Read Online Elizabeth Mansfield by Poor Caroline - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Poor Caroline
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had all been in vain. The stubborn, irritating chit would not see him.
Her two brothers were quite another matter. Having taken a liking to him at their first meeting, they’d told the butler to inform them when he called. They never failed to keep him company during his hours of fruitless waiting in Letty’s drawing room. The time was spent exchanging stories of their lives. The boys asked Kit about his part in the Peninsular campaign, and he asked them about their lives at the Grange. Their conversations were fascinating to all involved.
Kit was becoming very fond of the two boys. It did not take him long to discover that Gilbert’s moodiness could easily be turned to liveliness when someone paid attention to him, and that Arthur’s seriousness came from a thoughtful, intelligent mind. Now he had another reason for wishing that Caro would speak to him; he wanted to convince her to let him pay for proper schooling for the two of them.
One day, after giving up hope that Caro would come down, he invited the boys to go riding with him through the park in his phaeton. They had a rousing good time, and Kit won Arthur’s undying affection by permitting the boy to hold the reins. Then, on another day, after another failure to make contact with Caro, he took the boys on a tour of the Elgin marbles, an awe-inspiring exhibit during which they learned more about ancient Grecian culture than they would have in hours of tutorials. The boys enjoyed the outing so much they could hardly wait for the next one.
How could Kit guess that these simple activities would make their sister even angrier at him? But they did. Caro, who continued to blame him for driving her from her beloved Grange, now blamed him for the additional crime of worming his way into her brothers’ affections. “Every day since the Vexatious Viscount began to make his appearances on your doorstep, Aunt Letty, both Arthur and Gil have done nothing but sing his praises,” she complained to Letty one evening after the boys had been excused from the dinner table.
“The Vexatious Viscount? ” Letty echoed, horrified.
Caro had the grace to blush. “That’s what I call him in my mind,” she said, dropping her eyes to the wineglass she was turning in her fingers.
Letty threw her a look of disapproval. “My dear, you’re quite wrong about Kit.” She pushed back her chair and rose. “Quite wrong. And to be irked at the man for being kind to the boys is grossly unfair.”
“It would be unfair, if his motives were really kind,” Caro argued, “but he’s only doing it to win me over.” She, too, got to her feet. “I won’t be won over, Aunt Letty, no matter what tricks the man uses.”
Letty shook her head in discouragement. “You’re a very stubborn creature, Caroline Whitlow,” she said as the two women made their way to the stairs. “Your brothers have been more animated since Kit’s arrival than I’ve ever seen them. Shouldn’t you feel grateful for that, at least?”
“Grateful?” Caro stopped in her tracks. “I don’t feel at all grateful! Did you hear the boys tonight? They babbled incessantly about nothing but Kit. Kit’s horses, Kit’s carriage, Kit’s army tales, Kit’s knowledge, Kit’s jokes. If you want the truth, Aunt Letty, it made me want to scream! ”
They proceeded up the stairs in silence, but at the top Caro paused. “Things can’t go on this way, Aunt Letty,” she said thoughtfully. “I am a trial to you, I know. And so are my brothers. I must find work.”
Letty’s face fell. “But, my dear, that’s not true! I love having you all with me!” she cried.
“You are too good,” Caro said, taking her hand and squeezing it affectionately, “but I can’t continue to impose—”
“You are not imposing, I assure you. We’ve been getting on so well, haven’t we? It’s only on the subject of Kit Meredith that we disagree.”
“I know. Of course we get on. You have the most congenial nature. You don’t
Her two brothers were quite another matter. Having taken a liking to him at their first meeting, they’d told the butler to inform them when he called. They never failed to keep him company during his hours of fruitless waiting in Letty’s drawing room. The time was spent exchanging stories of their lives. The boys asked Kit about his part in the Peninsular campaign, and he asked them about their lives at the Grange. Their conversations were fascinating to all involved.
Kit was becoming very fond of the two boys. It did not take him long to discover that Gilbert’s moodiness could easily be turned to liveliness when someone paid attention to him, and that Arthur’s seriousness came from a thoughtful, intelligent mind. Now he had another reason for wishing that Caro would speak to him; he wanted to convince her to let him pay for proper schooling for the two of them.
One day, after giving up hope that Caro would come down, he invited the boys to go riding with him through the park in his phaeton. They had a rousing good time, and Kit won Arthur’s undying affection by permitting the boy to hold the reins. Then, on another day, after another failure to make contact with Caro, he took the boys on a tour of the Elgin marbles, an awe-inspiring exhibit during which they learned more about ancient Grecian culture than they would have in hours of tutorials. The boys enjoyed the outing so much they could hardly wait for the next one.
How could Kit guess that these simple activities would make their sister even angrier at him? But they did. Caro, who continued to blame him for driving her from her beloved Grange, now blamed him for the additional crime of worming his way into her brothers’ affections. “Every day since the Vexatious Viscount began to make his appearances on your doorstep, Aunt Letty, both Arthur and Gil have done nothing but sing his praises,” she complained to Letty one evening after the boys had been excused from the dinner table.
“The Vexatious Viscount? ” Letty echoed, horrified.
Caro had the grace to blush. “That’s what I call him in my mind,” she said, dropping her eyes to the wineglass she was turning in her fingers.
Letty threw her a look of disapproval. “My dear, you’re quite wrong about Kit.” She pushed back her chair and rose. “Quite wrong. And to be irked at the man for being kind to the boys is grossly unfair.”
“It would be unfair, if his motives were really kind,” Caro argued, “but he’s only doing it to win me over.” She, too, got to her feet. “I won’t be won over, Aunt Letty, no matter what tricks the man uses.”
Letty shook her head in discouragement. “You’re a very stubborn creature, Caroline Whitlow,” she said as the two women made their way to the stairs. “Your brothers have been more animated since Kit’s arrival than I’ve ever seen them. Shouldn’t you feel grateful for that, at least?”
“Grateful?” Caro stopped in her tracks. “I don’t feel at all grateful! Did you hear the boys tonight? They babbled incessantly about nothing but Kit. Kit’s horses, Kit’s carriage, Kit’s army tales, Kit’s knowledge, Kit’s jokes. If you want the truth, Aunt Letty, it made me want to scream! ”
They proceeded up the stairs in silence, but at the top Caro paused. “Things can’t go on this way, Aunt Letty,” she said thoughtfully. “I am a trial to you, I know. And so are my brothers. I must find work.”
Letty’s face fell. “But, my dear, that’s not true! I love having you all with me!” she cried.
“You are too good,” Caro said, taking her hand and squeezing it affectionately, “but I can’t continue to impose—”
“You are not imposing, I assure you. We’ve been getting on so well, haven’t we? It’s only on the subject of Kit Meredith that we disagree.”
“I know. Of course we get on. You have the most congenial nature. You don’t
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