The Marriage Market (3 page)

“You are hurt, Miss Larke.  What is amiss?” he asked, kneeling beside her and wrapping a supportive arm around her shoulders.  She leant against him and gasped.

“It’s my side, sir.  I think I injured a rib.  It hurts, and it is difficult to breathe.”

Mrs. Larke ran up to them and crouched down in the grass.  “How are you, Victoria?” she asked.  Victoria reached for her mother. 

“Mama, my side hurts,” she cried.

“Shall we lay her down, do you think, Mr. Ladbrook?”

“No, ma’am, I don’t think that would be best.  Miss Larke may have broken a rib.  I think it would be better if you examined her for anything amiss.”

Mrs. Larke removed her gloves and did as Mr. Ladbrook suggested.  “I don’t feel anything broken, but I’m not sure that I should be able to tell.” 

“If you will permit me, Miss Larke, Mrs. Larke,” Ladbrook said before gently probing the injured area.  “I do not feel anything amiss, either.  I think that I had better lift Miss Larke into the carriage, and we will get her home as carefully as possible.”

“Let me climb in first so she can rest her head in my lap,” Mrs. Larke said.  She turned to Patricia, who hovered anxiously behind them.  “Patricia, make haste and precede me into the carriage.”  The two women hurried back to the vehicle where the driver helped them into their seats.

Ladbrook squatted on the ground beside Victoria and bent his head close to hers.  Her eyes were shut, and her face was white and taut.

“Are you ready, Miss Larke?” he asked.  Victoria nodded and pressed her lips together.  “Wrap your arm around my shoulders and I will lift you as easily as I can.”

Ladbrook gathered Victoria into his arms and lifted her in one smooth motion.  He was dismayed to see a tear fall from her lashes, however, for even a little jostling gave her pain.  Carrying her to the carriage, he climbed in as evenly as he could and eased her into a reclining position beside Mrs. Larke.  Then he removed his coat and draped it over her, for she was beginning to tremble.  Unable to do anything more to make the young woman comfortable, he sat beside Patricia and instructed the driver to walk on as carefully as he could.

“But what about you, Mr. Ladbrook?” Patricia asked.  “Your nose needs attention.  Here, take my handkerchief.”

“Thank you, Miss Patricia,” he said, accepting the cloth and swabbing his face, “but do not distress yourself.  See, the bleeding has already stopped.  Are you and Mrs. Larke well?”

“We are fine, sir,” Mrs. Larke said.  Victoria winced as the wheel of the carriage bumped over a stone.  “Mr. Ladbrook, do you have any spirits about you?  I think that a drop of alcohol might ease Victoria’s pain,” the mother said.

Ladbrook handed her his flask, and Mrs. Larke supported Victoria’s head while pouring a little brandy into her mouth.  The subdued party drove home in very different spirits from when they had set out that morning. 

Chapter Four – The Invalids

Johnson, the Larke’s unflappable butler, was startled to find an agitated Mrs. Larke waiting on the doorstep when he opened the front door.  Looking past her, he saw Ladbrook, his shirt front blood-caked, carrying Victoria up the stairs.  Johnson stepped aside to allow them to pass.  Patricia hurried in behind them, her hat askew. 

“Johnson, is Admiral Larke at home?” Mrs. Larke demanded.

“No, ma’am,” the butler replied.

“Never mind.  Send for Dr. Barr immediately.  Tell him that Victoria has fallen and has injured a rib.  Then send for the admiral at his club.  Ask him to come home at once.” 

The last remark was flung over her shoulder as she flew up the stairs past Ladbrook and Victoria and opened the door to her daughter’s room.  Ladbrook laid Victoria carefully upon the bed, and was banished from the room.  A maid showed him to a guest bedroom, where he washed the dried blood from his face and eased his aching foot from his boot.

Dr. Barr and the admiral arrived together a little while later.  The doctor hastened upstairs, while a tearful Patricia clung to her father’s arm.  Dr. Barr examined Victoria and discovered that she had two cracked ribs.  She had also suffered a blow to the back of her head where it had connected with Mr. Ladbrook’s nose.  Fortunately, her bonnet had cushioned the blow and there was no concussion, although her head ached.  Dr. Barr bandaged her ribs tightly, gave her laudanum to ease the pain, and left her tucked up in bed with her mother in attendance.

Then the doctor visited his second patient.  He determined that Ladbrook’s nose was unbroken, although the appendage was swelling painfully, but the small toe on his right foot was broken.  The foot was swelling, making it impossible to replace the boot, so Ladbrook was put to bed with protestations that he was inconveniencing the family.  Admiral Larke lent Ladbrook a night shirt, and Mrs. Larke sent in the maid after the gentleman was abed to remove and clean his clothes.  The admiral came to visit him soon afterward, bearing two glasses of an excellent French brandy.

“Really, Admiral, this is quite unnecessary,” Ladbrook said, pulling back the bedclothes and starting to rise.  “I do not need to be coddled like this.  Just send me home in your carriage.”

The admiral waved him back into bed.  “No, Mr. Ladbrook, I can do no such thing, even if I wanted to indulge you.  Neither my wife nor my daughters would speak to me if I were to oblige you.  Anyway, you will be much more comfortable here with friends to spoil you than in bachelor’s lodgings, and Doctor Barr will find it more convenient to see both his patients under the same roof.”  He sat down on a chair beside the bed and handed the young man a snifter of brandy.  “To your health, Mr. Ladbrook, and to the health of my wife and daughters.  From what I’ve heard, you did us a great service today, preventing Victoria from coming to greater harm and saving my wife and Patricia from being overturned.  You acted as guardian to my family in my absence, and I am greatly indebted to you.  So, do us another kindness and stay for a few days until your foot begins to heal and your face is recovered enough from its bruising to risk being seen in the streets.  Victoria’s skull must be as tough as a coconut – your face looks quite battered, sir.”

Touched, Ladbrook inclined his head and said, “Thank you, Admiral.  I would not wish to frighten women and children in the streets.  I am happy to accept your hospitality.  To the health of your fine lady, and to your daughters.”

The next day, Victoria did not leave her room, but Ladbrook joined the family downstairs for breakfast.  Afterward, he settled with the newspaper on a couch in the morning room.  As he turned the pages, Mrs. Larke and Patricia burst into the room, the mother saying, “It’s your decision, child, if you really think it’s necessary.  If you must do it, better to get it over with now.”  The two ladies stopped in front of Ladbrook, Patricia looking particularly distressed. 

“My word, what is all this?” he inquired, dropping the newspaper and struggling to stand.

Patricia said, “Pray, do not rise, sir.  You must rest your broken foot.  Mr. Ladbrook, I wish to make my apologies to you, and if you will accept them, I hope that you will shake hands with me.”  The girl’s eyes were downcast and her cheeks were flushed.

“Miss Patricia, you have done nothing that requires an apology,” Ladbrook protested, taking her proffered hand.  “Whatever is the matter?  I wondered when you would not look at me at breakfast this morning, but I thought that my face was putting you off your meal.”  He smiled at her.

“No indeed, Mr. Ladbrook, far from it.  But I am responsible for your injury and I want to apologize.  If I had not called out exactly when I did and distracted you, you would not have been hurt.  I am very sorry for my thoughtlessness and pray that you will forgive me.”

Understanding flooded his face.  “Please, do not be troubled any longer.  You were alarmed when you saw blood on my face.  I have lived around horses all my life, and they have kicked me, stepped upon me, and knocked me down.  Animals are unpredictable and accidents happen.  It was not your fault, so please do not think that it was.”  The gentleman gave her hand a small shake to emphasize his words.

Mrs. Larke grinned and said, “See, Tricia, Mr. Ladbrook does not blame you, and you must not blame yourself any longer.  Everyone knows that you would never intentionally harm a fly.” 

Patricia gazed solemnly at Mr. Ladbrook for a moment before bending to kiss his cheek.  “Thank you, sir,” she murmured. 

Mrs. Larke said, “Well done, my dear, and if our rescuer does not mind, I will salute him as well.” She bent and gave his other cheek a resounding kiss.  “And when Victoria is feeling better, I will tell her that she owes Mr. Ladbrook a kiss, too.”

From behind her, Admiral Larke said, “Well, I’m not going to kiss Ladbrook, although it seems a popular occupation this morning.  Can I offer you a cigar instead, sir?”

Looking dazed but pleased, Mr. Ladbrook replied that he would gladly smoke a cigar with the admiral, and the ladies left the gentlemen in possession of the room.

The next morning, Ladbrook was seated at a small table strewn with drawing materials when Victoria walked in slowly on her father’s arm.  Ladbrook limped to his feet, but the admiral waved him back down.  Father and daughter approached the table, and the admiral lowered her carefully into a high-backed chair beside the young gentleman.  Victoria let out a withheld breath and smiled at Ladbrook, looking pleased with herself. 

“How are you, Miss Larke?  Did you sleep well? Have your breakfasted?” Ladbrook asked.

“I passed a reasonable night and had a tray in bed this morning.  Dr. Barr said that I could try the stairs today if I promised to rest in the afternoon.  I felt sure that my spirits would improve with some company, and mother is bringing down a bit of embroidery for me to do.  But never mind that.  I am so glad, Mr. Ladbrook, that you are staying with us until your foot is better.  It gives me the opportunity to thank you for your gallant service the other day.  Do you know, Father, that I was quite flying through the air when Mr. Ladbrook caught me, even though I struck him hard enough to inflict the damage that I see on his poor face.  I’m sure that I would have been more gravely injured had he not caught me.  But, forgive me, sir, are you growing a beard?”  The gentleman's cheeks, chin, and upper lip displayed a beard of two days’ growth.

“The skin around my nose and cheeks is a little too tender to shave at present, Miss Larke,” he replied with a smile.

“Well, it does not matter.  You are just as handsome with a beard as without.  But, please accept my gratitude for your assistance.  To think that your toe was broken all the while that you were saving us.”  Victoria laid her hand upon his arm and smiled warmly at her hero.

“You are quite welcome, Miss Larke.  I’m sure that I will always provide any assistance that lies within my power to give you.”  David laid his hand over hers, gazing into her eyes all the while.

“What are you doing there, Ladbrook?  Are you an artist?” the admiral inquired, startling the two young people.  Victoria settled back carefully into her chair while Ladbrook turned around to look at her father.

“I had my servant bring me my drawing materials this morning, sir, along with some additional clothing.  When I was a boy, I got into the habit of carrying a sketch pad whenever I wandered in the woods, and I’ve been drawing ever since.  I thought to draw the view from your window today.”

Victoria exclaimed, “I draw too, Mr. Ladbrook, although my inspiration is the sea.  Do you paint as well?  What medium do you use?”  

Soon they were deep in conversation discussing the merits of water colour versus ink.  When Mrs. Larke entered the room with Victoria’s embroidery, Victoria and Ladbrook’s heads were bent together over the drawing paper, and they did not notice her.  Mrs. Larke sat down in a chair beside her husband, winked at him, and did the work herself.

The next few days passed very pleasantly for the invalids.  They sketched, exchanged life histories, debated the merits of town versus country life, and exclaimed over some of Bath’s more ridiculous fashions and pastimes.  Admiral and Mrs. Larke played cards with them in the evening, and Victoria, who was not yet up to singing, hummed along while the admiral and Patricia serenaded them on flute and piano.  The Larkes agreed that Mr. Ladbrook made a very comfortable addition to their family circle.

One night there was a knock at the door, and Mr. Wovington strode into the drawing room.  He stopped on seeing Ladbrook and Victoria together on the sofa.  They did not see him at first; Victoria was busy teasing Ladbrook about the untidiness of his cravat while attempting to retie it.  Ladbrook laughed, allowing her to smarten him up.  After a moment, he caught sight of his friend. 

Struggling to his feet, Ladbrook exclaimed, “James, you’re back at last!  How is your father?  Was your business successful?”

Wovington’s smile had frozen as he witnessed this pretty scene; it warmed again as he crossed the floor to greet his friends.  The gentleman explained that he had not heard of his friends’ mishap until he had returned to his lodgings, and had hastened over to determine how the invalids fared. 

Acquainted with the whole story and smiling wryly, he said, “Well, Ladbrook, I see that you have had all the luck.  I wish that you had been the one away on business, and that I had been on the scene to offer assistance.  What’s a broken bone and a few bruises compared to the happiness of being nursed by these charming ladies, not to mention the admiral’s hospitality?  I am jealous of you.  I may just go down to the street and have Old Blue give me a proper kicking.”  Everyone laughed and bid Mr. Wovington acquaint them with the news from Salisbury, and the evening passed in sociable chatter.