Read Online Eustace and Hilda by L.P. Hartley - Free Book Online

brave you are not to scream.”
    â€œThat’s the third time Nancy and Eustace have come down together,” observed Miss Cherrington.
    â€œYes. Don’t they look charming? And not one spill. Eustace is an expert, I must say. Here they all come. Don’t you feel tempted, Hilda?”
    No reply.
    â€œWe think you ought to try a new formation now, don’t we, Miss Cherrington?” Mrs. Steptoe persisted. “What about a boy’s double, Gerald and Eustace? And perhaps Mr. Cherrington would take Nancy, and Hilda would go with Jack.”
    Major Steptoe looked interrogatively at Hilda.
    Hilda said nothing, and Eustace, who knew the signs, saw that she was on the brink of tears.
    â€œWon’t you come with me, Hilda?” he asked reluctantly.
    â€œGo on as you are, I don’t care,” Hilda replied, her words coming with difficulty and between irregular pauses. Mrs. Steptoe raised her eyebrows.
    â€œWell, I think you’d better break up a bit. Decide among yourselves. Toss for it. I beg you pardon, Miss Cherrington?”
    â€œI’d rather they didn’t do that, if you don’t mind.”
    Nancy took advantage of this debate between the elders to whisper to Eustace, “Come on, let’s have one more together.” Laughing and excited they trudged up the hill again.
    â€œYou know,” Nancy said as confidentially as her loud panting permitted, “I arranged all this, really.”
    â€œYou arranged it?”
    â€œYes, the picnic.”
    â€œWhy?” asked Eustace breathlessly.
    â€œCan’t you guess?”
    â€œSo that you and I might——?”
    â€œOf course.”
    â€œOh, Nancy!”
    Once more the glorious rush through the darkening air. This time Nancy was riding in front. The wind of the descent caught her long golden hair and it streamed out so that when Eustace bent forward it touched his face. When they came to the bump his customary skill deserted him; the toboggan turned sideways and they rolled and slithered to the bottom. Eustace was first on his feet. He gave his hand to Nancy and spluttered, gasping:
    â€œYour hair got in my eyes.”
    â€œI’m sorry.”
    â€œI didn’t mind.”
    Mrs. Steptoe received them with a little smile. “Well, children, it’s getting late. I think the next ought to be the last. What do you say, Miss Cherrington?”
    â€œI think Eustace has had quite enough.”
    â€œCherrington and I have broken every bone in our bodies,” remarked Major Steptoe amiably.
    Both the fathers had withdrawn from the fray some time ago and were smoking their pipes. The sun was hanging over the hill behind them, a large red ball which had lost its fierceness. The grass on the opposite slope was flecked with gold; the shadows lengthened; the air turned faintly blue.
    â€œLast round,” called Major Steptoe. “Seconds out of the ring. We’re nearly all seconds now, what, Cherrington? How is it to be this time?”
    Eustace and Nancy gave each other a covert glance.
    Suddenly Hilda said in a strident, croaking voice:
    â€œI should like to go with Eustace.”
    This announcement was followed by a general murmur of surprise, which soon turned into a chorus of approval.
    â€œThat’s right, Hilda! Don’t let Nancy monopolise him! Let’s have a race between the two families—the Cherringtons versus the Steptoes.”
    So it was arranged that Gerald and Nancy should have one of the double toboggans, Hilda and Eustace the other. Mr. Cherrington was to act as starter, Major Steptoe as judge. Hilda waited till her father and the two Steptoes were half-way up the slope and then said:
    â€œYou’ve been very unkind to me, Eustace.”
    Eustace was feeling tired: he wished Hilda had offered to help him pull up the toboggan. Her accusation, acting on his nerves, seemed to redouble his weariness.
    â€œOh why, Hilda? I asked you to come and you