Page 6 of The Moonstone Major
He was still reeling from it a month later.
Mrs. Halsey returned and set a cup of tea on the table beside them. “I’ve put a little honey in it. Drink up, lamb. You need the fortification.”
Chloe’s hand trembled slightly as she put the cup to her lips. “Mrs. Halsey, I’ll need to replace all those damaged cakes.”
“Of course—let me pack up some fresh ones for you right away.” Mrs. Halsey lumbered off behind the tea shop’s display counter to attend to the task.
Fionn watched her for a moment before returning his attention to Chloe. “How did you come into the village?”
“I took the wagon from Moonstone Cottage.”
“Why did you not avail yourself of one of the Duke of Malvern’s rigs? Or those of the Marquess of Burness?”
“There was no need to disturb either brother-in-law for something so trivial as a ride into town. I’ve often taken the wagon into Moonstone Landing on my own.”
“Where is it now? I did not see it outside.”
“I left it at Mr. Bedwell’s mercantile. His clerks were loading it with supplies while I ran to Mrs. Halsey’s to pick up a few cakes for this afternoon’s tea party. You should join us.”
Before he could reply, Constable Angel, accompanied by several of the earlier bystanders, tramped back into the tearoom with Chloe’s reticule and parasol in hand as well as Fionn’s hat. “Major Brennan, have you completed your assessment? How badly is Lady Chloe hurt?”
“A bad ankle sprain and a few bruised ribs. She will be sore for several days, but I expect her to make a full recovery. Tragedy has been averted. However, I think you may have a phaeton and its unfortunate driver to fish out of the water.”
The constable laughed and handed him their belongings. “My men are attending to the phaeton as we speak. In truth, I had better head down there to supervise its safe removal. Hopefully, the dolt driving it has not broken his neck. Shall I send up my nephew to assist you?”
Fionn set Chloe’s reticule and busted parasol on the table beside them. “No, I have it all under control. Lady Chloe will be fine in my care.”
After exchanging a few more polite words, the constable nodded and waved the crowd away. “Everyone go on about your business. The lady is not a circus attraction.”
Fionn raked a hand through his hair once they were alone again. “Blasted idiot… Not you, Lady Chloe. I mean the driver of the phaeton. I am going to beat the stuffing out of that pompous fool. I warned him not to race his carriage in town.”
“Who do you mean?”
“Lord Claymore. He and his party are staying at the Kestrel Inn. That shiny racing carriage is his latest toy, and he’s been showing it off to his friends for the past two days. It will serve him right if he takes a dunk in the harbor along with that fine conveyance.”
He was going to place a hand against her cheek once more, but stopped himself and turned to Mrs. Halsey. “See that Lady Chloe behaves while I collect her wagon.”
“Yes, of course.” He noticed her winking at Chloe as he strode out.
What was that about?
“Behave myself, indeed,” he heard Chloe mutter into her cup of tea. “He is wonderful, isn’t he, Mrs. Halsey?”
“Yes, lamb.”
He pretended not to hear the remark.
This spark between him and Chloe was extremely dangerous and something never to be ignited.
As he strode to Mr. Bedwell’s mercantile, he noted a few remaining packages still squashed on the street. The townspeople had gathered most of them, but none were salvageable, including these that were too ground into the earth to bother retrieving.
That could have been her, squashed and broken.
Thank goodness he had been there to prevent it.
He continued to the mercantile and drove her wagon around the corner to the tea shop. Chloe smiled at him when he strode in. “I did not mention it earlier, but my invitation for you to join us is because the Marquess of Burness’s nieces have arrived for the summer, and we are going to celebrate with a welcome party. This is why I was here, to pick up cakes for our little celebration. Do you remember Ella and Imogen?”
He nodded. “Of course. Nor will I ever forget the summer I met you all. No one ever treated me more kindly than your family.”
