Rachel paused. She had not expected this. Generally Cory lodged with them when he was working with the Odells. ‘You are staying with the Duke of Kestrel?’ she said. ‘Is he come to Suffolk, then?’
She saw Cory’s eyes narrow in amusement. Although the interior of the stable was cool, she could feel her face getting hotter although she was not entirely sure why she felt embarrassed. Perhaps it was something to do with Cory’s quizzical expression-and what it implied, as though she was one of those silly girls who occupied themselves in pursuing eligible gentlemen.
‘Yes, Justin is in Midwinter,’ Cory said, after a moment, ‘although he does not intend to stay here for the entire summer. Are you particularly desirous of meeting him, Rae? I would not have thought him to be the type of gentleman who interested you.’
Rachel gave him a haughty look. ‘I confess that I do not seek out the company of rakes,’ she said. ‘I told you that earlier. I was merely thinking that the Midwinter villages will be set by the ears to hear that the Duke is to be among us.’
‘Not only Justin,’ Cory said laconically, ‘but several of his brothers as well.’
‘How will all the young ladies contain their excitement?’ Rachel said. ‘Especially as you are visiting Midwinter as well, Cory!’
Cory’s lips twitched. ‘I have no doubt that Suffolk society will survive,’ he said, straight-faced. ‘We are not the only visitors this summer. I hear that the Northcotes are in Burgh and Sir John Norton is at Drybridge. Suffolk seems the fashionable place to be.’
Rachel frowned slightly, searching her memory. ‘Norton…I have heard of him. Is he not the polar explorer?’
‘That’s right. He has just returned from an attempt to reach the North Pole.’
‘How very pointless!’
Cory grinned. ‘No doubt you cannot imagine why he should bother?’
‘I can imagine why he would try,’ Rachel said, with asperity, ‘since no doubt he is as mad as the rest of you.’ She shivered. ‘I merely think it must have been prodigiously uncomfortable.’
‘You may ask him yourself,’ Cory said. ‘I am sure that he will be happy to bore the ladies with tales of his exploits. The anecdote about his escape from an enraged polar bear is particularly good.’
Rachel tutted. She had heard enough tales of male bravado to last a lifetime. ‘You are all the same! Will you not find it rather slow in Suffolk after hacking through the ice, or seducing women from Constantinople to China?’
Cory pulled a face. ‘No doubt we shall manage. There is the sailing, after all, not to mention the races at Newmarket. And Justin has persuaded me to join the Suffolk Rifles.’
Rachel looked at him sharply. A bumblebee was trapped in the window, buzzing loudly as it beat against the cobwebby glass. She had just been thinking that it reminded her of all that was warm and safe and familiar about an English summer, but now Cory had cast a shadow across that.
‘You have joined the Volunteers?’ she said. ‘Does that mean that you think these rumours of French invasion have some substance to them?’
Cory shrugged. ‘Who knows? The Suffolk coast is but a day’s sail from France in fine weather.’
Rachel stared. ‘Yes, but surely with our fleet to protect against the threat…’
Cory shrugged again. ‘It is true that we have command of the seas.’ He straightened, resting one hand on Castor’s broad back. ‘I would not wish you to alarm yourself, Rae. I think that we are safe enough.’
Rachel was not so sure now. She had thought the Midwinter Villages a sleepy place, but they were only a few miles from the sea and even here she had been aware of the rumours of war and the threat of invasion. There was a garrison in Woodbridge, across the Deben, and the talk in the town had been full of the failure of the Peace of Amiens and the resumption of hostilities with France. Besides, she could suddenly see another and very different reason for the presence of Cory Newlyn and his friends in Midwinter, for along with the stories of Cory’s exploits as an adventurer and explorer were tales of other, more shadowy, deeds. He had never spoken of these to her and she had never asked about the other errands his travelling could cover. Now she looked at him from under her lashes.
‘You must be a prodigiously fine shot to have been invited to join the Suffolk Rifles, Cory,’ she said, ‘for they are very proud of their reputation. What did you do to deserve that?’
Cory gave her a look that said he knew exactly what she was about and that she would learn nothing. ‘I have no notion,’ he said evasively.
‘And your friend the Duke of Kestrel,’ Rachel pursued. ‘Does he not have connections at the Foreign Office?’
Cory grinned. ‘Lord Hawkesbury is a cousin of his, yes.’
‘And one of the Duke’s brothers is an Admiralty man,’ Rachel said, ‘and another is in the regular army…’
‘You are very well informed, Rae.’
‘And you are all here in Midwinter this year. How very interesting. There must be an extremely powerful reason that so many important men are gathered in this one place.’
A lazy smile curved Cory’s lips. He put the curry brush down and came towards her. To her surprise, Rachel found herself feeling slightly out of breath as he backed her into a corner of the stable.
‘You are too quick, Rachel Odell,’ Cory said, with an expressive lift of the brows. ‘I always said that education in a woman was a mistake.’
Rachel laughed. She tilted her head to look up at him. ‘No, you did not, Cory. You are not the man to feel threatened by an intelligent woman.’
Cory’s smile deepened. ‘Maybe not. Nevertheless, I could wish you to see a little less clearly in this. Justin Kestrel is here for the summer merely for entertainment, as are his guests.’
‘I see,’ Rachel said. ‘Well, you will not hear me contradicting that, Cory.’ She sighed. ‘Could you step back, please? This corner is very dusty and I do not wish my gown to be spoiled.’
‘Of course,’ Cory said. He held her gaze for a moment and then moved away, picking up the brush and resuming his work on the horse. ‘So, is society here to
‘Oh, yes, I like it extremely,’ Rachel said. She gave a sigh. ‘It is so peaceful. So very staid and normal. Or at least I thought it so until you put me right.’
Cory gave her his brilliant smile. ‘What do you do with your time?’
Moving over to the manger, Rachel pulled a handful of hay and proffered it to Castor, who gobbled it eagerly.
‘I read and write letters, and take tea with the ladies of the villages, and go shopping. It is quite delightful. And then there are the balls and assemblies in Woodbridge…’
‘The town plays host to the 21st Light Dragoons these days, I hear,’ Cory said.
‘Oh, they are prodigiously unpopular.’ Rachel laughed. ‘The soldiers get drunk and cause fights, and take over the theatre and all the amusements. One can scarcely move for red coats.’
‘It sounds as though they find no more favour with you than my friends and I shall,’ Cory observed.
‘I do not suppose that you will repine,’ Rachel said, smiling. ‘Your arrival will cause a huge commotion amongst the wives and daughters of the military.’
Cory laughed. ‘You imagine them to be ladies more susceptible than yourself, Rae?’
Rachel shrugged. ‘I would think so. I confess I do not find adventurers attractive.’
‘Most other ladies do not agree with you.’
Rachel gave him a speaking look. ‘So I have heard. It is a pity you did not meet them by the river rather than myself.’
Cory was laughing at her, his grey eyes bright with amusement. ‘Did I disturb you so much that you cannot put it from your mind, Rae?’
Rachel realised her mistake. ‘Not at all,’ she said with dignity. ‘I was quite able to manage.’
‘In your usual practical manner?’ Cory put his head on one side. ‘I do not believe I have ever seen you so ruffled before, Rachel. It was…interesting.’
There was something in his eyes that suggested that if Rachel had seen him in a different light, then so had he seen her. For a long instant they held each other’s gaze whilst the warm, heavy excitement beat in Rachel’s blood again. She broke the contact with deliberation and dusted the bits of loose hay from her skirts.
‘I was certainly not expecting ever to see you in such a manner,’ she said. ‘It was like-’ she struggled a little
