The Captain's Wallflower by Audrey Harrison Read Free Book Online

so I was unable to take him on our usual walk. The poor thing had to make do with a short walk around the square in which we live.”
    “Well, Samson, I too am disappointed. I missed your support as I walked,” Alexander said to the dog. “May we join you once again Miss Basingstoke? I found the feeling of Samson against my leg to be a reassuring sensation as we walked last time.”
    “Certainly,” Amelia responded, smiling to herself. It was a good thing she had not become carried away with Alexander’s first words. He had missed the dog, not her. “I can’t promise he will do the same though.”
    Samson proved Amelia wrong. He stayed by Alexander’s side as they walked, again placing himself a little to the front of his body. Alexander rested his hand on the dog’s neck, and they walked comfortably together. The position was possible because of the size of the dog; he was a large creature, and Alexander’s hand rested naturally on his neck.
    “He’s never done anything like this before,” Amelia mused as they walked.
    “Perhaps he senses I need the help,” Alexander responded.
    “But you don’t, really,” Amelia countered. “You have the support of the person who is walking with you.”
    “Perhaps he thinks he can do a better job?” Alexander asked, laughing when Peterson harrumphed at his side.
    “Probably. He always thinks he’s the best at everything,” Amelia said with a smile. “Uncle Jeremy said he refused to seek the birds when he took him shooting. He swore that Samson looked at him with disgust and lay down as if to say he was far too good for such a task. He would have sold him, only he was worthless in the eyes of any who had seen him in action. Poor Uncle Jeremy.”
    “Poor Samson,” Alexander defended his new friend. “I would rather have him by my side than wasting his time searching for dead birds.”
    As they walked Alexander felt he could not ask anything other than the usual pleasantries even though he really wanted to find out more about the young lady who walked with him. It was not appropriate to ask the questions he wanted to while Peterson was in company with them and so close. He trusted his valet not to gossip, but his presence made things so much more uncomfortable, so he could not ask further personal questions. Alexander still needed to rest his arm on the valet’s as another measure of support. Alexander cursed his blindness again; would there be no privacy in his future?
    When they reached the gate where they had previously separated, Alexander was struck with inspiration. “Miss Basingstoke, could I ask something of you?”
    “Yes, of course,” Amelia responded while attaching the lead to the dog.
    “Samson seems to look on me as someone he needs to help. If we met at these gates tomorrow, would you mind if I accompanied you without my valet’s support and just walked with the dog?” Alexander was taking a risk. Although the dog had supported him twice, there was no guarantee he would continue to do so. If he ran off in the middle of Green Park, Miss Basingstoke would be obliged to chase after him, potentially leaving Alexander alone in the middle of a wide open space. By taking this chance, though, Alexander would be outside without support for the first time since his injury, and he would also be in the company of a lady who he wanted to get to know a little better.
    Amelia seemed to be having the same doubts and hesitated when responding. “I realise he has been very well behaved the two times you have met, but—”
    “I will not place any recriminations on you or the dog should he behave differently. I promise if you need to chase him, I shall remain stock still until you can come and rescue me,” Alexander reassured her. He was drawn to the young lady without doubt but, once he had thought of the idea, it seemed like an attractive one. It would be interesting to see how it felt to walk with just the dog leading the way.
    Amelia sighed. “I think you