The Riddle of the Reluctant Rake by Patricia Veryan

to walk to Rufus Prior’s cottage, sir, you had best—”
    â€œGood Lord above! Find yourself a hat, and I’ll go and pole up your hack to your gig, or cart, or whatever you jaunter about in!” Striding to the door, Adair wrenched it open.
    Two shrieks and an oath rent the air.
    Rufus Prior, one arm about Miss Hall, had taken hold of the door handle and was jerked inside, Miss Hall being pulled in willy-nilly.
    â€œYou!” Abandoning his charge, Prior jumped at Adair, his fists flying.
    From the corner of his eye, Adair saw the girl more or less flung into the nearest chair. He also saw that she looked pale, which troubled him. This was no time to reason with young Prior. He sidestepped the hothead’s whizzing fist, decked him neatly, and turned to bend over Miss Hall.
    â€œI am most dreadfully sorry,” he began, scanning her anxiously.
    â€œMonster!” shrieked Lady Abigail, coming up to flail her reticule at his back. “You stole our horses! You are a very bad man!”
    â€œNo, but I left you a note and they were where your grandson could find them easily enough,” said Adair, fending her off as best he might. “I’d not have done it save that I simply had to have an uninterrupted hour or so in which to—”
    â€œTo do—what? Knock my cousin down again?” said Cecily Hall with disgust.
    â€œBrute!” screamed Lady Abigail. “Bullying ruffian!”
    â€œOw!” said Adair as her small fist connected squarely with his ear. “If you will have done, ma’am, I’ll—”
    She kicked him hard, and losing patience, he picked her up and tucked her under his arm.
    â€œDon’t hurt her! Oh, don’t hurt her!” cried Miss Hall, coming to her feet.
    â€œHe’s not hurting me, dear,” said Lady Abigail, suspended, but ceasing to make swimming movements.
    â€œYou’re the one who is hurt, Miss Cecily,” said Adair, thinking that she was even more beautiful than he remembered. “I’ve been trying to get this idiot to come and help you, but—”
    â€œBut this ‘idjut’ is just about to blow your head off!” The apothecary, who had left the scene, now returned aiming a bell-mouthed blunderbuss at Adair. “Coming into my surgery with your hoity-toity airs! Throwing my clients about! Unhand Lady Abigail this minute! If ever I heard of such a thing!”
    Her ladyship said shrilly, “Put that hideous weapon down at once, Jedidiah Bright! Miss Cecily and I are in the line of fire, you fool!”
    â€œGad!” muttered Adair, setting her down hurriedly and stepping aside.
    â€œNow I gotcha!” said Apothecary Bright with a triumphant grin.
    â€œNonsense,” said Lady Abigail, her cheeks rather pink as she straightened her garments. “There is no need for gunfire.”
    â€œYou never wants me to let him go, marm?” asked the apothecary, bewildered. “He’s liable to do for the lot of us!”
    â€œStop being so ridiculous and tend to Miss Hall.” Ignoring the wavering blunderbuss, Adair crossed to bend over Rufus Prior, who was beginning to sit up, holding his jaw and muttering to himself.
    â€œIf someone will help Miss Hall into my surgery, I’ll be only too glad to tend to her.” The apothecary marched into an adjoining room, calling over his shoulder, “Nor I don’t need to be ordered about by ill-tempered strangers what has no appreciation of the importance of a gentleman’s hat!”
    Adair reached down a hand. “Come on, Prior. Your cousin needs your help.”
    Miss Hall gave him a caustic look. “You are all consideration, Colonel.”
    Prior blinked at him stupidly.
    Her ladyship said, “You’re to blame for all this, Adair. You carry her.”
    â€œI would sooner crawl than have him touch me,” declared Miss Hall with loathing.
    â€œWell, I cannot carry you, child,”