A Loving Family by Dilly Court Read Free Book Online Page A

‘I’m very pleased to meet you, Stella.’ He turned to his father. ‘I’m sorry to interrupt but I can’t find Bertie. I’ve looked everywhere for him.’
    â€˜Have you looked in the Three Tuns? That’s where the rascal usually heads for when he knows I have a job for him to do.’ Mr Hendy slapped his son on the back. ‘Try there and if you can’t find him we’ll leave him to sober up and walk home.’
    Robert tipped his cap. ‘Good day, Stella. I’d better go and find my brother before he gets himself into trouble, but I hope we meet again.’
    â€˜I hope so too,’ Stella said and was surprised to realise that she meant it. She watched him walk away.
    â€˜He’s a good fellow,’ Mr Hendy said with a heavy sigh. ‘Which is more than I can say for his brother. I love both my sons dearly, but Albert gives me cause for concern. He’s inclined to wildness, whereas Robert is steady and reliable. My poor wife would turn in her grave if she could see how he has turned out.’
    Stella could see Jacob waving to attract her attention and she realised that she had been longer than she intended. Family luncheon was served at one o’clock on the dot and there would be panic in the kitchen if she was not there to make certain that everything was ready on time. ‘I must go, Mr Hendy. I’m so sorry to hurry away.’
    â€˜Are you still working at Portgone Place?’
    â€˜I’m assistant cook now and Mrs Hawthorne is unwell, so I have to go.’
    â€˜I understand. It was good to see you again, Stella.’ He shook her hand, holding on to it a little longer than was strictly necessary. ‘Perhaps you could visit us at the farm one day soon. We would welcome some female company.’
    â€˜Yes. I’d like that.’
    â€˜Chalkhill Farm, near Navestock. Ask anyone local and they’ll give you directions.’
    â€˜I’ll come and see you on my next day off, although with Mrs Hawthorne being poorly I’m not sure when that will be.’
    â€˜Don’t leave it another ten years, Stella.’
    â€˜I won’t. That’s a promise.’ She hurried off to join Jacob, who had witnessed the scene from a distance and was scowling at her as he handed her into the trap.
    â€˜I see the reason for your lack of interest,’ he said sulkily. ‘You’ve got a couple of gentlemen admirers here in town.’ He thrust the basket of shopping into her hands. ‘You might have said instead of leading me on.’
    â€˜That’s nonsense, Jacob. That gentleman is old enough to be my father and I haven’t seen him since I was a little girl.’ She waited until he had walked round to his side of the vehicle and was about to climb in beside her. ‘And I’ve never
led you on
, as you call it.’
    â€˜They’re laying bets on us in the tack room,’ he said sulkily. ‘I’ll look a fool if you throw me over now.’
    â€˜That’s utter nonsense. I’ll be very angry if I find out you’ve been making up stories about me.’
    He shot her a sideways glance. ‘You and your Spanish ways. I bet you got them flirty eyes from your ma what ran off and left you. They say she was no better than she should be.’
    Angry beyond words, Stella gave him a shove that caught him off balance and he fell off the seat and landed on his back on the cobblestones. The frightened pony lunged forward, and although Stella made a grab for the reins she could not prevent the animal from bolting. It took her several minutes before she managed to rein it in sufficiently to draw it to a halt. ‘There, there,’ she murmured breathlessly. ‘It’s all right. No one is going to hurt you.’ She glanced over her shoulder and saw Jacob running towards them red-faced and gesticulating. She was relieved to see that he was unhurt by the fall but his careless