Page 15 of A Wallflower's Wassail Punch
Her finger stopped atThe Adventures of Roderick Randomby Tobias Smollett.One of her brothers had read this.A man seeking his fortune on a ship… She pulled out the leather-bound tome and opened it, flipping the pages, stopping to read a portion.
Apologue
A Young painter indulging a vein of pleasantry, sketched a kind of conversation-piece, representing a bear, an owl, a monkey, and an ass; and to render it more striking, humorous and moral, distinguished every figure by some emblem of human life.
Bruin was exhibited in the garb and attitude of an old, toothless, drunken soldier; the owl perched upon the handle of a coffee-pot, with spectacle on nose, seemed to contemplate a news paper; and the ass, ornamented with a huge tye-wig, (which, however, could not conceal his long ears) sat for his picture to the monkey, who appeared with the implements of painting.The whimsical groupe afforded some mirth?—
The sound of wheels crunching on gravel drew her attention from the book.The vicar had arrived.With a sigh, she picked up her skirts and left the library.Mr.Gibbs was already at the door, of course, waiting to greet the guests.
Annette quickly checked the drawing room and found, to her relief, Alice rising from a chair.She set her embroidery on the velvet chair seat and smoothed her auburn hair.
“Are we ready?”she asked Annette with a smile.
“As ready as I’ll ever be.”She followed the viscountess to the entryway just as the couple emerged from the coach.The vicar was a short man with a round, not unpleasant face, thin blond hair, and brown eyes.His body was thin except for his stomach, protruding slightly through his open greatcoat.Annette thought of a turkey, then immediately stifled her giggle.
His sister stepped down, clinging to her brother’s arm, and surveyed her surroundings with a stern eye.She was a head taller with a long face but had the same hair and eye color as the vicar.When she saw the butler and the women, she gave them a curt nod.
“Mr.and Miss Langston, welcome.I trust your journey was pleasant?”asked Annette.
“If you consider being jostled until my teeth rattled, and my fingers numb from the cold, then yes, the journey was fine,” Miss Langston answered as the two climbed the stairs of the portico.“But I will do what I must to improve my brother’s livelihood.”
“We’ll need to find her a husband if you choose this man,” mumbled Alice as they both stepped forward, pasting on smiles.
The vicar reddened.“Lady Henney, Lady Annette, it is a pleasure to be invited.We have looked forward to this visit.”
As Mr.Gibbs oversaw the trunks, Alice nodded to Annette, who suggested they follow her to their rooms so they could freshen up from their journey.“We’ve placed you side by side if that’s agreeable to you both?”
“Of course, where else would we be but together.”It was more a statement than a question by Miss Langston as she studied the entryway with a detailed eye.Annette thought she saw the gleam of approval in the woman’s small eyes.
“That’s fine, just fine,” murmured the vicar.“Ah, a book.”
Annette had forgotten the novel in her hand.“Yes, I love to read.And you?”
“The bible, of course, and anything that improves my mind.”He tilted his head to read the title.“The Adventures of Roderick Random?”
“Yes, it is a?—”
“A very inappropriate book for a proper and moralladyto be reading,” finished his sister.“Please tell me this is notyourchoice.”
Annette’s cheeks burned.She was not off to a good start.
“Lady Annette fetched it for me, truth be told.”
CHAPTER7
Andrew forced a smile.“Do you argue withmyreading preferences?”He held out his hand for the book.“As a lad, I always wanted to take to the sea.”
He and Beecham had heard the vicar’s arrival.The voice that met them in the hall was like a scratch on metal.He knew this type of woman.He had hired a governess like her—once.An embittered old spinster.He’d fired her the first day when he heard her tell Phoebe that a lady should never appear too sunny.Unfortunately, one couldn’t fire a guest.
“Oh.”Miss Langston’s eyes grew wide at his declaration.
Lady Henney made the introductions and reacquainted them with Lord Beecham.“I’m sure your guests are in need of a rest before tea,” she said to Lady Annette.
“Of course, I’ll show you to your rooms.”Lady Annette ascended the steps, the couple behind her.The vicar’s sister mumbled something abouthighandinstepandso many stairs.She was quite out of breath by the time they stopped at a blue door just past his own room.Wonderful.
“You will be in the blue room, Mr.Langston.”Lady Annette turned to his sister.“And across the hall is your room.”
“The yellow door?”
