. Lyn!” said Mrs Sutton sharply, but Mr Marshall smiled at her and cut off any further reprimand.
“I daresay it might be managed,” he allowed, and, as his friend looked at him askance, went on, “Dash it, Leigh, I cannot be forever cooped up, and if we ride over the Crag . . . I shall be happy to accept your invitation, ma’am.”
Angel breathed a sigh of satisfaction.
* * * *
All too soon they returned to Barrows End and there were chores to be done. Every day her aunt discovered more tasks that Mrs Applejohn adamantly refused to find time for. The girls were set to dusting the front parlour, and as Angel had never done such a thing in her life and had no idea how to go about it, it was a lengthy job.
“I cannot think why Mrs Craythorn wants so many china shepherdesses!” she said pettishly. “They are not at all pretty. I should like to take the poker to them.”
“Pray do not,” begged Catherine, uncertain whether her cousin might take it into her head to carry out her proposal. “They are hideous, I agree, but I suppose she is attached to them.”
“I know, I’ll ask Aunt Maria if they can be packed away, and then we will never have to dust them again!” She danced out, pleased with her brilliant solution, to return disconsolate a few minutes later. “She says it is an excellent idea, both because they are dreadful and so that they will be safe from accidents. So when we have finished dusting the horrid things, we are to fetch a box from the stables and pack them in straw. Why did I ever make such a suggestion?”
“Only think how pleased you will be next time we dust,” consoled her cousin. “And how delightful it will be to go home in September to a houseful of servants!”
As they worked, they talked about their new acquaintances.
“Mr Leigh is a true gentleman,” Catherine commented. “Sensible and courteous, well informed, conversable. I thought him charming and I expect he is an admirable parson. Papa certainly seems to approve of him.”
“Should you like to marry him? He is the very person for you, I am sure. And we are not to see him for two weeks! I must try to arrange a meeting sooner.”
“But Angel, did not you tell me that Lady Elizabeth and he are sweethearts? He would make her a perfect husband, I think, but even if they have no hope of marriage because of Lord Grisedale, you would surely not expect me to set my cap at another female’s beloved!”
“To tell the truth, I may have been mistaken,” Angel confessed. “I did think Beth was speaking of Mr Leigh, but I did not know then of the other. Mr Marshall asked me to arrange a meeting for him with her so he must be the one she meant.”
“Unless he spoke for his friend, or perhaps they are rivals,” suggested Catherine, hiding a smile.
“That would be altogether too confusing! How should I know which one to help?”
“You had much better leave them to their own devices, my dear. I hope you did not offer to bring Mr Marshall and Lady Elizabeth together?”
“N-no, for you and Aunt Maria came, and there was no opportunity.”
“Thank Heaven for small mercies! You had decided though, I take it, that he would be an equally unexceptionable suitor?”
“Well, no, not really. In fact at first I thought him prodigious sinister, with that dark hair and the scar and the limp. Then he turned out to be pleasant enough, but I think perhaps he is too lively for Beth.”
“An intense and forceful young man, I agree.”
“He might frighten Beth. Osa would if he did not.”
“Not necessarily. She is not alarmed by horses.”
“True, but I do not think him right for her. And he is not tall enough for you, for I am sure he does not top me by more than an inch.”
“Then you are free to pursue him for yourself. With discretion, I beg!”
“If I find Beth does not love him, then I just might,” said Angel, her voice full of mischief.
The next morning it was raining. It was Angel’s turn to carry up hot
“I daresay it might be managed,” he allowed, and, as his friend looked at him askance, went on, “Dash it, Leigh, I cannot be forever cooped up, and if we ride over the Crag . . . I shall be happy to accept your invitation, ma’am.”
Angel breathed a sigh of satisfaction.
* * * *
All too soon they returned to Barrows End and there were chores to be done. Every day her aunt discovered more tasks that Mrs Applejohn adamantly refused to find time for. The girls were set to dusting the front parlour, and as Angel had never done such a thing in her life and had no idea how to go about it, it was a lengthy job.
“I cannot think why Mrs Craythorn wants so many china shepherdesses!” she said pettishly. “They are not at all pretty. I should like to take the poker to them.”
“Pray do not,” begged Catherine, uncertain whether her cousin might take it into her head to carry out her proposal. “They are hideous, I agree, but I suppose she is attached to them.”
“I know, I’ll ask Aunt Maria if they can be packed away, and then we will never have to dust them again!” She danced out, pleased with her brilliant solution, to return disconsolate a few minutes later. “She says it is an excellent idea, both because they are dreadful and so that they will be safe from accidents. So when we have finished dusting the horrid things, we are to fetch a box from the stables and pack them in straw. Why did I ever make such a suggestion?”
“Only think how pleased you will be next time we dust,” consoled her cousin. “And how delightful it will be to go home in September to a houseful of servants!”
As they worked, they talked about their new acquaintances.
“Mr Leigh is a true gentleman,” Catherine commented. “Sensible and courteous, well informed, conversable. I thought him charming and I expect he is an admirable parson. Papa certainly seems to approve of him.”
“Should you like to marry him? He is the very person for you, I am sure. And we are not to see him for two weeks! I must try to arrange a meeting sooner.”
“But Angel, did not you tell me that Lady Elizabeth and he are sweethearts? He would make her a perfect husband, I think, but even if they have no hope of marriage because of Lord Grisedale, you would surely not expect me to set my cap at another female’s beloved!”
“To tell the truth, I may have been mistaken,” Angel confessed. “I did think Beth was speaking of Mr Leigh, but I did not know then of the other. Mr Marshall asked me to arrange a meeting for him with her so he must be the one she meant.”
“Unless he spoke for his friend, or perhaps they are rivals,” suggested Catherine, hiding a smile.
“That would be altogether too confusing! How should I know which one to help?”
“You had much better leave them to their own devices, my dear. I hope you did not offer to bring Mr Marshall and Lady Elizabeth together?”
“N-no, for you and Aunt Maria came, and there was no opportunity.”
“Thank Heaven for small mercies! You had decided though, I take it, that he would be an equally unexceptionable suitor?”
“Well, no, not really. In fact at first I thought him prodigious sinister, with that dark hair and the scar and the limp. Then he turned out to be pleasant enough, but I think perhaps he is too lively for Beth.”
“An intense and forceful young man, I agree.”
“He might frighten Beth. Osa would if he did not.”
“Not necessarily. She is not alarmed by horses.”
“True, but I do not think him right for her. And he is not tall enough for you, for I am sure he does not top me by more than an inch.”
“Then you are free to pursue him for yourself. With discretion, I beg!”
“If I find Beth does not love him, then I just might,” said Angel, her voice full of mischief.
The next morning it was raining. It was Angel’s turn to carry up hot
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