Leo made light of her accident, though her shoulder was a good deal
hurt, and she bore the bandaging of what was a serious wrench with the
greatest fortitude. As North learned by degrees, there had been a
magnificent run, but towards the last, when Leo was almost heading the
field, the mare had become unmanageable, and had rushed at a dangerous
jump, with the result that she fell, threw her rider on the bank of the
deep little river, and, in her efforts to rise, entangled herself with
Leo's habit, and rolled with her right into the water.
"A most providential escape," said Salis, who looked pale with anxiety.
"What nonsense, Hartley!" said the girl; "a bit of a bruise on the
shoulder and a wetting."
"Yes, but you would have been drowned if the gentlemen of the hunt had
not galloped up to your aid."
"But they always do gallop up to a lady's aid if her horse falls," said
Leo, speaking excitedly. "There, don't make so much of it; and it was
utterly absurd, Hartley, for you to send for a doctor for such a
trifle."
"Trifle or no, Miss Salis," said the doctor, "I should advise your
seeking your bed at once."
"Nonsense, Dr North!"
"Well, then, I must insist," he said firmly.
"Oh, very well," said Leo; "I suppose you are master, so I have no more
to say. A little girl has had an accident, and so they put her to bed.
Fudge!"
"Leo, dear," said Mary, from her couch, "pray be advised. Dr North
would not wish it if it were not necessary."
"Certainly not," said North shortly, for he was annoyed at Leo's
flippant manner, and ready to wonder why he had felt attracted that
morning.
"What nonsense, Mary!" cried Leo. "Pray don't you interfere."
Mary sighed, and remained silent.
"Well, as you please," said North. "I have given you good advice: act
as you think best."
He turned to go, but was followed into the hall by the curate.
"Come into my room," said the latter, with a pained and perplexed look
in his face. "This is very sad, old fellow."
"What? being guardian to a couple of giddy girls?" said the doctor
petulantly. "No, no: I beg your pardon; don't take any notice of my
bitter way; but really, Salis, old boy, you had better have got rid of
that mare."
"Yes, I wish I had," said the curate sadly; "but Leo seems to take such
pleasure in it--and who could foresee such a mishap as this?"
"I could," said the doctor shortly. "Good thing she was not killed."
"You don't think the hurt serious?"
"Serious? No. Give her a good deal of pain, of course."
"And the chill?"
"What chill?"
"The plunge into the river after a heated ride."
"She changed her things at once, of course?"
"No," said the curate. "It seems that out of bravado she insisted on
mounting again, and then rode slowly home. She was shivering when she
came in."
"Why was I not told all this before?" said North sharply. "Look here,
Salis, old fellow; she must go to bed directly, and take what I send
her. Exercise your authority, or she will have a very serious cold."
He hurried away, and did not send the promised medicine, but took it
himself, leaving it with emphatic instructions as to its being taken;
and the result was that Leo Salis laughed at the supposed necessity, as
she termed it, and calmly declined to follow out the doctor's views.