Part 49 (1/2)
”That's downright wickedness,” said Mrs. Carbuncle. And then they went down to dinner.
CHAPTER x.x.xVIII
Nappie's Grey Horse
During the leisure of Tuesday, our friends regained their good humour, and on the Wednesday morning they again started for the hunting-field. Mrs. Carbuncle, who probably felt that she had behaved ill about the groom and in regard to Scotland, almost made an apology, and explained that a cold shower always did make her cross.
”My dear Lady Eustace, I hope I wasn't very savage.” ”My dear Mrs.
Carbuncle, I hope I wasn't very stupid,” said Lizzie with a smile.
”My dear Lady Eustace, and my dear Mrs. Carbuncle, and my dear Miss Roanoke, I hope I wasn't very selfish,” said Lord George.
”I thought you were,” said Sir Griffin.
”Yes, Griff; and so were you;--but I succeeded.”
”I am almost glad that I wasn't of the party,” said Mr. Emilius, with that musical foreign tone of his. ”Miss Macnulty and I did not quarrel; did we?”
”No, indeed,” said Miss Macnulty, who had liked the society of Mr.
Emilius.
But on this morning there was an attraction for Lizzie which the Monday had wanted. She was to meet her cousin, Frank Greystock. The journey was long, and the horses had gone on over night. They went by railway to Kilmarnock, and there a carriage from the inn had been ordered to meet them. Lizzie, as she heard the order given, wondered whether she would have to pay for that, or whether Lord George and Sir Griffin would take so much off her shoulders. Young women generally pay for nothing; and it was very hard that she, who was quite a young woman, should have to pay for all. But she smiled, and accepted the proposition. ”Oh, yes; of course a carriage at the station. It is so nice to have some one to think of things, like Lord George.” The carriage met them, and everything went prosperously.
Almost the first person they saw was Frank Greystock, in a black coat, indeed, but riding a superb grey horse, and looking quite as though he knew what he was about. He was introduced to Mrs. Carbuncle and Miss Roanoke and Sir Griffin. With Lord George he had some slight previous acquaintance.
”You've had no difficulty about a horse?” said Lizzie.
”Not the slightest. But I was in an awful fright this morning. I wrote to MacFarlane from London, and absolutely hadn't a moment to go to his place yesterday or this morning. I was staying over at Glens.h.i.+els, and had not a moment to spare in catching the train. But I found a horse-box on, and a lad from MacFarlane's just leaving as I came up.”
”Didn't he send a boy down with the horse?” asked Lord George.
”I believe there is a boy, and the boy'll be awfully bothered. I told him to book the horse for Kilmarnock.”
”They always do book for Kilmarnock for this meet,” said a gentleman who had made acquaintance with some of Lizzie's party on the previous hunting-day;--”but Stewarton is ever so much nearer.”
”So somebody told me in the carriage,” continued Frank, ”and I contrived to get my box off at Stewarton. The guard was uncommon civil, and so was the porter. But I hadn't a moment to look for the boy.”
”I always make my fellow stick to his horses,” said Sir Griffin.
”But you see, Sir Griffin, I haven't got a fellow, and I've only hired a horse. But I shall hire a good many horses from Mr.
MacFarlane if he'll always put me up like this.”
”I'm so glad you're here,” said Lizzie.
”So am I. I hunt about twice in three years, and no man likes it so much. I've still got to find out whether the beast can jump.”
”Any mortal thing alive, sir,” said one of those horsey-looking men who are to be found in all hunting-fields, who wear old brown breeches, old black coats, old hunting-caps, who ride screws, and never get thrown out.
”You know him, do you?” said Frank.
”I know him. I didn't know as Muster MacFarlane owned him. No more he don't,” said the horsey man, turning aside to one of his friends.
”That's Nappie's horse, from Jamaica Street.”