celebrating a christening—Emily took the baby a silver mug—and I have a vast quantity of information about partying down on the farm. I believe I shall narrow my topic to leisure activities in town and country. Emily is a great help to me. She is such a dear, and highly intelligent. Do you not think that Thorncrest might come to realize what a treasure she is?”
“I’d like to think so, but I’m afraid he was telling me only this afternoon that all he is looking for is a complaisant wife. His father died eighteen months ago and he is prepared to do his duty by marrying and begetting an heir but his wife means so little to him that he doesn’t care if she is a bluestocking—his words, not mine! There’s no need to look daggers at me. He doesn’t believe Emily actually understands what she’s reading anyway.”
“Are you serious? Okay, if you ever decide to do some shooting, you have my permission to use the earl as a target. I’m surprised he told you all this.”
“I have gone up vastly in his estimation since he saw me on horseback. I’m quite a good rider.”
“Knowing your talent for understatement, I assume that means you’re a champion steeplechaser. I hope this means that he will stop treating you in that odiously mocking way. How can you let him get away with it?” Jodie was indignant at the memory.
Giles reached for her hand. “Calm down. Would you rather I reacted to every jibe by trying to prove my worth? I don’t need to, Jodie. His opinion of me is unimportant. Wasn’t it your home state, California, that set up a commission on self-esteem?” He smiled teasingly. “Well, my self-esteem is in very good shape, thank you.”
She clung to his hand, suddenly grateful for his assurance, his belief in himself. Depending on him absolutely, she needed his confidence in his own dependability. Her faith was not shaken even when he laughed ruefully and admitted that he had reached point non plus in his calculations.
“At the moment I’m working on reinventing the slide rule. I can’t do much more without a more advanced version. It’s going to take a while.”
“You’ll do it. And besides, I am enjoying myself prodigiously and I’m in no hurry to go home.”
“Beware, you’re going native. I wonder if that’s what happened to Dr. Brown. I would not have come here deliberately without bringing all the calculations necessary to return home, and a calculator for last minute adjustments.”
“She might not be here at all, or she might have come by accident like us, or she might have got into some sort of trouble here, not having obliging relatives waiting.”
“Or she might have chosen to stay. How long does the postal service take these days?”
“Better than in our time. Kent’s the other side of London, isn’t it? Two days max to get there, allowing for sorting in London, and two days back. Of course, she might not be at Font House or she might decide not to answer.”
“I think she would answer. I only met her once and I can’t say I know her well, but though she was rather reserved she didn’t strike me as the sort to refuse to help us. Keep your fingers crossed, Jodie. We badly need her help.”
Chapter Six
“There’s a letter for you, Miss Judith.” Potter proffered a silver salver as Jodie and Emily entered the hall.
Jodie was tempted to leave it until later. They had been into Thame, to the Tuesday market. Her head was full of the bustling little town, its broad main street lined with houses and shops and inns, thatched, half-timbered, brick, stone, and stucco. Though the business of the day was the buying and selling of cattle and agricultural products, the weekly gathering served as an excuse for merrymaking. Jodie wanted to capture on paper the puppet show, the ballad singer, the boys with hoops, and the gossiping women.
But the letter could only be from one person. It was too important to be postponed.
“Is Mr. Faringdale in the library?”
“No, miss,
“I’d like to think so, but I’m afraid he was telling me only this afternoon that all he is looking for is a complaisant wife. His father died eighteen months ago and he is prepared to do his duty by marrying and begetting an heir but his wife means so little to him that he doesn’t care if she is a bluestocking—his words, not mine! There’s no need to look daggers at me. He doesn’t believe Emily actually understands what she’s reading anyway.”
“Are you serious? Okay, if you ever decide to do some shooting, you have my permission to use the earl as a target. I’m surprised he told you all this.”
“I have gone up vastly in his estimation since he saw me on horseback. I’m quite a good rider.”
“Knowing your talent for understatement, I assume that means you’re a champion steeplechaser. I hope this means that he will stop treating you in that odiously mocking way. How can you let him get away with it?” Jodie was indignant at the memory.
Giles reached for her hand. “Calm down. Would you rather I reacted to every jibe by trying to prove my worth? I don’t need to, Jodie. His opinion of me is unimportant. Wasn’t it your home state, California, that set up a commission on self-esteem?” He smiled teasingly. “Well, my self-esteem is in very good shape, thank you.”
She clung to his hand, suddenly grateful for his assurance, his belief in himself. Depending on him absolutely, she needed his confidence in his own dependability. Her faith was not shaken even when he laughed ruefully and admitted that he had reached point non plus in his calculations.
“At the moment I’m working on reinventing the slide rule. I can’t do much more without a more advanced version. It’s going to take a while.”
“You’ll do it. And besides, I am enjoying myself prodigiously and I’m in no hurry to go home.”
“Beware, you’re going native. I wonder if that’s what happened to Dr. Brown. I would not have come here deliberately without bringing all the calculations necessary to return home, and a calculator for last minute adjustments.”
“She might not be here at all, or she might have come by accident like us, or she might have got into some sort of trouble here, not having obliging relatives waiting.”
“Or she might have chosen to stay. How long does the postal service take these days?”
“Better than in our time. Kent’s the other side of London, isn’t it? Two days max to get there, allowing for sorting in London, and two days back. Of course, she might not be at Font House or she might decide not to answer.”
“I think she would answer. I only met her once and I can’t say I know her well, but though she was rather reserved she didn’t strike me as the sort to refuse to help us. Keep your fingers crossed, Jodie. We badly need her help.”
Chapter Six
“There’s a letter for you, Miss Judith.” Potter proffered a silver salver as Jodie and Emily entered the hall.
Jodie was tempted to leave it until later. They had been into Thame, to the Tuesday market. Her head was full of the bustling little town, its broad main street lined with houses and shops and inns, thatched, half-timbered, brick, stone, and stucco. Though the business of the day was the buying and selling of cattle and agricultural products, the weekly gathering served as an excuse for merrymaking. Jodie wanted to capture on paper the puppet show, the ballad singer, the boys with hoops, and the gossiping women.
But the letter could only be from one person. It was too important to be postponed.
“Is Mr. Faringdale in the library?”
“No, miss,
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