Amanda Scott by Lady Escapade Read Free Book Online

now as he looked his sister over with his head cocked a little to one side.
    Diana grinned at him. “I slept wonderfully well, thank you. Is that letter from the hope of the house?”
    “From John, yes. His observations on life at Eton are always amusing. I picked up the morning’s post at the lodge as I came in. But I can finish reading this later, of course,” he added reluctantly.
    “Not unless it contains messages unsuitable for auntish ears,” Diana replied, taking a seat which provided her with a splendid view of the oak thicket and the grassy park. “I should adore to hear what he thinks of your old school.”
    “Yes, darling, do go on,” Lydia put in encouragingly. “I am glad to know he has got over his cold,” she said, adding for Diana’s benefit, “The whole middle fourth seemed to be ill when last he wrote. What is it that he is to tell us, sir?”
    “That he has been a good boy and has still not given them cause to flog him,” her husband replied, chuckling as he scanned to find his place again. “He is certainly well again. Listen to this bit. ‘We are all playing at marbles now. The bigger boys play at hockey, fives, and single stick, which is beating one another about as hard as you can with sticks. I should not think it was a very agreeable game.’” Ethelmoor laughed heartily, but his wife frowned.
    “That does not sound at all safe to me,” she said. “What can the masters be thinking about, to let them do such things?”
    “It sounds,” said Diana, “like precisely the sort of thing John will adore to do when he is one of those bigger boys, himself. Is that the lot, Bruce?”
    “One more bit. ‘Cousin Dick’—that’s Lydia’s brother’s eldest—‘tells me to tell you that he has not had occasion yet to throw me downstairs, and that I do not make much noise.’”
    “Good gracious!” Diana exclaimed, laughing. “Young Dick must be quite a ruffian.”
    “Not a bit of it,” Ethelmoor retorted. “He’s been at great pains to look after our John. ’Tis merely that I wrote some time ago to inquire as to whether the task had proved overly arduous. This is my reply. John signs off now, informing us graciously that we need not write him again as he will soon be at home.” Ethelmoor folded the letter, moved to lay it upon a side table next to his chapeau bras, then bent a surprisingly piercing glance upon his sister. “What’s this Lydia tells me about you running away from Simon, Diana? Tantrums again?”
    “Oh, ’tis nothing at all of consequence,” she assured him with an airy, dismissive wave of her hand. “’Tis merely that I have tired prodigiously of his scolds and sought to enjoy a repairing lease with you and dearest Lyddy.”
    Despite the gesture and her casual tone, she was watching her brother warily. As Lydia had pointed out the previous night, he was not at all a temperamental man, but there had been one or two occasions in the past, which Diana remembered now with reluctance, when he had said some very uncomfortable things to her.
    The twinkle in his eyes, which were much the same turquoise-blue as her own, reassured her. “You alarm me,” he said easily, gathering up his things from the side table. “I trust we are in momentary expectation of Andover’s arrival?”
    She shrugged. “As to that, I’m sure I wouldn’t presume to hazard a guess.”
    “Well, I would. Seems to me it’s dashed well inevitable. But he won’t trouble me, and I daresay that, given enough time, he’s still the man to teach you to obey him, chit.” He grinned at her, ignoring the stormy look she cast him as he turned to his wife. “I shall be in my study, sweetheart. Mind,” he added with a mock-fierce frown, “that you don’t send any more letters to Eton directed to Master Sterling.”
    “Yes, my lord,” replied Lydia demurely.
    “Baggage. Get up from that chair and give me a kiss. I know I’ve been away only the one night, but Lord, I missed you.” He