* * * *
She left soon after that, and Yasmin was alone with her thoughts, for she could not share them with Leon. Restless, she wandered from the cottage and walked along the path she knew Sir Edward would use. In about a hundred yards there was a small mound, not large enough to be dignified with the name of hill, to the side of the path, and Yasmin scrambled to the top of it, sitting where she could watch the path for Sir Edward's coming. It was a full hour before she saw a rider in the distance, but she was certain it was Sir Edward. Yasmin watched as he came nearer, delighting in the thought he would soon be with her, and she could again see the beloved face. She wove dreams as she watched him riding slowly along the path, and it was some seconds before the meaning of what was happening immediately below her struck her consciousness.
What she had seen and watched unthinkingly was the appearance of a dark man from the shelter of the trees some yards away, near the bottom of the mound. His back was turned so she could not distinguish his features, but he gradually raised his arm and pointed towards the rider who was drawing closer. In his hand was a gun.
The terror Yasmin felt as she saw what was intended made her scream a warning. Sir Edward was still too far away to hear what she said, but he heard the cry, and the frantic girl saw him spur on his horse and ride faster into danger. She shouted again to him to ride away, and then saw the man with the gun was making off amongst the trees.
Sobbing with relief, yet still fearful he would shoot Sir Edward, Yasmin stumbled down the short steep slope towards him, to fall almost at his horse's feet as she reached the path.
'Yasmin!'
He leapt from his horse and came to her, holding her shoulders as she clung to him.
'What is it? Is Leon worse? What is it?'
'That man! He was going to shoot you! He had a gun! He was pointing it at you!' she gasped rather incoherently, but he understood and looked about him swiftly. Fearfully Yasmin did so too, but could discern no movement.
'You frightened him away, it seems,' Sir Edward said calmly, and Yasmin suddenly realised she was clutching the lapels of his coat. She released them hurriedly and stepped away from him, glancing up in some confusion to find him looking down at her with an odd expression she could not interpret in his eyes. Gravely he thanked her.
'Oh, I just happened to see him,' she said, helped by his air of normality to gain some measure of calmness.
'How fortunate for me you happened to be just there at this time,' he went on, and she did not dare confess she had been waiting for him.
'Tell me, how is Leon? And how have you contrived while I have been away?' he asked as they began to walk towards the cottage.
'Leon is much better, and the doctor seems pleased. He says the leg may mend so well Leon will not have a limp afterwards.'
'That is good. Have you found it irksome, living in a house?'
'Why should it be?' Yasmin asked in surprise, and he raised his eyebrows slightly. 'I have found it most comfortable, and your sister has been most attentive.'
'She tells me you have been helping her with her guitar lessons.'
'It is the least I can do to repay both of you for your kindness.'
'My mother told me to say she is exceedingly sorry not to have been herself to visit you, but she has been confined to the house with a severe cold. I bear a message from her, to the effect that if Leon is well enough to be left for a while, she would be pleased to see you up at the Hall. I told her of your singing, and she would like to hear you if you would be so kind.'
'I – I would be honoured,' Yasmin answered slowly. 'Maria brought several kind messages from her.'
'Good, then we will arrange it. I am certain Mrs Barber will be willing to sit for a time with Leon to release you from attendance on him.'
* * * *
They walked on slowly, making casual remarks, until they reached the cottage. Sir Edward smiled at Yasmin and went inside to talk with Leon, but she remained outside, her feelings tumultuous. There was delight at seeing him again, fear as she lived again the terror of those moments when he was in danger, and a growing puzzlement over the reason for it. It had clearly been a deliberate attempt to shoot him, but what could have been the motive? Had he enemies? And if so, why? Yasmin knew too little about Sir Edward to be able to solve the puzzle, but she was afraid. If there was some enemy with the desire to kill him, what other dangers lay in store for him? She was sorely tempted to run into the cottage and beg him to take care. Common sense prevailed, and Yasmin remained where she was. He had been warned, and would naturally take what precautions he could without her prompting. She would only appear foolish in his eyes.
At length Sir Edward emerged from the cottage, and told Yasmin he had arranged to take her to visit his mother on the following afternoon. He then walked across to Mrs Barber's cottage and Yasmin went in to Leon.
'Ought I to go?' she asked anxiously. 'They will ask questions, and what shall I tell them?'
'I cannot understand it,' Leon replied. 'He has asked no questions as yet, and when I tried to explain the morning after he found us, he would not listen. It is high time we told him about us, and I have asked him to come back. Do you prefer to remain while I tell him?'
Yasmin sighed, not knowing what she wished. 'Yes, I had best remain, for there may be questions you are unable to answer,' she said at last, and had scarcely finished when Sir Edward returned.
'Well, that is arranged. Mrs Barber will come in to see you tomorrow, Leon, so I will call for Yasmin soon after noon. Now, you were most anxious to tell me something?'
He sat down on the settle beside the fireplace, and smiled encouragingly.
'You must have wondered how we came to be in the woods that night you found us,' Leon began.
'Naturally, but it is none of my affair, and there is no need for you to confide in me if you would prefer not. If I can be of help, though, in sending a message, I will gladly do so.'
'You are too kind! No, there is no message, but I must explain. It was so odd, and you might entertain suspicions about us. You have been so very kind to us when there was no call on you to do anything!'
'I helped a fellow man in trouble,' was all Sir Edward replied to this, shrugging off the thanks.
Slowly Leon related to him what he knew of Yasmin's history, her birth and early years with the gypsies, and then told how she had gone to live with her mother, whom she had supposed to be her aunt, until Georgiana Boswell's death the previous autumn. He explained how the tribe had turned against Yasmin when her grandmother's influence had been no more.
'They will very rarely accept anyone who is not a full Romany,' he said. 'I believed if Yasmin married me they might accept her, but that, even, is not a solution now. Pedro's desire for her is too great, and he is not the man to stand by and see another wed her. Besides, she will not take him, so we must leave the tribe. Yasmin ran away alone, and I discovered it and tracked her, but Pedro did the same. I held him off for a while, which explains my bruises, but in our haste to escape him I did not take sufficient care, and that is how you found us as you did.'
Sir Edward had listened intently, but now he did not comment. He nodded as Leon finished, and then sat looking down at his hands for a few moments. At length he looked up at Leon.
'What you do afterwards is your own affair,' he said quietly. 'I am happy to have been of some assistance. You may remain in this cottage for as long as you wish, so do not think you must move before you are ready to do so.'
'I am so beholden to you already, I would wish to pay you for it in some way,' Leon said worriedly.
'Yasmin is teaching my sister to play the guitar.'
'That is not enough. I must do something, but I do not see what I can do, tied to my bed. I will repay you some day, however.'
'If you are indeed better, there is something you could do now,' Sir Edward said slowly. 'I had not intended to suggest it so soon, but you look well, more so than I had expected, and may find your convalescence tedious. Could you do more of your carvings now?'
'Yes, of course, and would be pleased to do so if I had the right wood. But of what use would they be to you?'
'Tell me what you need in the way of wood and I will supply it. I took the few pieces I bought at the fair up to London with me, and showed them to a merchant who deals in similar works of art. He assured me he could be certain of obtaining good prices, treble what you were asking at the fairs, for all you cared to produce. A very few would suffice to pay the rent for this cottage, and for all the other things you may need.'
Leon's eyes lit up. Yasmin knew he had been fretting at his helplessness, and here was an offer of help that would not damage his pride. But he hesitated.
'I ask an honest price for them already,' he said dubiously.
'To country folk who know no better, who cannot judge the quality of what they buy, and do not know they have objects showing a rare skill. I tell you they will fetch more in London, far more, and even after the merchant has taken his profit you will have three times what you obtained before. What sorts of woods do you prefer? I bought one of pear, I recall. Is that your favourite wood?'
'It is one of the best,' Leon said, and Yasmin could sense the excitement gripping him. He loved his carving and rarely sat idle. Even while he had been ill he had obtained a rough chunk of wood and shaped it into the form of a crouching bear, the pain drawn clearly on its face as a snarling dog hung onto the flesh of its chest. This he showed to Sir Edward now, and he exclaimed over it, declaring it was better than any he had yet seen.
They discussed it further, and Leon promised to have some small items ready in a week's time, when Sir Edward said he would again be travelling up to London. Then Sir Edward left, reminding Yasmin of the visit to his mother.
* * * *
She was ready early the following day, having washed her hair and put on the best of her dresses, the one in golden taffeta, in readiness. When Sir Edward arrived he was not riding as usual, but drove a very elegant phaeton drawn by a pair of superb bays. He leapt down to hand Yasmin up into the equipage, handed her guitar to her, and sprang up beside her. They called their farewells to Leon and drove away. As they went he asked Yasmin to tell him more about her life with her mother, saying he knew the village slightly. She complied, telling him how happy they had been until her mother's sudden illness.
'Dr Brownlow did what he could, but I do not think he knew what was the matter with her. It was a severe shock, for she was still young. I shall always regret I was not aware before she died that she was my mother. I think she may have wished to tell me at the last, but was unable to do so, for she was stricken so suddenly, and did not have time.'
They had arrived at the massive gates opening into a spacious, well-tended park. A neat lodge was just inside, and a child came out to open the gates for the phaeton. Yasmin looked eagerly about her as they drove along the driveway, winding through the park towards a cluster of trees topping a slight rise. As they approached Yasmin could see the chimneys of the house through the tops of the trees, for they were still not yet fully clothed with their summer leaves, although within a few days they would be smothered with the new green growth.
Then Yasmin saw the house as they came round the trees, and drew in her breath with delight. It was long and low, surmounting a terrace that ran the whole length of it, and commanding a view across the gentle hills towards the distant sea which could be glimpsed through a break in the hills. A pillared portico broke the flatness of the front, and steps led down from this to the terrace, and then to the drive below. Sir Edward halted the phaeton before the steps, and a groom promptly appeared to take the horses. Sir Edward jumped down and took Yasmin's guitar, then handed her down and led her up the steps.
The door was opened by an ancient butler, who ushered them into a spacious, airy hall. He took Yasmin's shawl and Sir Edward's cloak, giving Yasmin a long, appraising look.
'My lady waits in the small parlour,' he announced, and Sir Edward smiled his thanks.
'This way, Yasmin.'
He took her hand and guided her across the wide hall, pressing her fingers lightly between his own in encouragement as they went.
'Do not be afraid,' he murmured in low tones as she passed before him through a door held open by a liveried footman.
Inside the room Maria jumped up from her chair and came across to greet Yasmin. Beyond her Yasmin saw a stately lady of about fifty sitting on an elegant sofa, and beside her, to Yasmin's dismay, Charlotte Massey. Yasmin hesitated, and Maria took her by the hand and gently urged her forward towards Lady Curtis.
'Mama, this is Yasmin Boswell of whom I have talked so much.'
Yasmin dropped a slight curtsey, and heard a suppressed chuckle from Charlotte.
Yasmin clearly discerned the scorn in it, and knew Charlotte, who could not have known of her upbringing, must have been thinking she aped the ways of her betters. Throwing back her head proudly, Yasmin looked across at her for an instant before smiling at Lady Curtis.
'I am so pleased to meet you, child, at last,' the latter said warmly. 'I have indeed heard much about you. Will you take some tea?'
Yasmin sat where she indicated, in a small satin-covered chair beside her, and accepted the delicate cup that was passed to her, and a cake. She had been nervous, but Charlotte's attitude had steadied her, and she was calm and self possessed. Lady Curtis talked in a kindly fashion, and although she said little directly, it was obvious she knew most of Yasmin's story. She offered words of sympathy for the sad loss of the girl's mother and grandmother, and the past few months might never have been, for Yasmin could have been sitting in the drawing room of any number of Aunt Georgiana's acquaintances making polite conversation.
Soon Lady Curtis turned to include Charlotte and Maria in the conversation, and then asked Yasmin if she would be so kind as to play and sing for them. Sir Edward fetched her guitar, and she sat there playing for some time, thinking only of him as she sang. After one especially sad song she paused, and Maria broke in on her thoughts.