The Toll Gate by Georgette Heyer Part I

 This is one of the novels by Heyer that I took some time to warm up to.  It is more of an adventure story than a love story.  

It starts with John Staple, who is heir to an earldom, visiting his cousin, the Earl of Saltash, who has just become engaged so that he can meet his future wife, Lady Charlotte Calne.  Jack as he  is called, is an adventurous young man of around 30 who has been a soldier most of his life and who fought in the Napoleonic wars.  His father died and left him a small estate and he gave up the army, but he finds civilian life rather dull at times.  He also finds his cousin, Bevis, very dull, and after a day or 2, he tells his mother and cousin that he has to go and visit a friend who lives not too far away, now that he is in the North. His mother is disappointed because she was hoping to get him to meet a young woman who might be a suitable wife, when they return from Bevis'  estate and now he wont be there.  However, she accepts that John wants to find a wife he really loves and that he may never marry unless he does find the right girl.

John sets out on his horse, Beau, sending his baggage on to his friend's house by carrier.  However, on the first night, he takes  a wrong road and ends up in a tiny village where there is a toll gate.  The toll keeper does not answer, and then, a young boy, very scared, comes out to take his money. 

John is inclined to be curious, and he feels sorry for the boy, Ben, who seems terrified of being left alone.  Ben tells him that his father, Ned, went away but he is sure that he will be back soon.  However if anything happens to his Dad, he is scared that he will be sent to a poorhouse or farmed out to work in a factory.  John decides to stay the night, as it is late and wet and he stables his horse and beds down for the night.  He feels sure that Ned will return, probably with a hangover the next day.....