on in France and Madame Guillotine claiming a tragic army of victims that
was a question that was most pertinent. Frenchmen and Frenchwomen too, came in
but two kinds, the butchers and those who fled the butchery. Which kind is
the Frenchman, and what is he doing at the country house of Benjamin
Anstruther? Who is the Frenchman? What is the Frenchman? Why does Ben have him
at Hillfield House, and what is the Frenchman’s real name ?
So wrapped in thought was Amy as
she mounted the front steps that she was startled back to reality by a familiar
voice.
“Well, sister Amy, I see you are
feeling better. Mother noticed you were missing at lunch, and so I explained to
her that you were feeling a little out of sorts and could not come down to eat.
Mother hoped it was nothing serious. I am glad to see you have apparently
recovered. Now, we will go to your room and talk.” Emma hesitated. “But we must
talk quietly. Someone is looking for me.”
Chapter 10
The next day , just after lunch, found Hubert rescuing
his beloved marigolds from intruders. He was dressed better than normal and
kneeling on a leather apron because the ground was still damp. Beside him lay
three sad little skinny weeds that had just ventured upon life and found
themselves yanked out of the ground before they had any chance to grow.
The marigolds, because Hubert was
again saving his beloved marigolds, did not look as if they needed saving.
Having recovered from their ordeal of the last two days, they stood robustly
with their shining faces looking ready to deal with any puny little weed on
their own.
“Good afternoon, could you take the
reins of Ganges.”
The voice was that of Sir Benjamin
Anstruther. Old Hubert looked around and seeing Ben he struggled to get to his
feet.
As Ben looked on, his attention was
drawn by a girl’s voice from the front door of Sibbridge House.
“Sir Benjamin!”
The lilting voice belonged to
Mattie, who had just emerged from the house followed by the gangly youth. Ben
handed his horse’s reins to Hubert and waited as Mattie avoided the coach
parked in front of the house and approached him with dainty little steps and
the youth stumbling along behind her. Ben marveled at how uncoordinated her
companion was.
She looked up at Ben with a smile
and then seemed to see Hubert for the first time.
“Hubert! You should not be working
on a Sunday,” she reprimanded and immediately turned back to Ben with a smile
that exuded a hint of triumph.
“Sir Benjamin, this is Lazarus
Throckmorton.”
“I am pleased to meet you, Mr.
Throckmorton,” said Ben with great charm.
Mattie looked pleased and then
introduced Lazarus to Ben, who had the impression that she was trying to imply
that she had landed a specimen that was superior to a Benjamin, which was fine
with him as he found her a nice but simple girl.
“P...Pleased to meet you, Sir
Benjamin,” stuttered Lazarus. “D...Didn’t we meet at the ball.”
Ben wondered if the youth really
didn’t remember that Ben broke into his dance with Amy.
“I believe we did, Mr.
Throckmorton,” said Ben with an enhanced formality.
Then Ben turned and smiled at
Mattie. There was something about the smile she didn’t understand.
“I am showing Mr. Throckmorton our
spring flowers. Mr. and Mrs. Throckmorton are kindly paying us a visit after
church.”
As she turned to leave, a thought
seemed to occur to her. “I did not see you at church this morning, Sir
Benjamin.”
“That is indeed true.”
Then a serious expression wafted
over her face.
“You are not a follower of Mr.
Wesley?”
“No I did not attend church with
the followers of the Reverend Mr. Wesley.”
“You’re not a...”
“No I am not. I did not attend
church with anyone this morning. Please forgive me if I seem rude but if you
would excuse me Lady Mathilde, I wish to have a brief visit with your family.”
And looking at the gangly youth, who did indeed appear to have a tiny drop of
drool escaping
was a question that was most pertinent. Frenchmen and Frenchwomen too, came in
but two kinds, the butchers and those who fled the butchery. Which kind is
the Frenchman, and what is he doing at the country house of Benjamin
Anstruther? Who is the Frenchman? What is the Frenchman? Why does Ben have him
at Hillfield House, and what is the Frenchman’s real name ?
So wrapped in thought was Amy as
she mounted the front steps that she was startled back to reality by a familiar
voice.
“Well, sister Amy, I see you are
feeling better. Mother noticed you were missing at lunch, and so I explained to
her that you were feeling a little out of sorts and could not come down to eat.
Mother hoped it was nothing serious. I am glad to see you have apparently
recovered. Now, we will go to your room and talk.” Emma hesitated. “But we must
talk quietly. Someone is looking for me.”
Chapter 10
The next day , just after lunch, found Hubert rescuing
his beloved marigolds from intruders. He was dressed better than normal and
kneeling on a leather apron because the ground was still damp. Beside him lay
three sad little skinny weeds that had just ventured upon life and found
themselves yanked out of the ground before they had any chance to grow.
The marigolds, because Hubert was
again saving his beloved marigolds, did not look as if they needed saving.
Having recovered from their ordeal of the last two days, they stood robustly
with their shining faces looking ready to deal with any puny little weed on
their own.
“Good afternoon, could you take the
reins of Ganges.”
The voice was that of Sir Benjamin
Anstruther. Old Hubert looked around and seeing Ben he struggled to get to his
feet.
As Ben looked on, his attention was
drawn by a girl’s voice from the front door of Sibbridge House.
“Sir Benjamin!”
The lilting voice belonged to
Mattie, who had just emerged from the house followed by the gangly youth. Ben
handed his horse’s reins to Hubert and waited as Mattie avoided the coach
parked in front of the house and approached him with dainty little steps and
the youth stumbling along behind her. Ben marveled at how uncoordinated her
companion was.
She looked up at Ben with a smile
and then seemed to see Hubert for the first time.
“Hubert! You should not be working
on a Sunday,” she reprimanded and immediately turned back to Ben with a smile
that exuded a hint of triumph.
“Sir Benjamin, this is Lazarus
Throckmorton.”
“I am pleased to meet you, Mr.
Throckmorton,” said Ben with great charm.
Mattie looked pleased and then
introduced Lazarus to Ben, who had the impression that she was trying to imply
that she had landed a specimen that was superior to a Benjamin, which was fine
with him as he found her a nice but simple girl.
“P...Pleased to meet you, Sir
Benjamin,” stuttered Lazarus. “D...Didn’t we meet at the ball.”
Ben wondered if the youth really
didn’t remember that Ben broke into his dance with Amy.
“I believe we did, Mr.
Throckmorton,” said Ben with an enhanced formality.
Then Ben turned and smiled at
Mattie. There was something about the smile she didn’t understand.
“I am showing Mr. Throckmorton our
spring flowers. Mr. and Mrs. Throckmorton are kindly paying us a visit after
church.”
As she turned to leave, a thought
seemed to occur to her. “I did not see you at church this morning, Sir
Benjamin.”
“That is indeed true.”
Then a serious expression wafted
over her face.
“You are not a follower of Mr.
Wesley?”
“No I did not attend church with
the followers of the Reverend Mr. Wesley.”
“You’re not a...”
“No I am not. I did not attend
church with anyone this morning. Please forgive me if I seem rude but if you
would excuse me Lady Mathilde, I wish to have a brief visit with your family.”
And looking at the gangly youth, who did indeed appear to have a tiny drop of
drool escaping
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