The Captain's Daughter by Minnie Simpson Read Free Book Online

cupboard and
listened.
    “Hello,” she asked, “is someone in
there?”
    The muffled voice from behind the
door affirmed that the answer was yes. When Amy went to get the key, which was
kept in the desk by the door, it was missing. She went back to the supply
cupboard door and told the victim inside that the key was missing but that she
was sure she knew where she could find it and she would promptly return and
release her from her prison.
    Amy went back to the dining room.
Her mother seemed to be engaged in thought while occasionally acknowledging
Mattie’s effusive comments which seemed to still center around the drooly
youth. Her father sat with a bemused expression slowly chewing his food. Emma
looked as if she was trying not to be noticed.
    “I need you to come with me,” Amy
growled to her under her breath.
    Lady Sibbridge was still lost in
thought. Mattie was still effusing. Lord Sibbridge was still chewing.
    “I’m not through eating,” Emma said
through clenched teeth.
    “Your life depends on you coming
with me.”
    Emma looked at first as if she was
going to resist, and then she reluctantly got up and followed Amy into the
hall. Perhaps she thought better of refusing given the look in Amy’s expression
that she was about to commit Emmacide.
    Once outside Amy held her hand out
and demanded: “I want the key.”
    “What key?” asked Emma with her
very best innocent look.
    “All right. Do you want to die
right here? Do you want your blood ruining mother’s carpet? Or, do I get the
key to the supply cupboard where you have cruelly imprisoned dear Mrs.
Parkhurst?”
    “But...”
    “The key,” demanded Amy cutting off
what Emma was about to say.
    Emma took the key out of the pocket
of her smock.
    “All I’m trying to say is that I
found the key. That is the only reason I have it in my pocket. I didn’t know
Mrs. Parkhurst was in the cupboard.”
    “Look at Mr. Gainsborough’s
painting of our family. Do you see that beautiful little girl with the blond
hair? She looks so innocent. Well, she is older now and bound for perdition.”
    “Will you get sent to perdition for
locking Mrs. Parkhurst in the cupboard and dissembling just a little bit about
it? I mean, it is Mrs. Parkhurst. Isn’t there some kind of an exception or
dispensation in the case of Mrs. Parkhurst.”
    Emma looked up at her sister with a
wondrous expression of innocence and guilelessness. Amy, shaking her head, left
on her rescue mission to release the governess from her upstairs dungeon of
books and papers.

 
     
Chapter 6
 
    The next morning , as they were leaving the dining
room after breakfast Amy’s mother suddenly blurted out: “Saturday morning next
week.”
    Now her mother did have a habit of
firing off thoughts without necessarily preparing her listeners.
    “I’m sorry mother,” said Amy, “what
do you mean by Saturday morning of next week.”
    “The picnic, of course, what else
would I mean.”
    “Of course, Mother. May I take Sir
Benjamin’s invitation over to Hillfield House?”
    They had paused in the front hall.
Just inside the door stood Hubert with a long face.
    “It’s not necessary, dear,” said
her mother. “I’ve summoned old Hubert and he will deliver it.”
    “But Hubert is not feeling well.
I’d be glad to take it.”
    Amy had no idea how old Hubert felt
this morning, but he never really felt well, at least this is the impression he
gave. And indeed, as Amy knew, anything that hinted of physical activity made
him feel worse. As for Hubert himself, he remained silent. He had no intention
of interfering in a conversation between Amy and her mother, especially since
he rather favored Amy’s argument on his behalf.
    “Hubert, are you ailing this
morning?” Lady Sibbridge demanded.
    “Don’t feel none too good, Ma’am,”
he mumbled with a ‘none too good’ facial expression.
    “He might die on the way,” Amy
added, and then immediately regretted her comment which seemed too much