Edward Hastings was happiest when he was riding and fortunately that was exactly what he was doing at this very moment. As he sped across the fields, he never felt so free and alive. At that moment he was very close to his good friend Andrew Ffoulkes's house, and Hasting decided to take the liberty of dropping in on his old comrade in suffering. He sped up to the house and announced himself to one of the valets, hoping he wasn't imposing.
Andrew was so busy packing that he didn't notice the sound of a horse swiftly riding up to his home. Thusly, he was taken by complete and pleasant surprise when one of the servants announced that young Lord Hastings was calling. There was no need, of course, for Andrew to ask the servant to let him in, as Edward was already leaning at a jaunty angle in the doorway waving.
"Come in, my friend!" Andrew smiled. "I must say it is a great pleasure indeed to see you, Edward, especially with all the burdensome worries surrounding poor Tony's surgery. The last I heard, the doctors had completely removed all signs of that cancer thing. The clouds are starting to part and let the sun shine through!
"But where are my manners? Please, sit. Would you like a spot of tea?"
"Tony? You mean that sickly boy from Harrows?" Hastings asked. "Has that been your project of late? I thought you'd found a lady friend to woo." He took a seat and watched his friend pack. "Came to see if you were up for a ride, but I see that you and your family are taking flight. France, isn't it? Well, you're in luck! I'm heading there myself, so you can give your sister fair warning."
"You? Going to France? My, but this is a surprise! A wonderful surprise! Things will be like they were before: all of us together again. What a time of it we'll have!" Andrew was truly pleased at the thought. Hastings always had a way of making the world seem a little less gloomy.
"Oh, and stay away from my sister!" he added with a wink and an accusatory finger. Edward was a nice guy, and Andrew didn't really think he'd ever act badly toward Michelle, but boys will be boys, and his sister was growing into womanhood quite nicely. He'd be a poor excuse for a brother if he didn't watch out for her.
"So," Andrew continued, "I'll make you a deal. Help me get the last of these books off this shelf and into the trunk, and I'll go riding with you the rest of the day. Heaven knows I could use the diversion. And who knows, we may even find a lady or two to charm along the way."
