Emily Goes to Exeter by M. C. Beaton Read Free Book Online Page A

noticed him, but Miss Cudlipp said, “Regard that beautiful young man who watches you so closely.” I looked across and he was standing under a tree, a book in his hand. He looked at me so intently, I began to tremble. But Miss Cudlipp with great bravery approached him and asked him why he was staring, and he said … do you know what he said?’
    ‘“Your beauty has pierced my heart,” or some such thing?’ suggested Hannah.
    ‘Well … not exactly, but he said, “The fair maiden yonder has struck my heart a blow. I am blinded by her beauty.”’
    ‘Fiddlesticks,’ muttered Miss Pym.
    ‘What did you say?’
    ‘I said “Fiddlesticks” because I thought the fire was dying down,’ said Hannah. ‘Go on about Mr Williams.’
    ‘He begged permission to call, and so I gave him my direction,’ said Emily. ‘But when he called, my parents refused to have him admitted. They then asked around the town about him and found that although of gentle birth, he has little money, and so I received a terrible punishment.’
    ‘They beat you?’
    ‘No, they took my novels.’
    Very proper, thought Hannah. Aloud she said, ‘So you never saw him again?’
    ‘Of course I did! Miss Cudlipp saw to that.’
    ‘Yes, of course she would,’ said Hannah. ‘But, believe me, as we are going to be trapped in thishostelry for a few days, I would suggest you make a friend of this Lord Harley. You will find that not only does he not want to marry you, but that he might break that sad news very tactfully to your parents.’
    Emily’s beautiful face took on a mulish look. ‘He will not change his mind.’
    ‘Why?’
    ‘Because I am very beautiful.’
    Hannah was thoroughly shocked. ‘You must not say such a thing, my dear Miss Freemantle.’
    ‘Why not?’
    ‘Because anyone who praises her own looks immediately appears vain and shabby.’
    ‘Miss Cudlipp says—’
    ‘Never mind what Miss Cudlipp says. Did that governess encourage you to flee?’
    ‘Oh, yes. ’Twas most exciting. I climbed down from my bedroom window and she lowered the trunks down to me.’
    ‘And where did you get the men’s clothes?’
    ‘They are my brother’s. He is at sea. He is much older than I – twenty-five – and these are the clothes he wore when he was my age. He had not thrown them away.’
    Emily yawned. ‘You had best get to bed,’ said Hannah, her mind racing. ‘You do have women’s clothes with you?’
    ‘Yes, in my trunk. I only have this one suit of men’s clothes and two clean shirts and neckcloths and two pairs of small-clothes and unmentionables.’
    The door opened and two waiters came in bearingtheir trunks. Emily had two enormous trunks that made Hannah’s one serviceable trunk look modest.
    Hannah tipped the waiters and then threw open the lid of her trunk and took out the clothes that had become soiled in the stream in Knightsbridge. ‘I will just take these down to the kitchen and see if anyone knows how to clean and press them,’ said Hannah.
    Emily rose and yawned and staggered slightly. ‘I feel quite drunk,’ she said with a giggle.
    Hannah picked up her soiled clothes and went down to the kitchen. Mrs Silvers, the landlord’s wife, was giving instructions to the cook. She took the clothes from Hannah and said she would see that the linen was washed and that the mud was brushed from the other items when they were dry, for they were all still damp from their soaking. Hannah then regaled the landlord’s wife with a vivid account of her adventures. Mrs Silvers listened open-mouthed and then ran to fetch her husband, and Hannah had to tell her story all over again. The landlord was greatly intrigued and said she told a rare tale. Producing a bottle of French brandy, he poured Hannah a measure. Hannah was beginning to feel like a sot. After a lifetime of abstinence, she seemed to be making up for it all in a short space of time.
    But the brandy, instead of making her feel sleepy, seemed to activate her busy brain