Read Online Madcap Miss by Joan Smith - Free Book Online

notes sounded very odd, but it was a genteel performance. A lady ought not to play too well. ”
    This addition to the regime was welcome, and Grace smiled her satisfaction. Whewett pointed out that the piano ’ s being out of tune was to blame for the sour notes, which incited the dame to inform him the piano could not be held to blame for the wrong notes sung.
    Their little altercation was interrupted by a caller at the door, which caused Grace to suffer a tremble. It was only the estate agent, Bronfman, come to tell them he had a party interested in looking at Willowcrest.
    “ Daugherty is the name, from Kent. They have been on the lookout for something in the neighborhood, so I called them. They can be here in four days, if that suits you, milady? ”
    “ Excellent, it allows time to have the girls give the place a good scouring, ” Lady Healy agreed.
    “ I cannot stay that long, ” Whewett mentioned, but saw no reason why his presence should be necessary.
    The hour for inspection was set, three o ’ clock in the afternoon; then Bronfman left. Lady Healy discussed what must be done to the house. “ Some girls hired from the village to wax and polish, to smarten us up. ” When Whewett politely declined the furnishings of the house, she decided to sell the place furnished.
    This settled, she next turned to Augusta, to begin a series of impertinent questions regarding her studies. “ Do you know how to add, subtract, multiply? ” When told that Augusta was an accomplished mathematician, she fired off numbers that a lady of two and twenty had no difficulty in answering. An old French text was discovered on a shelf and pushed into Grace ’ s hands for her to translate. This also was successful.
    “ She ain ’ t a complete ignoramus, I am happy to see. This Invers must be a decent creature. ”
    All too soon it was eighty-thirty. Already Lady Healy had glanced thrice at the long-case clock in the corner. Her third look made clear the clock had stopped, but she was too proud to admit her sight was failing.
    “ Time for bed, Augusta. Don ’ t forget the teeth and your prayers. Body and soul, you see. Come and kiss me goodnight before you go. ” Grace kissed the aged cheek. “ Your papa, too, ” she was reminded.
    As she advanced to Whewett, she noticed he was wearing that smile she was coming to know well, half laughing at her, half pitying her predicament, and half-admiring of her performance.
    When she leaned toward him, he kissed her just at the corner of her lips. “ Good night, Doll, ” he said. There was no roughness of a day ’ s growth of beard. Had he shaved before dinner? How odd. He hadn ’ t bothered last night.
    When Grace went to her room, she wondered if Whewett planned to sneak out after Grandma retired. Was that why he had shaved? Had he met some lightskirt in the village while he was at the inn? He didn ’ t seem that sort of gentleman, but then he was a widower and away from home. Perhaps she ’ d tease him about it.
    In the Purple Saloon Lady Healy smiled her satisfaction. “ She is a lovely lass, Alfred. ”
    “ Yes, I am proud of her. ”
    “ I have been thinking, as those Kent people are coming so soon to see the place, you might as well stay. ”
    “ It is not at all convenient for me. I told you so when Bronfman mentioned four days. ”
    “ It would be in every way better if you would ride about the place with Daugherty. Must be Irish, eh, with a name like that? Bronfman will try to take advantage of me. He ’ ll point out the worst features. ”
    “ He ’ ll hardly do that. He ’ s trying to sell. ”
    “ What I mean is, Daugherty will mention them, and Bronfman will make it an excuse to lower my price. I need a man to protect my interests. It may make a thousand difference in the price. ”
    Whewett frowned. “ I have things I should be doing at home. ”
    “ Surely your daughter ’ s welfare is of equal importance! ” she pointed out curtly.
    “ Of course, but--