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Park.”
    Matois said, “ Bien sûr, mademoiselle. This headland which saved your life is called Seacourt Head. It is no distance at all.”
    “Don’t be absurd. I mean the house, of course. There is a road along the west face of the headland that leads to a house on the point.”
    “Mais, oui, and a fine house it is,” he agreed. “But it lies empty, does it not?”
    “Not empty, merely staffed by very few servants. That is my cousin’s house. She inherited it when her father died, but visits only for short periods and brings a host of servants with her. There must be horses we can borrow. From here to the road cannot be more than a quarter mile and from there, it’s less than a mile to the house. We’ll take the cliff path to Tuscombe Park House. This road curves east toward Duloe before it heads west again, so it would take much longer.”
    “You might discover an aversion to any cliff path just now,” he said quietly.
    “Nonsense. I’m not afraid of anything when I’ve got a good horse under me.”
    “And the child? Do you speak for her, as well?”
    Charley glanced at Letty, who was frowning slightly. “Will you be frightened to ride along the cliff, darling?”
    “Oh, no. I told you, I have not got a smidgen of sensibility. If it is the shortest route, I vote that we take it. I was just wondering if it would not be better if I were to ride astride, since that saddle has not got a leaping horn. I’ve got my pantalets on, you know, so if monsieur will not be dreadfully shocked …” She looked at him.
    “Monsieur will not be shocked at all,” he said. “Shall I put you up?”
    “Yes, please, but I think you had better carry Jeremiah until Annabelle becomes more accustomed to him, don’t you?”
    “Most assuredly.” He lifted her up behind Charley, and although the mare skittered nervously, it soon settled down. Fifteen minutes later, when they found the road to Seacourt House, Jean Matois said, “I am glad you believe we shall find horses. Otherwise I should insist that we trade places halfway. I know that walking is excellent exercise, but I got practically no sleep last night.”
    Charley was about to tell him what she thought of trading places, but catching his gaze and observing a decided twinkle in his eyes, she thought better of the notion. Monsieur Matois possessed an impudence quite out of character in a man of his class. Apparently, Frenchmen of that class differed from their English counterparts.
    They reached Seacourt House a short time later, and Sam and Aggie Corlan, the man and woman in charge there, were kind enough to provide them with not only a pair of horses and sidesaddles but breakfast of a sort, as well.
    Charley noted that, in the presence of Sam and Aggie, Monsieur Matois behaved like any other member of his class, staying with Annabelle and generally effacing himself until Sam requested help saddling the other horses.
    Since Charley had known the Corlans all her life, she told them what had happened, but asked them to tell no one else for the present. “I don’t want Grandpapa to learn of the accident before I can tell him myself,” she explained. “We mean to ride straight to Tuscombe Park from here, but I know how swiftly bad news can spread.”
    “Land sakes, Miss Charley, I don’t know who we’d be telling. There’s only Sam and me, for our Todd’s gone off to Hampshire. But here they be wi’ the horses.”
    Still munching one of Aggie’s saffron buns, Charley let Matois assist her to mount. When he helped Letty, the little girl gave him an apple. Grinning at her, he polished it on his sleeve and took a bite. Charley knew Aggie had given him food, so she was not much surprised when he ate only half and gave the rest to Annabelle.
    The gesture pleased Letty, for she told him so, in French, as they made their way around the large horse pond in the stable yard, past tall hedges protecting the garden, and back to the road. Once Matois ascertained that Charley