Madcap Miss (11 page)

“
I
’
m perfectly aware of it. I hadn
’
t much choice. I had three pennies in my pocket after paying for my tea, and nowhere to go.
”

Whewett shook his head in rueful wonder.
“
Did you really have no more money than that?
”

“
I would not have been cheating the coaching company if I had the full fare. I am not a criminal, you know, and I don
’
t accept jewelry from gentlemen, either.
”
As soon as the words were out, she wished she could unsay them. His look of blank shock told her how far off the mark she was, to suspect any ulterior motive in the offer. When her meaning sank in, Whewett looked confused and rather embarrassed. It seemed best to drop the matter.

She glanced across the street and said,
“
There is a park with a pond and geese. Shall we go and see them?
”
Grace led off, and he followed with a frown on his brow.

She went to the pond
’
s edge and knelt to coax a goose to her with very little success. Whewett did not join her. The feeling of embarrassment ebbed as she played with the fowl. One fat white goose reminded her of Esmeralda, her own favorite goose at home, and she tried to lure it to her. She snapped her fingers, and finally leaned out to try to reach it. There were some elderly folks sitting on benches nearby.

“
Pretty girl,
”
an old man said to Whewett.
“
Your daughter?
”

“
Yes.
”

“
Best grab her before she falls in,
”
the man suggested, with a shake of his head at the folly of children.

Whewett went to the pond to retrieve the wayward daughter.
“
You worry me considerably,
”
he said,
“
I suffer a recurring delusion that you are indeed twelve years old, and I have abducted a child from her parents.
”

“
You didn
’
t abduct me. I joined you voluntarily.
”

His dark eyes studied her.
“
That worries me even more.
”

She felt uneasy, having her common sense judged by this man, and quickly changed the subject.
“
I like geese,
”
she said vaguely.
“
They
’
re so pretty in water, and the goslings are just at that awkward stage when they don
’
t know whether they are still goslings, or all grown-up.
”

“
One tells by the feathers, amongst other things,
”
he said, scanning her own childish garments. But when his eyes lifted to her face, he wondered how he had ever mistaken Grace for a child. There was maturity in those eyes, and a certain precision of features that young girls lacked. A feeling of strangeness was growing between them as they stood together.
“
Would you like an ice?
”
he asked, to break the tension.

“
Yes, it
’
s warm. I haven
’
t had an ice in ages.
”

“
Do you not have ices when you take your charges to that ocean Ellie Lou likes to fall into? There are stands set up on the beach at home.
”

“
The girls do. A governess must maintain her dignity.
”

He shook his head.
“
And you hungrier than the two of them put together, if I know anything. You really do worry me, Doll.
”

They had two ices at a parlor, then went into the street again. Whewett felt a tugging at his sleeve. As he turned, Grace darted off to look into a shop window.
“
It
’
s Mr. Whewett, isn
’
t it?
”
a loud voice called. Turning, he saw the woman from the stage, whose name he could not remember and whose protruding eyes he could not forget.

“
How is Lady Healy?
”
the woman demanded, with all the familiarity of an old acquaintance.

“
Very well, thank you.
”

“
Are you having any luck selling Willowcrest?
”

“
A man from Kent is coming to look at it this week.
”

‘“
That
’
s fast work. Still, there
’
ll be many a looker before there
’
s a taker.
”
She folded her arms, planted her feet comfortably apart, obviously settling in for a lengthy chat. She glanced around and discovered Grace behind them.
“
Why, there is Miss Jones! Quite a coincidence, all three of us meeting. I
’
ll just go and see if she got to her governess all right, for she wasn
’
t met at the coaching stop. She ran off down the street all alone, poor tyke. Unconscionable the way some girls are let run wild. She wouldn
’
t of heard yet if she got the brother she wanted, I expect.
”

Whewett was left to ponder this last mystery, till a memory stirred of Miss Farnsworth
’
s story on the stage. He walked along to the next shop and stood looking in the window till Mrs. Sempleton had had her chat with Miss Jones and was on her way. Grace waited till the woman had turned a corner before looking for Whewett.

“
Very nearly caught out!
”
she exclaimed.
“
Wouldn
’
t you know, we would meet the one person who knows I am not Augusta.
”

“
That woman had the memory of an elephant. She even remembered your mama is in the throes of childbirth.
”

“
She remembered I wanted a brother, too.
”
Grace laughed.

“
You will be happy to hear I have got one, just yesterday. Mama is calling him Alfred, after my own papa.
”

“
Let us get out of here before she returns. We
’
ll go to Miss Thomas
’
s cottage now.
”

An inquiry was of no help. The lady of the house  was out, and the servants knew nothing. The afternoon was fast drawing to a close, and it was time to return to Willowcrest.

Lady Healy had arisen from her nap when they returned to Willowcrest. Grace was allowed to sit with the grown-ups and have a glass of lemonade.
“
How did you like your new doll, eh?
”
was the first word said.
“
Did you pick out a pretty one?
”

“
A beautiful one, Grandma. Thank you so much. She has blond curls, blue eyes, and the loveliest gown.
”
Grace tore off the paper with a fine show of childish enthusiasm.

Grandma clucked over it with as much pleasure as the recipient. When Grace went to sit down, she picked up the doll to take with her, to please the old lady.

“
It is nice to see the young ones in no hurry to grow up,
”
Lady Healy said aside to Whewett.
“
All too soon Gussie will be wearing long skirts. What a quiz she will look, not five feet high. I am closer to six. She
’
ll be having beaus, first thing you know. Are there any good
partis
for her around Downsfield?
”

“
We haven
’
t begun to think of that yet.
”

“
You
haven
’
t. Let us hear Augusta speak for herself.
”
She raised her voice.
“
Have you got a sweetheart, Gussie?
”

“
Not yet, Grandmama, but I am looking about me.
”

“
I wager you are. She
’
s half grown up on you, Alfred. Best face the fact you
’
ll soon be losing her. It don
’
t do for a father to depend too much on his daughter, or vice versa. You
’
ll up and die on her and leave her a spinster. We don
’
t want Gussie sinking into a spinster.
”

“
I shan
’
t, Grandma. I do not depend entirely on Papa,
”
Grace said, with a saucy look at Whewett.

“
Ha, she has an eye on some lad already. She
’
ll never say so before you. I
’
ll get her alone one of these days and discover the whole. How about yourself, Alfred? Do you never think of marrying again? Irene
’
s been dead a decade. You need a son and heir for Downsfield.
”

“
There is no hurry. Gussie and I rub along fine.
”

“
You and Gussie do, but when Lady Augusta makes her bows, it will be a different story. She must go up to London for her debut. A growing gel needs a mother to teach her the ropes. Even before that time, there are things Gussie must learn about her body and feelings. A man ain
’
t the one to tell her.
”

Whewett looked uncomfortable as he sipped his wine. Lady Healy continued her counsel.
“
It is all well and good to have a proper regard for Irene, but sentiment can be carried too far. I wager you would have taken a wife before now if you didn
’
t have a loose widow or light-o
’
-love nearby to amuse you.
”

“
I would prefer not to discuss it at this time,
”
he said curtly, with a quick look at Grace.

“
Your daughter ain
’
t a Bath miss, I hope. There is nothing worse than a missish gel who blushes at the simple facts of life. Has your papa got a mistress, Gussie? Tell me the truth.
”

Grace was happy that someone other than herself was the butt of the old dame
’
s intrusive questions.
“
I don
’
t know, Grandmama,
”
she replied.

“
It wouldn
’
t surprise me a bit. Better a wife than a convenience. Perhaps Gussie has someone picked out for you, a nice mama for herself. She writes me letters, you must know. Oh, yes, I know things.
”
She nodded smugly at this and cast a conspiratorial wink at Grace.

Whewett blinked in astonishment.
“
What nonsense have you been writing, Augusta?
”
he demanded sternly.

“
Now we have him on the anxious seat,
”
Lady Healy crowed.
“
He has been found out.
”

Mischief danced in Grace
’
s eyes as she said,
“
I
’
m sorry, Papa. Was I not supposed to tell about your lady friend?
”

“
She told me,
”
Grandma cackled.
“
I do not disapprove, Alfred, so long as she is a proper lady. I was married twice myself. Well now, I am feeling better after my nap. I shall go and harry those lazy girls I hired into doing a decent job. Don
’
t go upstairs, Augusta. I shall be back presently. Haul me up, Alfred.
”

As soon as they were alone, Grace turned a brightly curious eye on Whewett.
“
You had best inform me about this mysterious lady you
’
ve been making up to behind my back.
”

“
I haven
’
t a notion what she was talking about.
”

“
Whewett, don
’
t be missish. You are plenty old enough to have a
chère amie,
if it is the woman
’
s ineligibility that restrains you.
”

“
I do not have a
chère amie!
”

“
I am happy to hear it. As I am about to be severely quizzed about your friend, you must tell me at least her name, and a few rough facts about her background. Is she a widow, spinster, what?
”

“
Invent anyone you like to satisfy her. There is no such person. And I
’
ll tell you something else, miss! I am not flattered you think I would be looking out for an old widow or spinster for a wife.
”

“
I did not say
old.
You are a widower yourself, so you cannot take exception to that. I shouldn
’
t think a gentleman of your years would be dangling after a deb.
”

Her every word incensed him more deeply.
“
Gentlemen of
any
age, Miss Farnsworth, prefer pretty young girls to aging spinsters. I am not quite a doddering old fool yet.
”

“
Good gracious, I have wounded your vanity. I am excessively sorry, Whewett. I shall make it up to you.
”

“
How do you propose to do that?
”

“
I shall invent, for your delight, a lady of unparalleled beauty. She shall have youth, fortune, accomplishment, pedigree. In short, a princess out of a fairy tale.
”

He listened, amused.
“
Much good an
imaginary
lady will do me. Be sure you give her a sense of humor.
”

Grace tossed him an arch smile.
“
She shall certainly require that. Fear not, all virtues shall be hers. Would you like her a trifle on the blue side, just a twilight tinge? And vivacious into the bargain?
”