3rd October, 1814: Visiting Torrington

Vickery did not think for one moment that one horse could be spooked by another, even a group of other horses in formation, and merely contented himself by narrowing his eyes at the other man. "Indeed."

Bromwell's horse, from what he had seen, had been galloping long before the cavalry had appeared on the scene - and had come from quite a different direction, to boot.

Willoughby, who had to contend with his conscience which had become a bit guilty since observing he flustered look of the youth before, then the harsh telling to, which would perhaps had been considered light to a soldier, raised a hand as if the gesture itself could calm nerves and ruffled feathers.

"I would be glad to hear of the horse. " He said, in earnest. "..and I would urge you merely to be more careful in the future. While a broken leg of a horse is dreadful , catastrophic to the animal and its owner, men do die or injure themselves horrendously if they fall off a horse too. No less dangerous may be also to fall with one." He recalled the time when his luck had caused him merely an injured ankle, but which could have had his leg broken while buried beneath his horse Bayard.

"We have seen men trampled by horses.." Though given, most horses, unless trained, would prefer to avoid stepping on a person. "And men fallen from them, not only in the cavalry..." He reasoned, though felt now that he might fall under the scrunity of his two friends for being lenient with the young gentleman. "... more frequently than one would have liked."

Realizing that Torrington was quite firm in his intentions to keep him from Bella and sensing that he had overstayed his welcome, Mr. Bromwell took his leave soon thereafter, mentioning he would call on Lady Isabella soon, begging her brother to convey his regards, best wishes and apologies repeatedly, assuring both Willoughby and Torrington of his utmost respect, promising Willoughby he would inform him of the condition of the horse, uttering even more apologies for drawing them into affair, and a rather short "My apologies for causing you any inconvenience, Sir. Good Day!" to Vickery.

After the butler had led the disgruntled visitor away, Edward collapsed into his chair and liftet the coffee pot to refill his guests' cups.

"By God, that was probably his quickest visit ever. Vickery, I'm sorry."

"I have a feeling I should be the one to apologise, Torrington, for having driven your caller away - though I fear he was not a welcome guest." He glanced at the clock. "Not even ten minutes. I am not entirely sure who has been snubbed, you or he, that his call did not last the full fifteen minutes."

"He has received a fairly unpleasant reception, to say the least. While just, I almost feel sorry for him." Willoughby spoke. He leaned forward to take his freshly filled cup, took a few sips from it then laid the porcelain back on its small plate.

"I do apologise for speaking out of turn in your home, Torrington." He turned towards the officer. "He was your guest."

"Don't mention it. You weren't wrong with your critizism, and it might perhaps have been rather beneficial for him to at least feel the officer if he refused to see or respect him. I certainly don't feel snubbed by the short visit. In a way it was rather amusing seeing him nearly fall over to be respectful to Willoughby here, while he completely disregarded you, Vickery. "

Torrington held up the elegant silver pot.

"... Or do you feel you need something more fortifying after this visit? I have porter here, if you would care for some. Or tea of course."

"No, no, that will do just fine for me - although please do not restrain yourself on my behalf, should you need something stronger," Vickery said, and smiled. "An officer of Foot, in an outlandish green uniform? Of course he was going to snub me. I am but the younger son of Lord Saltash and do not rate even an Honourable, when being introduced, after all."

The coffee was somewhat cooler at this time, but still of pleasant warmth and taste. It must have contained some sugar and the quantity that had been used, had been quite strong. Willoughby concentrated on the drink, taking a few sips more from the cup before giving its contents a light stir. He observed the murky water that quite unlike tea, revealed very little beneath.

The two superior officers conversed, and he would not disturb them. Titles could mean a line between respect and disrespect, but only where they mattered.

"I am an abominable host - I should have of course included your honourablenes and future prospects - right along your unmarried status."

Edward winked.

"But he will have left this house rather content nevertheless - after all, he has made the aquintance of another nobleman with very comfortable prospects who possible will show more interest in his sisters than I ever managed - and has managed to create the perfect opportunity to call on him."

He grinned at Willoughby.

"His mother might even use the excuse that you have saved her son from a chill to call on you personally!"

"I remain unconvinced that I have any future prospects, save to inherit some small moneys from my mother. And you know as well as I do that it not the done thing to introduce anyone as honourable or dishonourable or any such thing." He was almost grinning now, and turned towards Willoughby.

"I commiserate with you on you new acquaintance, my lord," he said. "Of course, you could let it be known that you once enlisted in the ranks as a common trooper, should you wish to scare him off completely."

Timothy paled. His cup of coffee was empty enough not to spill its contents when it came down somewhat less controlled as before. His gaze lifted from it to shift between Vickery and Torrington only to finally land on the latter.

Torrington's ailments in the world of matchmaking had entertained him in the past and he had skillfully avoided his own. Part to blame was certainly having been 'lost' when the cavalry was chosen as his next home.  He had not at all considered that his eagerness to know about the well-being of a horse and his eagerness to chide the reckless rider would turn so terribly on him. "You are not serious." He blurted. "Surely he would not use this ....or his mother to invite themselves... may I seek refuge with you? Have you perhaps another music room I too may retire to?" He spoke half in jest and half serious.

Vickery's teasing did little to lift this grave matter into a mere comical sphere: "I've been a trooper once perhaps, but now I am an officer and..it is that my grandfather wishes to hear as little to none of that part of my.. ahem.. career."

"I'm afraid my music room is currently occupied, but my brother-in-law has some estates in the very north of Scotland, where he will be more than willing to hide you for a good cause", Edward answered gravely.

"But since Vickery seems to think so little of his own prospects, perhaps we should steer Mrs. Bromwell his way, so that she can assure him how nicely it would do for her daughters, and lift his spirits that way."

"Dear Lord - save me from foolish dandies and their ambitious mothers and sisters. I think I would hide myself in the wilds of Spain rather than face Mrs Bromwell and her daughters," Vickery exclaimed, a look of horror on his face. "Maybe I could find a pretty Spanish señorita instead?"

"Thank you, my dear friend, I will consider that offer should the situation become too grave for me here, and Since the Major here, refuses to take the sacrifice.." He grinned, amused by the reaction of pure horror at the thought that Mrs Bromwell might bring her daughters along to entertain the rifleman.

"Now, what would a lass from Spain have that our ladies do not?" He teased. "I must say I have been fortunate today to see prime examples of our society though regretfully they had retreated now to their own melodic quarters." A final sip from his cup declared the cup now empty but for the remains of ground beans.

"What will the pair of you do then, when faced with a horde of ladies at the ball today?" When 'attacked' the best bet was to 'strike back' and turn the tables so that from teased one would become the teaser.

"Hide behind my sisters' skirts!", Torrington replied immediately. Then he laughed.

"Would you mind very much, Vickery, if I asked your sister for the walz? In friendship? If she would not prefer somebody else asking her, that is."

"The waltz? I should not mind in the least," Vickery said. "I do not believe she is otherwise engaged for that, anyway." He leaned back in his chair. "So... if you can't hide behind your sisters' skirts, you'll hide behind my sister's skirts, is that it?" he asked, one eyebrow quirked a little.

"Gladly, if she will let me - I'm not too proud to admit that at the moment an evening at Almack's terrifies me more than any French battlefield."

The engineer looked down into his cup.

"After all, there you either remained unscathed or you got hit - here, I'm often not so sure of my condition - and everything always seems to have long term effects I can't compute."

"I wonder if I should feel fortunate or unfortunate to not have a sister." Willoughby murmured observing the two. He raised his chin slightly and listened. He could hear a melody now, though distant and muted, it certainly came from an instrument other than a fife.

"Well, atleast I need not worry about suitors that she could have had." He turned the cup with his forefinger and thumb several times and leaned back, his hand withdrawing to his knee where it chose to rest next. "Torrington , is...." And then he grew silent again, the cup making a few more turns when his hand returned.

Edward raised an eyebrow, waiting for the younger man to continue.

He had hoped that their host would have not heard him or even ignored the beginning of a question, but at the worst possible moment he had caught the man's attention fully.

He halted his hand and the cup remained wedged between his thumb and forefinger, hoovering just inches above its plate. The contents were nearly gone and the grainy dark patch was ready for a fortuneteller's tale.

"Well.." He began a second time. Had he not an easier time as a mere trooper ready to approach an officer, than now with his friend? "I was wondering, contemplating the matter, really, considering it properly, I would say, having my thoughts on the matter and sorting them that is... So what I mean to explain here, or rather inquire, perhaps nay question, request without ill feeling should the answer be in the negative..that is. " His eyes halted briefly on Torrington then dropped again. "Llet me begin again." He sighed as he had already made a fool of himself for very little reason and he was only making it worse than it was by prolonging the matter. "Should It not be an inconvenience to you, should it in addition not displease you or in any way cause ill feeling or unease.. I was contemplating to ask.. that is, should she also be willing and in the chance that she is not already fully taken for the evening, which would be expected of course, seeing what a lovely creature she is.." He took a deeper breath. "With all things considered and in a positive favour of the available, .. may I ask of your sister for a chance of a dance at the ball. That is, I will understand should you prefer that I remain distanced from her instead."

Finally it was out and he had likened this ordeal to a lady's labour at birth. He realised that he would probably dance with other ladies as well and that making such a big deal of it was far from needed. Further more, was he to do the same not to cause offense to Major's Vickery and his own sister or would asking it in such quick succession cause offense to both?

When Edward didn't immediately answer, it wasn't that he was offended. Instead, he needed all his self-control at this moment not to burst out laughing and offending his friend.

He had heard his share of awkward applications from his sister's suitors, but this from a man older than most of those, experienced in battle and a dashing hussar to boot ...

Vickery had heard some tangled statements and requests in his time as a Company commander on detached service with the 60th, but nothing quite as confusing as Willoughby's request.

He just hoped that the other would be able to speak more intelligibly when it came to asking the lady herself.

Willoughby took the silence for Torrington's disagreement with the requested and tried to smile, and shrug it all off as just a silly notion now. "I understand,.." He hastened to say, apologetically. "I meant no offense of course." He added in earnest. "I apologise!"

This galvanized Edward into action and he quickly replied:

"Oh, please don't - at least not to me, but perhaps to your English teacher. I'm sorry - while I have the impression that you actually don't understand, I needed a moment to give this speech its due credit. Of course you can ask Bella - I have no idea which dances she has promised already, but I'm sure she can find a spot for you on her card."

He grinned.

"Only ... you might want to cut down your question a bit. Patience is not her most prominent accomplishment. Unrelenting propriety is neither, so you can be quite relaxed."

Willoughby's look of disappointment was replace one of gratitude and delight. He resembled a young, impish lad, who had been given permission to mount his newly bought horse and ride through their estate. Perhaps the example was not best, but Willoughby was certainly smiling.

"Thank you, I will be certain not to do more but to ask her directly." He glanced at Vickery. "And I beg that neither of you speak of my elaborate inquiry here..to anyone."