The Salamanca Corpus: Yeoman Fleetwood (1900 ... - Gredos

The Salamanca Corpus: Yeoman Fleetwood (1900)
had left his horse and gig on the previous night — a certain hostelry situated at the
South-western end of the town, nearest to the road which led to Charnleigh. Here Simon
proposed that Rachel should rest for half an hour and refresh herself with tea before
they continued their journey. The young couple were shown into a cosy private room on
the first floor, and were just preparing to sit down to their repast when a clatter of
horse's hoofs was heard in the yard below, and the sound of a well-known voice reached
them through the open window.
"It is Humphrey," cried Rachel, clapping her hands ecstatically. "He has come in pursuit
of us. Shall I not call out to him quickly to prevent his making a disturbance here?"
[279]
Before Simon could reply she had sprung to the window, and, leaning out, called in her
most demure and dulcet tones:—
"Pray, Cousin Humphrey, do you happen to be looking for me?"
Humphrey, who had just alighted from his horse, started violently, and looked up.
“Are you looking for me. Cousin Humphrey?" she repeated mildly.
"Most certainly I am," he replied in a voice that shook with suppressed rage. "Thank
Heaven, I am in time! I thought you had been farther on your way by now."
"Why,” said Rachel, "accidents will happen, you know. Horses will cast shoes, and even
experienced drivers may take a wrong turn now and then. But it makes no difference in
the end. Cousin, I assure you. We are just about to have tea; will you not come up and
join us? But you must make haste, for it is late, and we wish to pursue our journey."
“Do you, indeed, madam?" returned he coming close under the window and looking up
at her with a face that grew ever darker. "I fancy that what I have to tell you may cause
you to alter your mind."
"Well, there you are wrong," retorted she blithely. "Come up, if you please, and say
everything you fancy so long as you do not delay us unreasonably. But I warn you your
pains will be lost on me."
Humphrey, without replying, began to make his way towards the inn door, and Rachel,
turning from the window, advanced into the room, skipping and clapping her hands.