Read The Shocking Miss Anstey for Free Online Page A

was in the Peninsula, the last year or two. He came out about Salamanca time. Served as an aide-de-camp, and just the man for it. He can ride. He has a nerve you can’t shake, and an eye for country. You can trust him to get through.’
    ‘Yes?’
    ‘Well, I told you what happened to my father, and what the Peer said about taking him home. But it wasn’t so easy.
    Imagine what it was like, trying to get transport just then--with the place littered with dead horses and smashed wagons and wounded to be taken out?’
    ‘Oh, I see.’
    ‘That’s rather more than I did. But I did manage to get an ammunition wagon that still had some wheels. My own men got that, and then it was Hildersham. Nobody asked him, but he brought me a pair of horses, and God knows where he got them. Just said he’d respected my father, and you couldn’t have had the beasts for any money just then--or for any money I could have paid.’
    ‘Good for Hildersham.’
    ‘It was. Of course he knew St. Hollith too, and that may have helped.’
    ‘Who’s St. Hollith?’
    ‘Oh--my brother-in-law. Or was. I told you.’ Wickham had a little frown now. ‘Lord St. Hollith--seventh Baron, I think he was. He married my sister.’
    ‘Waterloo again?’
    ‘Cavalry. Paget’s lot.’ Again Wickham spoke briefly. ‘Give them credit for spunk. They went right through the French Cuirassiers, and then sheer through the infantry--D’Erlon’s corps. Cut ‘em to shreds. Hmm.’
    ‘You don’t sound as if you entirely approve?’
    ‘We none of us did. It was the old cavalry trouble-discipline not quite good enough. They went on for another mile after that, having a go at the guns or anything else in sight, and there wasn’t a man or a horse with any breath left in him when the Cuirassiers counter-attacked--as, of course, they did. It was their turn to be cut to pieces, and we had to fight the rest of the day without any cavalry support worth having. It made a long day.’
    ‘So I’ve heard.’
    ‘One doesn’t like to say too much. But these cavalry officers aren’t really professionals as we are--or you are. A few exceptions, of course, but mostly they’re dashing amateurs. A year or two in a good regiment puts polish on a man. Change from hunting too. That kind of thing. And that was St. Hollith, and that’s Hildersham.’
    ‘I know the breed. We get them occasionally, and we dislike them as much as you do.’
    ‘I don’t dislike exactly. After all, being fair to St. Hollith, the man finished well. He was trying to rally his squadron when they got him. He was doing his best, but it wasn’t quite good enough. That’s all. And it was all for St. Hollith. Quite a gay fellow, too.’
    ‘My sympathies to your sister.’
    ‘Hmm!’ He nodded doubtfully. ‘I’m not sure he was the best of husbands, though. Gaiety seems to have been devoted to someone else. Mind you, I didn’t really know the man. I didn’t meet him much. Still . . .’ Again he paused thoughtfully. ‘The one thing I do know is that he seems to have run through his money. He hasn’t left much for Mary.’
    ‘Your sister?’ Grant nodded. ‘How does she take it?’
    ‘I don’t know. There was our father, too, you see, so she lost both ways, and I can’t sort them out.’
    ‘It might be both.’
    ‘Very likely. I must say she’s inclined to stay at home, though. Doesn’t want the St. Hollith mansion again. Says she had enough of it. So I’ll have to---’ He stopped suddenly, and for a moment he was looking keenly at Grant. Then he spoke with a change of tone. ‘I suppose you wouldn’t like a country visit?’
    ‘Why, what do you---’
    ‘Come with me for a while. Have a look at that village life we were talking of.’
    ‘But really---’
    ‘Don’t let me plague you.’ Wickham sounded diffident now. ‘But it’s my own house, and a firm invitation.’
    ‘It’s uncommonly good of you. But why should you?’
    ‘Why shouldn’t I? But if you want reasons . . .’