Mrs. McVinnie's London Season by Carla Kelly Page A

She
regarded him, her eyes thoughtful. “Edward,” she began slowly, “do
you think—”
    He smiled back at her
in the same way, and Jeannie nearly laughed. “No, Mrs. McVinnie, I
do not think we should say anything about the elephant in the
Tower.” He brushed at the straw that still whisped about his suit.
“Aunt Agatha would go distracted, wondering what dread disease I
would contract, and Larinda would sniff and ignore me even more, if
that is possible.”
    “ And
the captain?” Jeannie teased.
    “ He
would give me that chilling stare of his.” He shuddered. “I would
rather be confined to my room than have him fix that stare upon
me.” He enlarged upon his theme. “Besides all that, Mrs. McVinnie,
we might have to explain that gentleman you splattered with blue
paint.”
    “ Don’t
remind me,” Jeannie declared. “I hope we never see him again. That
piece of work could only come back to haunt me.”
    Their wish for an
anonymous return was not to be realized. Captain Summers was
standing on the steps, paying off his own hackney when they drove
up.
    “ Great
guns,” muttered Edward. “Now we are in the basket.”
    “ Then
we must go forward, anyway,” Jeannie said, hoping that she sounded
more confident than she felt. “My Tom always used to say that the
true heart of a man is decided under the guns.” She smiled at
Edward and patted his knee. “We shall see what we are made of,
laddie.”
    That her knees were
made of pudding, she had no doubt, but it would only do to smile
and go forward.
    Chin up, eyes ahead,
Edward walked at her side.
     
     

Chapter
6
    T he captain watched them as they came closer. He bowed.
“I trust you had an educational afternoon?”
    “ Yes,
indeed, sir,” Edward said, rather too eagerly.
    But Captain Summers was
sniffing now. A frown appeared between his eyes. “Hold on a moment,
Edward. What is that foul odor about you?” He motioned Edward back
to the walk and circled him about. “I do not think you have been
near a slaver’s ship, but that is what you smell like. And what is
this? Blue paint? Edward, has your afternoon’s education extended
to a too-close study of our early British ancestors?” He fixed
Jeannie with his chilling stare. “I had thought you to be in
excellent company.”
    “ There
was an elephant, Captain,” she said calmly, even as her knees smote
together. “In the Tower.”
    “ Certainly there was,” the captain replied.
    He took another
leisurely tour around his nephew. “And I suppose you rode it?
Painted it blue?”
    Edward looked at
Jeannie for help.
    She raised her chin and
threw back her shoulders. “Sir, we prefer not to discuss it.”
    “ I
shouldn’t wonder.” The captain ceased his circumnavigation of
Edward. He looked from one to the other, and a ghost of a smile
played about his lips. “But you would like my services in disposing
of Wapping in the hallway, would you not?” The captain read the
relief in Edward’s eyes and touched the boy on the shoulder. “Wait
here,” he ordered as he went up the steps. “And be ready to march
lively.” He went inside and shut the door.
    “ I
didn’t think he would be so helpful,” Edward said.
    “ I’m
sure I don’t know what I thought,” Jeannie said.
    The door opened and the
captain motioned them forward. “Be quick, Edward,” he said. “I sent
Wapping on a fool’s errand and he will be back in a flea’s leap.
Lively now, lad, lively.”
    With one backward
glance of gratitude, Edward scurried up the stairs.
    Captain Summers removed
his hat and tucked it under his arm. “You, Mrs. McVinnie, will not
escape so easily.”
    She was saved from
immediate comment by the return of Wapping to the hall. The butler
had a vague air of puzzlement about him. “Sir William,” he began,
“I cannot imagine—”
    What he could not
imagine never came to light. Captain Summers interrupted, and his
words were like knife edges. “I have already told you that I prefer
to be