The Flame Eater by Barbara Gaskell Denvil

Author:Barbara Gaskell Denvil [Denvil, Barbara Gaskell]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Gaskell Publishing
Published: 2016-02-08T23:00:00+00:00

Chapter Thirty

Avice stared, shoulders hunched, and said, “You’re all pink, Emma. And sweaty. But it was quite chilly last night. You must have much thicker blankets than me.”

“Hush, Avice,” said her mother. “You really are an ignorant child sometimes. You must take after your Papa.”

“I don’t,” said Avice. “I’m just like you, Maman. And don’t tell me no. I’ve seen all your wonderful new clothes since Papa died, and the lovely food with honey and raisins and proper spices, and real loaves of sugar in the pantry, and the hundreds of extra candles, and far less time spent in chapel. Father Godwin looks positively lost and lonely these days. And Maman, those sleeves. They’re long enough to dust the floors, and there’s real rabbit fur all the way up inside. So you see, you’re just like me after all.”

“It certainly isn’t simple rabbit,” said her mother. “And you will not mention wagers again, Avice, not even indirectly. Indeed, that’s quite enough chatter for now.”

Adrian interrupted. “I’m sure it will be a great disappointment to all you ladies,” he said with firm deliberation, “to know that I’ve decided to stay. With Nicholas about to scurry off, I feel at least one sober masculine presence is imperative. I intend staying until I escort my sister back to Nottingham.”

“How nice,” said the baroness without noticeable conviction.

Emeline said, “Nicholas is out at the stables organising his departure. But he’ll have supper with us before he leaves.” She looked directly at Adrian. “You’ve been so very nice, sir, offering to come here and look for Nicholas when he was missing before. But I know where he’s going this time. At least, I have some idea. Nicholas trusts me to stay on my own. And now there’s Maman. So we can look after Sissy, truly we can. You don’t have to stay.”

“Searching for murderers and clues and such nonsense. Pooh,” said Adrian. “And as for Nicholas’ trust, I put no more store in his opinions than I do in my sister’s. I must tell you, madam, London is a dangerous place.”

“And I’m so looking forward to going there,” sighed Avice.

The spring sunshine was sinking a little behind the gables. Moss had crawled over the stable thatch, merging with the reeds and oozing green shadows down to the neat clipped edges. Nicholas was leaning against one of the stalls, regarding his liard’s impatience. The horse kicked at the stable door. Nicholas smiled. “I feel the same, my friend, and these fools make me all the more eager to be gone.”

Rob was quarrelling with his brother, and the new boy Wolt was watching with the first smile he’d managed since leaving Gloucester.

“Pompous codsprick,” spat Harry. “Just ‘cos you took up with ‘is lordship afore I did, don’t make you no more special now. We’s both needed, ain’t we m’lord?”

“Desperately needed. Needfully desperate,” said his lordship. “Otherwise I’d send you both back to the tenements with pleasure.”

David Witton shook his head. “You’re sure of this, my lord? It’s an odd package we’ll seem, I think, which could make us too conspicuous.

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