoulders. “Shall we go eat and talk about how to end this war and how you can earn that bob?”
*
On the morning after his return from London, common courtesy required that Raven call upon the ladies of the dower house. His young messengers were hanging about to see Jay Kydd, so Raven sent Joe to ask when the ladies might be available to receive him. Joe returned promptly with the reply that Lady C was on her way to pay him a call. Raven left the boys waiting for Kydd to finish a hearty country breakfast, and set out to meet his landlady in the lane.
Verwood was lovelier than he remembered. The trees in leaf overhead changed the quality of light, and scents he couldn’t name filled the air. When he reached the lane that branched off the carriage drive, he saw Lady Cassandra coming toward him with her characteristic lurching stride. He had counted on his stay in London to obscure the strong impression she’d made on his senses, but seeing her brought back the press of her hand in his and her steadiness when the Montford boys were in trouble. She was altered, too. A deep blue riding habit clung to her light figure.
Coming up to him, she halted. “How was your trip?”
“I didn’t know you rode.” He spoke the thing that was on his mind.
One of her dark brows quirked quizzically upward. “I’ve just returned to it after … some time. You must have heard someone speak of the accident.”
“Only that there was an accident. Were you thrown?”
“No, though perhaps I deserved to be for riding a young horse so hard and so far.”
“I cannot imagine you careless of a horse.”
“It is good of you to think well of me, but in this case, I don’t deserve your admiration.” Her frank gaze didn’t falter. “Will you walk with me? I am headed for the stables, and wanted a private word with you.”
“A private word?” he said. “Intriguing, but first, will you tell me about the accident?”
“I think I must,” she said.
