bench. Clutching tightly at her sketchpad to stop her hands from trembling, she looked towards the roof. Two square chimney stacks rose toward the sky and there was a large gap in the side of one of the stacks.
'Oh thank God you were not hurt. I saw the stone falling but was too shaken to say a word.'
Lady Winter's quavering voice brought Verity to her senses. She hurried towards her.
'Poor Sally, I am so sorry – we will go indoors immediately and find you a restorative. What a shock for you.'
'Even more of a shock for you,' replied my lady with a shaky laugh. 'By all means let us go in – Rafe rode over with me. We could not find your groom so he took the horses to the stable while I came to find you.' She leaned on Verity's proffered arm and walked with her to the front door, where Verity sent a footman scurrying off to fetch brandy.
The two ladies went into the morning room, where they found Mr Bannerman standing beside the fire, conversing with Mrs Worsthorne.
At the sight of Lady Winter's pale face Megs exclaimed: 'Oh my heavens – Lady Winter.'
Mr Bannerman crossed the room in two strides and put his arm about his sister.
'Sally, what is it, what is the matter?'
'It is nothing – I shall be well again in an instant, but pray look after Verity – sit down child, you look so pale I fear you will faint.'
Verity managed a wan smile. 'I never faint, but I will sit down.'
'What happened?' demanded Mr Bannerman.
'A s-stone fell from the roof, into the shrubbery.' Verity tried to speak calmly. 'It has s-smashed the bench beyond repair, I'm afraid.'
'Such a fortunate escape,' declared Lady Winter. 'Poor Verity was sitting on that very bench a moment earlier. Thank Goodness that you got up when you heard me calling you, or heavens knows -'
Mrs Worsthorne threw up her hands, her plump cheeks quite white.
'Merciful heavens.'
'Megs, I am not hurt,' Verity tried to reassure her. 'My concern is for Lady Winter – ah, here is Ditton with the brandy. Megs, will you please take charge, I fear my limbs are trembling too much for me to stand up.' She smiled, and fought back a ridiculous urge to cry.
'Brigg told me there had been an accident.' Mr Worsthorne came striding in. 'Cousin, are you hurt?'
'No, by the most fortunate chance!' declared his mama. 'Verity has narrowly escaped death!'
Verity shook her head at her. The brandy had done much to restore her.
'No, no, Cousin. It is not as bad as all that. A stone fell from the roof – from the chimney in fact. It has destroyed the bench in the shrubbery.'
'But only think, Luke!' declared Mrs Worsthorne, 'Poor Verity had been sitting on that very bench only seconds earlier, and Lady Winter saw the stone fall!'
Mr Worsthorne frowned. 'You saw it ma'am?'
Lady Winter shook her head. 'Only something dropping behind Verity, but it was all so sudden. Rafe and I rode over - I am leaving my hack here for Verity to use, you see. We had arranged for the carriage to follow on and take me back. Ditton told me Verity was sketching in the shrubbery so I thought I would find her while Rafe saw to the horses. Thank goodness I was not a moment later.'
'A dreadful experience, for both of you,' said Luke.
'Well, I am much recovered now,' Lady Winter handed her empty glass to her brother. 'But, Verity my dear, you are much too pale, perhaps you should lie down?'
Miss Shore shook her head.
'No, no. I promise I shall not fret over what might have been. I shall do very well, if I sit quietly for a little longer.'
'Well well, what excitement!' Mrs Worsthorne sank down onto a sofa, mopping her brow with a lacy handkerchief. 'Luke, you must go up on to the roof immediately and make sure no more stones are loose.'
'Yes, please do,' Verity tried to smile. 'I have no wish for any more such accidents. I am sure Megs would not like to inherit Highclough in such a way.'
Mr Bannerman raised his brows.
'Inherit
'Oh thank God you were not hurt. I saw the stone falling but was too shaken to say a word.'
Lady Winter's quavering voice brought Verity to her senses. She hurried towards her.
'Poor Sally, I am so sorry – we will go indoors immediately and find you a restorative. What a shock for you.'
'Even more of a shock for you,' replied my lady with a shaky laugh. 'By all means let us go in – Rafe rode over with me. We could not find your groom so he took the horses to the stable while I came to find you.' She leaned on Verity's proffered arm and walked with her to the front door, where Verity sent a footman scurrying off to fetch brandy.
The two ladies went into the morning room, where they found Mr Bannerman standing beside the fire, conversing with Mrs Worsthorne.
At the sight of Lady Winter's pale face Megs exclaimed: 'Oh my heavens – Lady Winter.'
Mr Bannerman crossed the room in two strides and put his arm about his sister.
'Sally, what is it, what is the matter?'
'It is nothing – I shall be well again in an instant, but pray look after Verity – sit down child, you look so pale I fear you will faint.'
Verity managed a wan smile. 'I never faint, but I will sit down.'
'What happened?' demanded Mr Bannerman.
'A s-stone fell from the roof, into the shrubbery.' Verity tried to speak calmly. 'It has s-smashed the bench beyond repair, I'm afraid.'
'Such a fortunate escape,' declared Lady Winter. 'Poor Verity was sitting on that very bench a moment earlier. Thank Goodness that you got up when you heard me calling you, or heavens knows -'
Mrs Worsthorne threw up her hands, her plump cheeks quite white.
'Merciful heavens.'
'Megs, I am not hurt,' Verity tried to reassure her. 'My concern is for Lady Winter – ah, here is Ditton with the brandy. Megs, will you please take charge, I fear my limbs are trembling too much for me to stand up.' She smiled, and fought back a ridiculous urge to cry.
'Brigg told me there had been an accident.' Mr Worsthorne came striding in. 'Cousin, are you hurt?'
'No, by the most fortunate chance!' declared his mama. 'Verity has narrowly escaped death!'
Verity shook her head at her. The brandy had done much to restore her.
'No, no, Cousin. It is not as bad as all that. A stone fell from the roof – from the chimney in fact. It has destroyed the bench in the shrubbery.'
'But only think, Luke!' declared Mrs Worsthorne, 'Poor Verity had been sitting on that very bench only seconds earlier, and Lady Winter saw the stone fall!'
Mr Worsthorne frowned. 'You saw it ma'am?'
Lady Winter shook her head. 'Only something dropping behind Verity, but it was all so sudden. Rafe and I rode over - I am leaving my hack here for Verity to use, you see. We had arranged for the carriage to follow on and take me back. Ditton told me Verity was sketching in the shrubbery so I thought I would find her while Rafe saw to the horses. Thank goodness I was not a moment later.'
'A dreadful experience, for both of you,' said Luke.
'Well, I am much recovered now,' Lady Winter handed her empty glass to her brother. 'But, Verity my dear, you are much too pale, perhaps you should lie down?'
Miss Shore shook her head.
'No, no. I promise I shall not fret over what might have been. I shall do very well, if I sit quietly for a little longer.'
'Well well, what excitement!' Mrs Worsthorne sank down onto a sofa, mopping her brow with a lacy handkerchief. 'Luke, you must go up on to the roof immediately and make sure no more stones are loose.'
'Yes, please do,' Verity tried to smile. 'I have no wish for any more such accidents. I am sure Megs would not like to inherit Highclough in such a way.'
Mr Bannerman raised his brows.
'Inherit
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