responded Sir Egbert feelingly. This was too much for Caitlin, who had to pretend to be taken with a coughing fit. She did not hoodwink Mr. Montague, however. He spuriously rushed to her assistance.
“It seems Miss Campbell has taken a chill after all! There is no help for it; we must walk in the sun from now on.”
Sir Egbert’s look of dismay was so ludicrous, it completely overset Caitlin’s gravity. “Mr. Montague, you are shameless!” she choked. “No, no, do not offer to pound me between the shoulder blades! I shall be better directly.”
Emily turned inquiring eyes upon her sister. “Do you feel cold, Caitie? I vow it is quite comfortable here in the shade.”
“I am perfectly comfortable! And if Mr. Montague will stop talking nonsense I shall be more comfortable still.”
Lady Serena and Captain Talgarth suddenly appeared around the bend of the path before them, walking back toward the others. Serena had the train of her riding habit looped over one arm and a hand laid upon Captain Talgarth’s sleeve. Despite her proximity to the captain, she looked none-too pleased. It was clearly Captain Talgarth’s idea, not Serena’s, that they should rejoin the party.
Far too soon for Sir Egbert’s comfort they all set off again in the direction Captain Talgarth and Lady Serena had already traversed, and since Captain Talgarth had politely drawn Sir Egbert into conversation the party regrouped slightly. Emily again took Mr. Montague’s arm and Caitlin and Serena walked a little way apart. Caitlin did not like to see Serena’s brow clouded, and wished very much that she could coax her friend back into a sunny humor. She began by quizzing her a little.
“Serena, how long have you known the gallant Captain Talgarth? You’ve kept him very dark.”
Serena did smile a little at that. “Would not you?” she asked saucily. Then she sighed. “For all the good it’s done me! I have known him any time these eighteen months, and he has yet to speak. What am I to do, Caitlin?”
“Eighteen months! That is certainly a period. Why did you never mention him to me?”
“Well, he was in the action at Mahidput last year, you know, and only recently returned to England. When I first became acquainted with him he was not a captain, and I was only eighteen, so he told me I must not think of him. He has the noblest nature!”
“Would your family have disapproved?”
“Oh, I daresay they would have disapproved of anyone at that time—I had seen so little of the world, you know, and wasn’t precisely ‘out’ yet. He is the third son of Sir Humphrey Talgarth, and his mother was Lady Caroline Jevinghurst. It is a pity he is a younger son, of course, but there is nothing to object to in his birth—and he is certainly not hanging out for a rich wife, as they say. I believe his fortune to be in the neighborhood of four thousand a year, which is not contemptible.”
Caitlin was aware that four thousand a year did not compare to Lady Serena’s fortune, but she had to agree that Captain Talgarth could not be thought ineligible by the most exacting parent. “How long did you know him before he went to India?”
“Only six weeks. We met while he was stationed near Selcroft Hall during the autumn of 1816. And then he was away so long! I began to think I had mistaken my heart—but when I saw him again he was even handsomer than I remembered. I am sure no man could equal him. Every inch the gentleman! Why, one has only to
look
at him.” Which Serena did, smiling mistily.
“Does he return your regard, do you think?”
Serena hesitated. “I was sure of it when we first knew one another—and when he returned to England he certainly lost no time in renewing our acquaintance—but lately I cannot help wondering if—well, I cannot tell! His notions of propriety are so very strict. I had hoped to coax him into walking alone with me today, but no such thing. As soon as he perceived we were out of view of the rest of the
“It seems Miss Campbell has taken a chill after all! There is no help for it; we must walk in the sun from now on.”
Sir Egbert’s look of dismay was so ludicrous, it completely overset Caitlin’s gravity. “Mr. Montague, you are shameless!” she choked. “No, no, do not offer to pound me between the shoulder blades! I shall be better directly.”
Emily turned inquiring eyes upon her sister. “Do you feel cold, Caitie? I vow it is quite comfortable here in the shade.”
“I am perfectly comfortable! And if Mr. Montague will stop talking nonsense I shall be more comfortable still.”
Lady Serena and Captain Talgarth suddenly appeared around the bend of the path before them, walking back toward the others. Serena had the train of her riding habit looped over one arm and a hand laid upon Captain Talgarth’s sleeve. Despite her proximity to the captain, she looked none-too pleased. It was clearly Captain Talgarth’s idea, not Serena’s, that they should rejoin the party.
Far too soon for Sir Egbert’s comfort they all set off again in the direction Captain Talgarth and Lady Serena had already traversed, and since Captain Talgarth had politely drawn Sir Egbert into conversation the party regrouped slightly. Emily again took Mr. Montague’s arm and Caitlin and Serena walked a little way apart. Caitlin did not like to see Serena’s brow clouded, and wished very much that she could coax her friend back into a sunny humor. She began by quizzing her a little.
“Serena, how long have you known the gallant Captain Talgarth? You’ve kept him very dark.”
Serena did smile a little at that. “Would not you?” she asked saucily. Then she sighed. “For all the good it’s done me! I have known him any time these eighteen months, and he has yet to speak. What am I to do, Caitlin?”
“Eighteen months! That is certainly a period. Why did you never mention him to me?”
“Well, he was in the action at Mahidput last year, you know, and only recently returned to England. When I first became acquainted with him he was not a captain, and I was only eighteen, so he told me I must not think of him. He has the noblest nature!”
“Would your family have disapproved?”
“Oh, I daresay they would have disapproved of anyone at that time—I had seen so little of the world, you know, and wasn’t precisely ‘out’ yet. He is the third son of Sir Humphrey Talgarth, and his mother was Lady Caroline Jevinghurst. It is a pity he is a younger son, of course, but there is nothing to object to in his birth—and he is certainly not hanging out for a rich wife, as they say. I believe his fortune to be in the neighborhood of four thousand a year, which is not contemptible.”
Caitlin was aware that four thousand a year did not compare to Lady Serena’s fortune, but she had to agree that Captain Talgarth could not be thought ineligible by the most exacting parent. “How long did you know him before he went to India?”
“Only six weeks. We met while he was stationed near Selcroft Hall during the autumn of 1816. And then he was away so long! I began to think I had mistaken my heart—but when I saw him again he was even handsomer than I remembered. I am sure no man could equal him. Every inch the gentleman! Why, one has only to
look
at him.” Which Serena did, smiling mistily.
“Does he return your regard, do you think?”
Serena hesitated. “I was sure of it when we first knew one another—and when he returned to England he certainly lost no time in renewing our acquaintance—but lately I cannot help wondering if—well, I cannot tell! His notions of propriety are so very strict. I had hoped to coax him into walking alone with me today, but no such thing. As soon as he perceived we were out of view of the rest of the
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