Mrs. McVinnie's London Season by Carla Kelly Read Free Book Online

within my power to forget this
night ever happened. But tell me, Edward, why the window? And
Vauxhall Gardens?”
    He was silent a moment,
looking at her as if he wondered if he could trust her.
    Jeannie crossed her
heart and held up her hand. “Cross my heart and hope to die,
Edward.” She could almost feel him relax.
    “ I
never saw a woman do that,” he declared. “You see, I can climb up
the tree outside the window and get in without anyone knowing I
have been gone.”
    Jeannie could only gape
at him and wonder. He was not a tall boy. In fact, he appeared
rather small for his age. His shoulders were narrow, his face thin,
the moon’s shadows digging holes in his cheeks.
    “ Vauxhall Gardens?” she gently reminded him. “Surely such a
place, and by yourself—”
    “ I
only went to watch the Grand Cascade,” he said, the note of
defiance in his voice ameliorated by the fact that he whispered.
“My guidebook describes it as an educational event and one of the
wonders of George’s England. I merely wanted to see it.” He sighed.
“Aunt Agatha would never let me be among all those people, even
though I tell her and tell her that when the Season is over we’ll
be back in Suffolk and I will have nothing to show for
it.”
    Jeannie understood. She
leaned closer to the boy in the dark. ‘‘And your aunt is afraid you
will take ill?”
    “ Exactly so,” Edward replied. “She is afraid that I will catch
a cold, or get too warm, or have too much fun, I declare! Just
because my wretched uncle never had a well moment …” He
plucked at the bedcover in his agitation and Clare stirred and
muttered in her sleep.
    Jeannie touched the
sleeping child until she was still again. “Oh, Edward,” she said,
“surely not.”
    He was only warming to
his subject. “Who is to know when we will ever be in London again
after Larinda’s Season?” He sighed again. “And Aunt Agatha says I
will probably not live to be very old.”
    “ Monstrous,” Jeannie exclaimed.
    Clare moved restlessly
in her sleep.
    “ My
health is indifferent,” he said, in halfhearted defense of his
aunt. His voice was level, monotonous, his words bearing a
rehearsed sound to them.
    “ I
doubt that,” Jeannie said. “Particularly if you can climb that tree
outside the window.” She got out of bed and went to the window and
looked down. “Why, it must be all of thirty feet to the
ground.”
    “ I
never thought of it like that,” Edward said. “But I do get
headaches, and tire easily, and my stomach is weak. Aunt Agatha
says so.”
    They regarded each
other in silence. Edward stood up finally and put his hands behind
his back. “I had better go now,” he whispered. “I hope you won’t
say anything. As it is, I look through my guidebook every day and
plan all sorts of adventures.” He looked down at the floor.
“Usually, that’s all it is, I just plan. But I did want to see the
Grand Cascade.”
    His words twisted
Jeannie’s heart into a lump that threatened to rise into her
throat. She waited a moment before she could speak. “That must be
an excellent guidebook,” she managed finally. “Perhaps you could
show it to me in the morning. Before I leave, that is.”
    “ Oh,
yes. I am planning tomorrow to study the section on the Tower of
London.” He looked up at her shyly. “I think it must be almost as
good as being there. But you won’t tell?”
    “ Cross
my heart, Edward.”
    He grinned and stuck
out his hand; Jeannie shook it solemnly. “Actually, I was thinking
about running away. You see, the Deardens and my mama and Uncle
Will were at Vauxhall Gardens tonight. I did not expect them there.
I think Uncle Will saw me. Do you think I should run away?” he
asked as he backed toward the door. “Uncle Will did, time and time
again, my aunt says, and he is a captain. Should I run away?”
    “ Of
course not! Running away never solves anything,” Jeannie said, and
then had the good grace to blush. She was running away as fast