Keeping the Castle

Keeping the Castle by Patrice Kindl Read Free Book Online Page A

Book: Keeping the Castle by Patrice Kindl Read Free Book Online
Authors: Patrice Kindl
Tags: Humorous stories, Historical, Juvenile Fiction, Europe, Girls & Women
“By the way, Mrs. Winthrop, I should get that drawbridge of yours seen to. Even a cursory inspection from the road makes it obvious that the mechanism is quite rusted through.” As an apparent afterthought he added, “Good night, and do enjoy the rest of your evening,” as if he were our host. He sketched a slight bow and walked away.
    “Oh dear, he is so devoted to business,” said his mama, smiling after him. “I fear that the reason you did not meet him before was because he was cooped up in the library doing sums all the evening. I had so hoped he would dance with you, Miss Crawley. I was counting on you to distract him from his everlasting accounts for a few moments at least.”
    “I regret I was unable to be of service, Mrs. Fredericks,” I said in as pleasant a voice as I could manage, “Perhaps we will meet again.”
    Not if I see him coming first, I thought.

5
    I AM NOT ACCUSTOMED to dancing all night. When finally we had made our grateful adieux , squashed ourselves into the chaise, and, wending our way down a dark and damp lane, at last discovered ourselves to be at home again, the clock was striking four and faint glimmerings of dawn could be discerned in the eastern sky. We disentangled our weary limbs, climbed down, and went yawning to bed.
    We were up betimes, however, as I wished to call on the Throstletwists early enough in the day to forestall them, and our other friends, from calling on us. As delightful as it is to entertain one’s neighbors, I prefer not to do so too often—the incidental expenses are rather higher than our domestic economy can withstand.
    I had some difficulty in wresting Charity and Prudence from the depths of slumber, however. They wailed and attempted to retreat under the bedclothes again. When I persisted, they demanded tea and toast before they would consider rising from their beds. At last, however, with the assistance of their maid, I succeeded in getting them dressed for the day and prodded and pushed them out the front door. Collecting my mother and little Alexander, we prepared to walk to Yellering Hall.
    Alas, my exertions were futile. No sooner had we gained the front walk than Charity demanded that we wait while she fetched a parasol for the sun. Once she’d rejoined us we had to retrieve Alexander out of a large bush into which he had chased a cat, and then Prudence turned back, requiring a ribbon for her hair of a slightly different hue than the one I had selected. I urged the rest of our party to press on without her, but to no avail. A large mass of humanity and horseflesh was visible, advancing up the drive. Four coaches and several men on horseback were hastening towards Crooked Castle, bent on receiving hospitality. I sighed and retreated, outmaneuvered.
    However, I had resources at my command that had not been available the last time we received guests; they would not go away hungry. The strawberries were fast ripening, and there would be some cream left from the milking. It was a pity—I had planned to make strawberry jam for the winter—but there was no help for it. I murmured in my mother’s ear, retreated to the kitchen and gave my directions to Cook.
    I was pleased but not surprised to find that Lord Boring had come, and surprised but not pleased that he had brought along his unpleasant cousin. I had rather supposed Mr. Fredericks’s presence last night to be accidental, as a result of his bumbling into the ballroom in mistake for some much humbler clerical office. Yet here he was, looking discontentedly about himself and remarking more than once that Boring had browbeaten him into making the visit; he couldn’t in the least imagine why.
    “Upon my word, Fredericks,” exclaimed Lord Boring, “looking at these charming and lovely ladies”—he bowed to my mother and then to my stepsisters, who tittered, and finally to me—“you wonder why I should wish to call on them? I do believe you’ve lost every trace of gallantry and civilized

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