Madcap Miss by Joan Smith Read Free Book Online

than most. So lonesome, I deserve another bonbon, ” he decided, and popped one in his mouth.
    “ They can ’ t be more lonesome than orphans, ” she pointed out with a sad look.
    “ Pity we don ’ t have a couple of violins to back up this threnody, ” he said, and passed her the bonbons.
    “ I ’ m worried about being alone with her tomorrow while you ’ re out. God only knows what she will ask me. ”
    “ The blessing is that if she asks you, it means she doesn ’ t know herself. All we have to do is get together and compare notes later so I don ’ t contradict what you tell her. It seems fairly inconsequential stuff that interests her. Do you ride, by the way? ”
    “ I used to when Papa was alive, but I did not begin hunting when I was ten. Do you believe half her stories? ”
    “ Yes, I would say I believe half of them. She had the reputation of being quite a terror in her youth. I expect we drop the less glorious memories as we advance into old age. ”
    “ I hope so. ”
    “ What memories do you plan to dump? ” he asked, regarding her closely. From what he knew of her thus far, he could not think of anything she would want to remember.
    “ This job for one. My last for another. ”
    “ I ’ ve been so busy telling you all the circumstances and history of the Whewett house that I ’ ve had very little time to learn about you. How long have you been an orphan, Miss Farnsworth? ”
    “ A year and a few months. It seems much longer. ”
    “ Have you been a governess all that time? ”
    “ No, for six months I lived in a fool ’ s paradise at  home with Thomas. It took that long to straighten out Papa ’ s accounts and discover I was in the basket. It came as such a shock. Then I battened myself quite shamelessly on Miss Thomas for a few months in a little apartment she had rented, till I got a job and she moved here. I haven ’ t seen her since, but we correspond regularly. I cannot imagine where she went without letting me know. ”
    “ What an awful time you have had, ” he said, shaking his head in sympathy. “ Now to cap it off, you are all but abducted to perform a masquerade under the most harrowing circumstances. Have you no relatives you might go to? ”
    “ I have some cousins, but I don ’ t know them well and dislike to be dependent on others. ”
    "I'm sure they would be charmed to have you. ”
    She flashed a sharp eye at that. “ They none of them asked me, and they knew I was alone. ”
    “ You could have asked them, ” he said reasonably.
    “ You mean go begging! Pride is a bad trait for one in my circumstances, but —”
    “ Let us call it by its other name, self-respect, which is a good trait in anyone. I had thought you would be closer to your extended family. ”
    “ No, I hardly knew them. Well, here it is nearly nine-thirty. Time for me to turn in. ”
    “ To what? ” he inquired with a lazy smile. “ A princess? Your sad tale calls to mind Perrault ’ s Cinderella. ”
    “ No, that would require a prince, I believe. ”
    Whewett shrugged, trying to lighten her morose mood. “ And our Prinney doesn ’ t even care for slender young ladies. He prefers more bulk, preferably with a touch of silver hair. Good night, Augusta. I haven ’ t the heart to remind you to brush your teeth, ” he said, rising to go toward the door.
    Grace went with him to bolt the door. She stopped with an exclamation of surprise. “ There is no lock! ”
    He looked down, then at the other side of the door. “ I ’ m safe. There ’ s one on my side. ”
    The door silently closed behind him, and the bolt was drawn. Grace frowned a moment, but soon began to undress. Not a single fear for her safety came into her head. Her only concern was for the morning, and what new unpleasantness it might bring.
    But really, it had not been so bad. She was no longer afraid of Lady Healy, and any small misgivings as to Whewett ’ s respectability were long past. She was soon in bed, and before