allowed her to leave us alone for a second.
“Them girls,” she said. “I don’t know what they’re paid for.”
I said quickly, as though continuing a conversation, “Yes, what shall I call you? Our relationship is rather a complicated one.”
“Let’s see,” he said. “Now my parents were Edwin and Jane, and Edwin was the son of Arabella and Edwin. Then Arabella remarried my father’s cousin Carleton—like me. It’s a name that turns up in the family now and then. She had Priscilla and another Carl, who became a general. Priscilla had a daughter out of wedlock, Carlotta—wonderful Carlotta—and then she married and had Damaris. Carlotta had a daughter … again out of wedlock.”
Jessie started to laugh. “Now we know where you get your naughtiness, Lordy.”
He did not seem to hear her but went on: “And Carlotta’s daughter was your mother, Clarissa. Now what does that make us? I think you’d better call me Uncle Carl, don’t you? The poor general is no more, so there is no danger of my being mistaken for him.”
“Yes,” I said. “Uncle Carl then.”
Very soon Moll came in with a bowl of sweetmeats. Jessie rose and seized on them eagerly. This gave us another opportunity and Uncle Carl seized it.
He did not speak but his lips framed the name: “Jethro.”
We talked a little after that and I rose to go. Jessie was smirking. She did not know that I felt I had made some progress.
It was nearly midday when I left my kinsman, whom I now thought of as Uncle Carl. Dinner was served at quarter past twelve, Jessie told me, and she would see me then. It was a sumptuous meal. If I had learned anything it was that food meant a great deal to Jessie. It was due to her love of sweetmeats that I had a private word with Uncle Carl. I had to be grateful for that. My plans for the afternoon were already made. I was going to find Jethro.
The meal was served in the dining room. It consisted of several dishes, soup, fish, meats of three kinds and pies. Jessie seemed to have a passion for pies. When I entered the dining room Jessie was already there with the girl I had met last night.
“My daughter, Evalina,” she said.
Evalina curtsied. She looked slightly more demure than she had last night and I guessed the bold little girl was in great awe of her mother.
“She makes herself useful about the house, don’t you, pet?”
Evalina looked at me half defiantly, half pleadingly. I guessed she was afraid I might mention our encounter of last night.
“You must be a great help to your mother,” I said.
She relaxed visibly and gave me a half-grateful, half-conspiratorial smile. She had brought back the key of the room, she was reminding me, and I had made a bargain.
We sat down and I was rather glad that Jessie’s desire for food made conversation spasmodic.
“I take Lordy’s tray up,” she said. “Always have to give him something as won’t upset his stomach. It’s a bit delicate, you know.” I thought a bit of the hot roast beef would be just right for him. Her lips watered slightly at the mention of roast beef. “Lapped it up, he did. That’s why we eat a little after midday; I like to see he’s satisfied first. Then we tuck him down for his afternoon nap. He’ll sleep right through till five of the clock. I like a bit of a nap myself in the afternoons. I hear it’s a good habit. … Keeps you going till the early hours of morning. How about you, Mistress Ransome?”
“I don’t take an afternoon nap but then I suppose I retire before the early hours of morning.”
She laughed.
Evalina watched me furtively and paid little contribution to the conversation. I was glad when the meal was over It was comforting to think that Jessie would be sleeping. … I wondered if she lay beside Uncle Carl on that big four-poster.
I went to my room.
When afternoon quiet had settled on the house, I lost no time. I went out and crossed the gardens to the stables. That was where I would be most likely to
“Them girls,” she said. “I don’t know what they’re paid for.”
I said quickly, as though continuing a conversation, “Yes, what shall I call you? Our relationship is rather a complicated one.”
“Let’s see,” he said. “Now my parents were Edwin and Jane, and Edwin was the son of Arabella and Edwin. Then Arabella remarried my father’s cousin Carleton—like me. It’s a name that turns up in the family now and then. She had Priscilla and another Carl, who became a general. Priscilla had a daughter out of wedlock, Carlotta—wonderful Carlotta—and then she married and had Damaris. Carlotta had a daughter … again out of wedlock.”
Jessie started to laugh. “Now we know where you get your naughtiness, Lordy.”
He did not seem to hear her but went on: “And Carlotta’s daughter was your mother, Clarissa. Now what does that make us? I think you’d better call me Uncle Carl, don’t you? The poor general is no more, so there is no danger of my being mistaken for him.”
“Yes,” I said. “Uncle Carl then.”
Very soon Moll came in with a bowl of sweetmeats. Jessie rose and seized on them eagerly. This gave us another opportunity and Uncle Carl seized it.
He did not speak but his lips framed the name: “Jethro.”
We talked a little after that and I rose to go. Jessie was smirking. She did not know that I felt I had made some progress.
It was nearly midday when I left my kinsman, whom I now thought of as Uncle Carl. Dinner was served at quarter past twelve, Jessie told me, and she would see me then. It was a sumptuous meal. If I had learned anything it was that food meant a great deal to Jessie. It was due to her love of sweetmeats that I had a private word with Uncle Carl. I had to be grateful for that. My plans for the afternoon were already made. I was going to find Jethro.
The meal was served in the dining room. It consisted of several dishes, soup, fish, meats of three kinds and pies. Jessie seemed to have a passion for pies. When I entered the dining room Jessie was already there with the girl I had met last night.
“My daughter, Evalina,” she said.
Evalina curtsied. She looked slightly more demure than she had last night and I guessed the bold little girl was in great awe of her mother.
“She makes herself useful about the house, don’t you, pet?”
Evalina looked at me half defiantly, half pleadingly. I guessed she was afraid I might mention our encounter of last night.
“You must be a great help to your mother,” I said.
She relaxed visibly and gave me a half-grateful, half-conspiratorial smile. She had brought back the key of the room, she was reminding me, and I had made a bargain.
We sat down and I was rather glad that Jessie’s desire for food made conversation spasmodic.
“I take Lordy’s tray up,” she said. “Always have to give him something as won’t upset his stomach. It’s a bit delicate, you know.” I thought a bit of the hot roast beef would be just right for him. Her lips watered slightly at the mention of roast beef. “Lapped it up, he did. That’s why we eat a little after midday; I like to see he’s satisfied first. Then we tuck him down for his afternoon nap. He’ll sleep right through till five of the clock. I like a bit of a nap myself in the afternoons. I hear it’s a good habit. … Keeps you going till the early hours of morning. How about you, Mistress Ransome?”
“I don’t take an afternoon nap but then I suppose I retire before the early hours of morning.”
She laughed.
Evalina watched me furtively and paid little contribution to the conversation. I was glad when the meal was over It was comforting to think that Jessie would be sleeping. … I wondered if she lay beside Uncle Carl on that big four-poster.
I went to my room.
When afternoon quiet had settled on the house, I lost no time. I went out and crossed the gardens to the stables. That was where I would be most likely to
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