Colonel Brandon's Diary by Amanda Grange Read Free Book Online Page A

will think you have a toothache. If you wish to smile, you will lift the corners of your mouth, like so.’
    She demonstrated with a grimace, and I nodded my head.
    She eyed me as though I was a poor specimen, and then, with a wave of her hand, she dismissed me. I left her sitting room to amuse myself by fishing and then by playing billiards with George.
     
     
    Friday 3 July
    I looked for a letter from Leyton this morning, but the only letters on the silver salver were for my aunt. I was not surprised, for although I had hoped for a letter, I knew I could not really expect anything so soon. I could not expect Leyton to leave his own business and attend to mine straight away, and so I hoped for a letter in a few days’ time.
    I escaped the house with George and we rode into town. He had some business to attend to and so we parted, he to go to his lawyer’s office and I to go to the local inn. Once there, I was tempted to write a letter to Eliza, but I knew it would be hopeless because my father would not let her see it, so I contained myself, thinking that, God willing, it would not be long before we were together again.
    When I returned to the house, I found that the table had already been laid for dinner. The party was to be a small one, just ourselves, Mrs and Miss Heath, the Bormans and the Maidstones. I was thankful for it as I had no mind for company.
    ‘Do you like Miss Heath?’ asked George idly as we went into the billiard room.
    ‘She is very agreeable,’ I replied vaguely.
    ‘Agreeable before marriage is not the same as agreeable afterwards,’ he said. ‘Believe me, I know. Stand out against them, my boy, if you do not wish to marry; and I am sure you do not wish it. Let them blow and bluster, and then go back to Oxford and forget all about it.’
    I was glad of his support, and we passed the time with a game or two before we changed for dinner.
    The Heaths arrived promptly, a fact which would have annoyed my aunt had she not been so desirous of my marrying Miss Heath.
    Miss Heath was looking very pretty, and if I had not been in love with Eliza, I believe I might have been in some danger, for I knew her to be agreeable and intelligent as well, but as my feelings were already attached, I could approach her without risk. We fell into conversation, and were smiled upon by those around us.
    Dinner was announced, and Mrs Heath entertained us by comparing my aunt’s plate to her own. She then launched into a description of her wealth.
    ‘Folks say Miss Stallybrooks is an heiress, but she’s no more than twenty thousand pounds. My Sally’ll ’ave thirty thousand pounds when she marries. What d’you say to that?’ she asked, looking at each of us triumphantly.
    Miss Heath murmured, ‘Mama,’ reproachfully, but did no more, being well used to her mother’s ways.
    My aunt ignored her, whilst my sister murmured, ‘De lightful.’ Mrs Borman hid a smile and Mrs Maidstone looked shocked.
    ‘ And an ’ouse in town,’ added Mrs Heath, for good measure. ‘Nothing but the best for our girl, that’s what ’er pa and me decided. Got to look after ’em, eh, Lady Graves?’ she asked of my aunt.
    ‘Lady Greaves,’ corrected her daughter.
    ‘Children!’ said Mrs Heath indulgently. ‘What would we do without ’em? D’you ’ave any children, Mrs Poorman?’ she asked Mrs Borman, who murmured that she had two, a girl and a boy.
    ‘Grown up by now, I’ll be bound,’ she said.
    ‘Henry is seven and Katherine is five,’ replied Mrs Borman repressively.
    ‘Lawks, I took you for forty!’ said Mrs Heath. ‘And you, Mrs Mandibles? D’you ’ave any little ’uns to bless your ’earth?’
    Mrs Maidstone dabbed her mouth fastidiously with her napkin and revealed that she had five, the eldest being fourteen and the youngest seven.
    ‘A fine family,’ said Mrs Heath. ‘Me and Arthur wanted a fine family, but — ’
    Fearing a description of Mrs Heath’s troubles, my sister cut in with, ‘Do you