Read Online Voices in a Haunted Room by Philippa Carr - Free Book Online Page B

I feel they are reckless enough to attempt anything.”
    “My father will soon be home. He will deal with it.”
    “I wish they would return.”
    David took my hand and pressed it. “Don’t worry,” he said. “There is so much going on. We are almost at war with the French. They wouldn’t find it very easy to get over there in the first place. They would find the obstacles… insurmountable.”
    “I hope you are right,” I said.
    I was greatly relieved when the next day Dickon and my mother returned home.
    “All is well,” said my mother. “We have delivered the Lebruns to their friends. It was a happy reunion. They will find the refuge they need, but it is going to take them some time to recover from their terrible experiences.”
    The storm broke at dinner.
    We were all seated round the table when Charlot said almost nonchalantly: “We have decided to go to France.”
    “You couldn’t possibly do that,” said my mother.
    “Couldn’t? That’s a word I don’t accept.”
    “Your acceptance of the English language is immaterial,” put in Dickon. “I know you have an imperfect understanding of it, but when Lottie says that you could not possibly go to France, she means that you could not be so foolish as to attempt to do so.”
    “Others have done it,” Charlot pointed out.
    He looked defiantly at Dickon, who retorted: “She means it is impossible for you.”
    “Do you imply that you are some superhuman being who can do what others can’t?”
    “You may have a point there,” said Dickon aggravatingly. “I’ll have a little more of that roast beef. They do it well in the kitchen.”
    “Nevertheless,” said Charlot, “I am going to France.”
    “And I,” put in Jonathan, “am going with him.”
    For a moment father and son stared steadily at each other. I was not sure of the look which passed between them. There was a certain glitter in Dickon’s eyes, something which made me think, fleetingly, that he was not altogether surprised. But perhaps I thought of that after.
    Then Dickon spoke. He said: “You’re mad.”
    “No,” said Jonathan. “Determined.”
    Dickon went on: “I see. So it is a plan. Who is going to join this company of fools? What about you, David?”
    “Certainly not,” said David. “I have told them what I think of the idea.”
    Dickon nodded. “It is a pleasant surprise to find that a little sanity remains in the family.”
    “Sanity!” retorted Jonathan. “If sanity is devoting oneself exclusively to books and mathematics, then the world would not have progressed very far.”
    “On the contrary,” contradicted David, “ideas… thought and education have done more to advance it than rash adventurers.”
    “I would contest that.”
    “That’s enough,” said Dickon. “I suppose you have all been moved to this by the arrival of those refugees. You should have heard some of the stories they have been telling us. France has become a land of savages.”
    “There are fine people there still,” said Charlot, “and they are doing all they can to save the country.”
    “They’ll have a hard task. I warned them years ago that they were heading for disaster.”
    “It’s true,” said my mother. “You did, Dickon.”
    “Then they were preaching against us… joining the American colonists. What fools! Who can be surprised at the state they are now in?”
    “I can,” said Charlot. “But it is no use trying to make you understand.”
    “I understand well enough. You are not very profound, you know. You’re just a little band of idiots. Now that’s an end of the matter. I want to enjoy my roast beef.”
    Silence fell on the table. Sabrina, who had come down for the joy of having Dickon at the table and seeing him enjoy his roast beef, looked a little strained. She hated conflict.
    My mother was anxious too. It was such a pity. After being away, even for such a short time, she wanted to enjoy her homecoming.
    Dickon said he wanted to see Jonathan in his