Page 14 of The Major's Mistake
Miranda stepped out from among the shadowed stalls. “He is helping Angus fetch a lamb down from the upper pasture,” she said curtly, indicating a rocky path leading behind the stone building and up a steep hill. “This way.” Without waiting for a reply, she turned and started off at a brisk pace.
Julian hesitated. Common sense warred with pride as he eyed the treacherous footing. It would be difficult going?—
She stopped abruptly. “Are you coming?” she demanded. “Or are you afraid of getting a speck of mud on Hoby’s latest creations?” After a fraction of a moment, she added, “Or are you now so puffed up with your own consequence on coming into the title that you expect everyone to bow and scrape before you?”
He slid down from the saddle as Miranda once again turned her back on him and continued up the path. With gritted teeth,he sought to follow at a reasonable pace. The sweat was running freely now, pain knifing through his scarred leg.
If she wished to pay him back for humiliating her the other day, she would be well rewarded at the sight of his stumbling steps, so different from … before. With a slight grimace, he looked up, only to find that she was staring at his polished Hessians.
“Your leg …” she said softly.
His lips curled in a humorless smile. “Yes, as you can see, I’m quite crippled.”
A flicker of emotion passed over her face as their eyes met for a brief moment, then she quickly looked away.
“Wait here. I’ll get him.” The edge was gone from her voice.
When she returned a short while later with Justin, Julian had already returned to the stableyard and was leaning against the paddock fence to ease the strain on his injured limb.
“Major! Major!” cried Justin at the sight of him. He started to run forward. “Mama says I am to take a ride with you! Shall I show you the stream where two swans have built a nest and the bramble patch where a family of rabbits live?”
Julian smiled. “I should like that very much.”
“I have to ride Thistle, who is a slug, but perhaps I might finally have my gallop on Zeus?” continued the lad as he clattered to a breathless halt in front of the Marquess.
Miranda caught up with her son. “Now, Justin,” she said in gentle reminder. “Don’t forget your manners. You wouldn’t want the marquess to think you have been brought up in a barn.”
The little boy looked slightly abashed. “Yes, Mama.” He carefully straightened his jacket and executed a solemn bow. “Good afternoon, Your Lordship.”
Julian reached down and ruffled Justin’s dark locks. “Major is just fine, lad. And I think Zeus would not object to showing off his paces for you.”
Miranda knelt down beside the boy and with a worn handkerchief rubbed a smudge of dirt from his cheek. “Now remember to be on your best behavior for the marquess. You mustn’t wander off or pester him with too many questions?—”
“I’ll be very good, I promise, Mama.”
She gave him a hard hug and pressed her lips to the top of his head. As she slowly released him, her eyes met Julian’s.
“You may rest assured I shall have him back well before supper,” he murmured.
Miranda rose and brushed the dust from the skirts of her gown. “Why, here’s Jem with Thistle,” she announced.
A strapping young man not yet out of his teens led the shaggy little cart horse out from the stable. “Here ye are, Master Justin.” He bobbed his head to Miranda. “Good day to ye, Mrs. Ransford.” His gaze shifted to Julian and his eyes narrowed slightly. Aside from that, he studiously ignored the other man’s presence. “Come now, bairn, shall I put ye up in the saddle?” With effortless ease, he reached down and tossed the lad up onto the horse’s back.
Miranda moved to take the bridle. “Thank you Jem,” she said with a warm smile.
The groom dipped his head once again, and after fond pat to the lad’s head, ambled back towards the stable.
Julian shifted slightly, uncomfortably aware of being very much the outsider in this little exchange. He searched for something to say.
“So, you know how to ride, lad?” It was rather lame, but the best he could manage under the circumstances.
Justin nodded vigorously. “My Mama taught me.”
“Then you must be very good, for your Mama is an excellent—” His words cut off abruptly. He cleared his throat. “Well, shall we be off?”
As he untied Zeus from the fence, Miranda spoke in a low voice. “Please be aware that you must go at a slower pace than you are used to. He does not have a firm seat as of yet and might hurt himself if he fell off. And he mustn’t go too close to the riverbank, for the bank is very steep and slippery, and the current quite strong. And—” She took a deep breath. “I fear you are not very used to small boys,” she blurted out. “You must keep a careful watch, for they can get in all manner of mischief without trying in the least.”
He gave a wry smile. “I imagine that after handling a platoon of infantry I might be up to managing a six year old lad.”
