Read Online Jonathan Barrett Gentleman Vampire by P.N. Elrod - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: P.N. Elrod
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his hands full dealing with Mother and her guests and preferred us out of the way
Rolly poked his head from his box hopefully, but I passed him by for Belle and Satin, two mares out of the same dam who shared a calm temperament as well as a smooth gait. Rolly vocalized his displeasure, waking the lads who slept over the stable. One of them came down to investigate and sleepily stayed on to help with the saddling before wandering off to the kitchen in hope of an early meal.
I led the horses out to wait by one of the side doors, then went to fetch Elizabeth. She was just inside, pulling on her gloves. There was a sodden look about her indicating that she’d not slept well, either. On her face, where Mother’s fist had landed, was a large, evil-looking bruise. She’d made no effort to cover or disguise it.
“We don’t have to go,” I said. “It’s not likely that you’ll be called upon to visit neighbors.”
“No, but I can’t bear to be in this house with her. Besides, this was not my fault.” She tilted her head to indicate the damage. “I’ve nothing to be ashamed of and people may think what they please.”
“You don’t care if they know about Mother?”
Elizabeth’s face grew hard in a way that I did not like. “Not one whit.”
“But why?”
“Why not? Sooner or later they’ll start their speculations, their gossip about her. They may as well get the truth from us as make it up for themselves.”
“But it’s none of their bloody business!”
“As you say.” She shrugged. “But mark me, they shall make it so, whether we like it or not. We have only to be calm and truthful and let Mother rave on. Then we shall see how many friends she has about her.”
I was unhappy with this harsh attitude, for it was an alien one in Elizabeth, then began to see the point of it all. “You’re doing this hoping that Mother will . . .?”
“A word here and there and she will be shunned by what passes for polite company in these parts. That’s what she craves and lives for, the puerile attention and approval of her so-called peers. She’s welcome to it, if she can find any willing to endure her company after this.”
“What if they believe her and not you? What if she repeats her—that awful accusation against us? You know adults are more likely to believe other adults.”
“But they know us here. They do not know her. And we are Father’s children, raised to be honest and truthful. I think that favors us, Jonathan, so you needn’t worry.”
“Damnation, I will if I want to.”
“Please yourself, then, but support me on this and there’s a chance that Mother may move out, bag, baggage, and toad-eaters, and leave us in peace.”
That silenced me.
She handed me a leather bundle. “Here, you’d forgotten your books and papers.”
“Thank you,” I said faintly, my mind busy with all sorts of things. I couldn’t choose whether to approve of this plan or not, but knew that she would go through with it, regardless of my objections.
She led the way into the yard and I helped her onto Satin, her favorite. I swung up on Belle and we set off down the lane to the main road, turning into the rising sun. It gave no warmth save within the mind, but was still a cheering sight.
Rapelji lived in a fine, solid farmhouse at the eastern edge of our property. The farm was not his—that had been annexed onto our own lands—but he had a good garden plot for himself and earned additional support from several other students in the area. Some of them boarded with him for part of the year and helped with the chores to pay for their tutoring.
As early as we were, Rapelji was already up and about, a short, stocky figure in the middle of his troop of students as he led them through a peculiar series of hops and skips for their morning exercise. Though gray of hair, he was as energetic as any of them. At a distance, you could only tell him from the boys by his flashing spectacles, which somehow stayed on no
Rolly poked his head from his box hopefully, but I passed him by for Belle and Satin, two mares out of the same dam who shared a calm temperament as well as a smooth gait. Rolly vocalized his displeasure, waking the lads who slept over the stable. One of them came down to investigate and sleepily stayed on to help with the saddling before wandering off to the kitchen in hope of an early meal.
I led the horses out to wait by one of the side doors, then went to fetch Elizabeth. She was just inside, pulling on her gloves. There was a sodden look about her indicating that she’d not slept well, either. On her face, where Mother’s fist had landed, was a large, evil-looking bruise. She’d made no effort to cover or disguise it.
“We don’t have to go,” I said. “It’s not likely that you’ll be called upon to visit neighbors.”
“No, but I can’t bear to be in this house with her. Besides, this was not my fault.” She tilted her head to indicate the damage. “I’ve nothing to be ashamed of and people may think what they please.”
“You don’t care if they know about Mother?”
Elizabeth’s face grew hard in a way that I did not like. “Not one whit.”
“But why?”
“Why not? Sooner or later they’ll start their speculations, their gossip about her. They may as well get the truth from us as make it up for themselves.”
“But it’s none of their bloody business!”
“As you say.” She shrugged. “But mark me, they shall make it so, whether we like it or not. We have only to be calm and truthful and let Mother rave on. Then we shall see how many friends she has about her.”
I was unhappy with this harsh attitude, for it was an alien one in Elizabeth, then began to see the point of it all. “You’re doing this hoping that Mother will . . .?”
“A word here and there and she will be shunned by what passes for polite company in these parts. That’s what she craves and lives for, the puerile attention and approval of her so-called peers. She’s welcome to it, if she can find any willing to endure her company after this.”
“What if they believe her and not you? What if she repeats her—that awful accusation against us? You know adults are more likely to believe other adults.”
“But they know us here. They do not know her. And we are Father’s children, raised to be honest and truthful. I think that favors us, Jonathan, so you needn’t worry.”
“Damnation, I will if I want to.”
“Please yourself, then, but support me on this and there’s a chance that Mother may move out, bag, baggage, and toad-eaters, and leave us in peace.”
That silenced me.
She handed me a leather bundle. “Here, you’d forgotten your books and papers.”
“Thank you,” I said faintly, my mind busy with all sorts of things. I couldn’t choose whether to approve of this plan or not, but knew that she would go through with it, regardless of my objections.
She led the way into the yard and I helped her onto Satin, her favorite. I swung up on Belle and we set off down the lane to the main road, turning into the rising sun. It gave no warmth save within the mind, but was still a cheering sight.
Rapelji lived in a fine, solid farmhouse at the eastern edge of our property. The farm was not his—that had been annexed onto our own lands—but he had a good garden plot for himself and earned additional support from several other students in the area. Some of them boarded with him for part of the year and helped with the chores to pay for their tutoring.
As early as we were, Rapelji was already up and about, a short, stocky figure in the middle of his troop of students as he led them through a peculiar series of hops and skips for their morning exercise. Though gray of hair, he was as energetic as any of them. At a distance, you could only tell him from the boys by his flashing spectacles, which somehow stayed on no
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