one you attended.”
“Actually, Hetty, very soon I will be attending Hopkinton Academy. And, by the way, Lafayette is not a marquis anymore,” I said. “He gave up his title during the French Revolution.” I looked at my cousin, who was glaring back at me in a markedly hostile manner.
My goodness, why is she acting like that? I wondered. I should think she would like to know the facts about the famous man she was lucky enough to meet.
My stepmother did not seem to notice Hetty’s hostility, and nodded in agreement with my statement. “Yes, Lafayette did give up the title, and not just because people with titles like his lost their heads in the French Revolution. He truly believed no one was more ‘noble’ than anyone else simply because of an accident of birth. I understand that he now prefers to be called ‘General.’”
“And I am afraid he’s not quite so rich any more, either, Hetty,” said Father. “He spent nearly two hundred thousand dollars of his own fortune to help the American cause. That is an astronomical sum to have , let alone to give away!”
“And I am afraid that he lost most of the rest of his fortune during the French Revolution,” Prissy added.
Hetty looked stricken. “Not a nobleman ? Not rich ? Well . . . maybe he is really not so very handsome after all. In truth, he is rather chubby, although I thought it rude to tell you so before.”
Father, with an odd expression on his face as if he were trying not to laugh, explained that Congress had recently voted to give Lafayette two hundred thousand dollars and twenty-four thousand acres of land in Florida. “So the General has pockets lined with gold once more,” he said.
Uncle Timothy chuckled. “Does that make him any handsomer or—at the very least— skinnier in your eyes, Daughter?”
Hetty could not quite frame a reply.
I could not resist saying, “Rich again and a very noble man, though no longer a nobleman, Hetty. And still famous. Do not forget that!”
Aunt P. apparently decided to change the subject away from one not showing her adored daughter in the best light to an announcement that they would be spending the night. Without a full moon, it was too dark to drive home after the dance. “That means the children will have plenty of time to visit,” she trilled, “and so will we, Priscilla.”
Oh, goody, I thought. Plenty of time to visit with Hetty. Just what I was hoping for.
“We must start for home early tomorrow, however,” Aunt P. blithely went on. “Timothy must be home for Monday morning appointments, and Hetty for school.”
“Traveling on the Sabbath?” Father teased her. “I thought you were against that, Penelope. As is my wife.”
His lawyer brother teased his own flustered wife by pointing out that although traveling on Sunday was still technically against the law, this law was not enforced any more. “We will simply have to go to church with you tomorrow morning before we leave for home,” Uncle Timothy went on. “That should balance out any Sabbath traveling, no matter how sinful or illegal!”
Hetty clapped her hands together. “I can hardly wait until the dance tonight!”
I am so glad I am not going, I thought. I do not particularly want to watch Hetty flirt with the whole town of Hopkinton.
“And I have the loveliest new ball gown! It is pale pink satin, with a white lace overskirt with pink satin roses around the bottom!” Hetty gushed, sweetly smiling at the adults. “We had it made in Boston, you know.” My cousin turned to me with a smirk that was not quite so sweet.
Goody Two-Faced is such a good name for her, I thought.
“Well, Samuel, I believe it is time you showed me that young filly of yours,” said Uncle Timothy. “No sense in staying here to talk about ball gowns and such. Flame, is it? I imagine she is fully grown now.”
“Of course, Brother, let us make our escape. Joss, are you coming?”
“Yes, let’s go. Flame promises to be a real ‘goer,’
“Actually, Hetty, very soon I will be attending Hopkinton Academy. And, by the way, Lafayette is not a marquis anymore,” I said. “He gave up his title during the French Revolution.” I looked at my cousin, who was glaring back at me in a markedly hostile manner.
My goodness, why is she acting like that? I wondered. I should think she would like to know the facts about the famous man she was lucky enough to meet.
My stepmother did not seem to notice Hetty’s hostility, and nodded in agreement with my statement. “Yes, Lafayette did give up the title, and not just because people with titles like his lost their heads in the French Revolution. He truly believed no one was more ‘noble’ than anyone else simply because of an accident of birth. I understand that he now prefers to be called ‘General.’”
“And I am afraid he’s not quite so rich any more, either, Hetty,” said Father. “He spent nearly two hundred thousand dollars of his own fortune to help the American cause. That is an astronomical sum to have , let alone to give away!”
“And I am afraid that he lost most of the rest of his fortune during the French Revolution,” Prissy added.
Hetty looked stricken. “Not a nobleman ? Not rich ? Well . . . maybe he is really not so very handsome after all. In truth, he is rather chubby, although I thought it rude to tell you so before.”
Father, with an odd expression on his face as if he were trying not to laugh, explained that Congress had recently voted to give Lafayette two hundred thousand dollars and twenty-four thousand acres of land in Florida. “So the General has pockets lined with gold once more,” he said.
Uncle Timothy chuckled. “Does that make him any handsomer or—at the very least— skinnier in your eyes, Daughter?”
Hetty could not quite frame a reply.
I could not resist saying, “Rich again and a very noble man, though no longer a nobleman, Hetty. And still famous. Do not forget that!”
Aunt P. apparently decided to change the subject away from one not showing her adored daughter in the best light to an announcement that they would be spending the night. Without a full moon, it was too dark to drive home after the dance. “That means the children will have plenty of time to visit,” she trilled, “and so will we, Priscilla.”
Oh, goody, I thought. Plenty of time to visit with Hetty. Just what I was hoping for.
“We must start for home early tomorrow, however,” Aunt P. blithely went on. “Timothy must be home for Monday morning appointments, and Hetty for school.”
“Traveling on the Sabbath?” Father teased her. “I thought you were against that, Penelope. As is my wife.”
His lawyer brother teased his own flustered wife by pointing out that although traveling on Sunday was still technically against the law, this law was not enforced any more. “We will simply have to go to church with you tomorrow morning before we leave for home,” Uncle Timothy went on. “That should balance out any Sabbath traveling, no matter how sinful or illegal!”
Hetty clapped her hands together. “I can hardly wait until the dance tonight!”
I am so glad I am not going, I thought. I do not particularly want to watch Hetty flirt with the whole town of Hopkinton.
“And I have the loveliest new ball gown! It is pale pink satin, with a white lace overskirt with pink satin roses around the bottom!” Hetty gushed, sweetly smiling at the adults. “We had it made in Boston, you know.” My cousin turned to me with a smirk that was not quite so sweet.
Goody Two-Faced is such a good name for her, I thought.
“Well, Samuel, I believe it is time you showed me that young filly of yours,” said Uncle Timothy. “No sense in staying here to talk about ball gowns and such. Flame, is it? I imagine she is fully grown now.”
“Of course, Brother, let us make our escape. Joss, are you coming?”
“Yes, let’s go. Flame promises to be a real ‘goer,’
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