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
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
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