A Bride for the Prizefighter - Alice Coldbreath Page 0,92
said, gesturing between Mina and himself.
“We’re not sure yet,” Mina answered, glad to change the subject. “Some of the fighters might be scratched if they’re not willing to come to Cornwall.”
“Ah, I see.” Jeremy was eyeing her curiously.
“Did you bring my nephew with you?” she asked, looking out of the window, to where a bored-looking Colfax was stood waiting next to his carriage.
“Not today. Should you like that?”
“I would.”
“He talks about you a lot,” Jeremy conceded. “You were quite a hit with young Master Teddy.”
Nye turned from the window, frowning. “Has Colfax ever boxed?” he asked. “If we lose more than one fixture, I may need a substitute.”
Jeremy looked horrified. “I couldn’t have one of your louts rearranging his features,” he objected.
“He looks about the right build.”
“Absolutely not! I refuse.”
“Maybe I’ll just ask him myself,” said Nye, heading for the door.
“He’s impossible,” Jeremy sighed, sitting on the bench next to Mina. “By the way, there’s a most unpleasant stench in here. It’s making my eyes water.”
“It’s onions,” Mina told him. “I’ve still got half a sack to chop.”
“My God.” Jeremy shuddered. “Did I sell you into indentured labor?”
A smile tugged at Mina’s lips. “Don’t be ridiculous,” she told him sternly. “I’d offer you tea, but I know how you despise it.”
He gave her a grin and reached into his jacket, extracting a silver hip flask. “No need,” he brandished it aloft and took a swig. “Now we’re alone, tell me why did Nye fire up like that when I mentioned news from the village?”
Mina sighed. “He likely thought you had news of Ivy,” she admitted.
“Ivy?”
“The pretty blonde barmaid.”
“I know who Ivy is, but pray tell, why would there be news of her in the village?”
“Oh, because she’s run away,” Mina admitted. “But I don’t think many people know that yet.”
Jeremy gave her a long hard look. “I can see you know more than you’re letting on, but I am not concerned about pretty little Ivy. What I want to know is who this fellow is that Nye thinks is trying to run off with you?”
“Oh, you heard, that did you? It was just a misunderstanding, nothing more.”
“Don’t play coy with me, that’s not your style, sister dear.”
“Sir Matthew Carswell, JP,” she admitted. “But Nye is quite mistaken about what he wanted from me.”
“Good idea to keep Nye on his toes, though,” Jeremy said approvingly. “Clever you.”
Mina rolled her eyes. “I told Nye there was nothing in it. I’m not trying to incite him.”
“I shouldn’t think you had to do much to send him over the edge where you’re concerned,” Jeremy said with a smirk. “You have surprised me, I will confess. I had not thought you had it in you to bring William Nye to his knees.”
“I have done no such thing,” Mina said, flushing. Involuntarily, she glanced over to the window to watch Nye making back for the kitchen door.
“Colfax has boxed at country fayres,” he announced as he came through the door. “So, he would do at a pinch.”
Jeremy threw up his hands in mock horror. “No one listens to me,” he complained. Mina sliced into another onion. “Faugh!” Jeremy complained, jumping up from his seat and pressing a hand to his nose. “Foul stench!”
“Well, I’m sorry for your sensitive nose, but I’ve another twenty to peel and slice before lunchtime,” she scolded him.
Jeremy laughed, tipped his hat to her, and sauntered out of the door. She watched as he and crossed the courtyard and clapped a hand to Colfax’s shoulder.
“Does he usually come to watch the boxing?” she asked.
“Fairly often,” Nye admitted, his eyes on her.
“I need to get on with these onions,” she said hastily. “It’s been one interruption after another this morning.”
He grunted, drained his teacup, and strode out of the kitchen, a frown still on his face.
Mina managed to get through the next couple of hours without disturbance and by the time Edna appeared to make some sandwiches for lunch, she had finished the onions and was halfway through the potatoes.
“There’s a sack of swedes needs bringing in for you too,” Edna pointed out, somewhat undermining Mina’s sense of achievement. She ate her bread and cheese as Edna pinned out the first lot of washing to dry and Nye carried in the sack of swedes on his shoulder from an outhouse.
“You may as well bring in your trunk from the stable now,” Mina pointed out to him as he set the swedes down next to the table.