it is?” he demanded.
“Hmm. I have not decided. Now I wonder, would you be more attentive to Dr. Davenport if you knew beforehand, or if you had to wait to find out?”
“Well, it stands to reason, Selina, that now you have told me there is a surprise, you must also tell me what it is. Otherwise, I shall fidget throughout the entire lesson trying to guess. On the other hand, if I know, I shall do my best to please Dr. Davenport, because he always leaves sooner if I am well prepared.”
“Do you think so? No, I cannot believe it would be wise. If you know the surprise, you will be eager to be done with the lesson and will probably rush through it. And you know how Dr. Davenport detests undue haste.” She eyed her cousin mischievously.
“If you don’t tell me, you wretched girl, I shall toss your beloved cap on the fire,” Henry proclaimed sternly as he whisked the offensive item off her brown curls and held it out of her reach.
Selina sighed with mock gravity. “Very well, you undisciplined boy. Return my cap and I shall tell you.”
“Oh no. Tell me and then I shall return your atrocious cap.”
“Don’t you trust me? Despicable child! What have I done to deserve such ingratitude?” she asked dramatically, a tear forming in her eye.
“You know, Selina, you really should go on the stage. Your talent is wasted on me. Tell me this instant or your cap becomes a cinder.” He made as if to toss it on the blazing logs, and she squealed, unable to wrest it from his grasp.
“I have had an old sledge repaired for us! Now give me my cap!”
“A sledge!” Henry unconsciously retained his grip on the cap, staring at his cousin with wonder. “One pulled by horses?”
“Yes, of course. I thought you would enjoy trying your hand at just such a new game.” Selina pried his fingers from the crumpled cap and attempted to smooth it out. “Now look what you’ve done! I shall look a fright in it.”
“You always do, anyway,” he retorted. “Let me buy you a real bonnet, Selina. One with ostrich plumes that you can tilt at an angle. It would do wonders for your appearance.” At her glare, he laughed. “Never mind. I can hardly wait to try the sledge. Will you be ready the minute Dr. Davenport leaves?”
“I shall invite him for a cup of tea before he meets with you. That way you will have longer to prepare, and we can be away as soon as you’ve finished,” she promised.
“You’re a love, Selina. I give you my word I’ll not botch the lesson. And thank you.” With an affectionate tug at her curls, he determinedly pushed her toward the door, his restlessness forgotten in the excitement of the new sport.
Selina sighed when the door closed behind her. For the moment he would be satisfied with the sledge; it would be a unique demand on his driving skills and would no doubt prove diverting. Were all sixteen-year-olds so eager to throw themselves into every kind of amusement, she wondered, as she paced about the drawing room. For five years Henry had been content, more or less, to attend to his studies, interspersed with picnics and rides, walks and shooting. Now it seemed that every day he grew more restless and less content to lead the quiet life she had worked so hard to achieve for him. Selina agonized over what was best for the boy, and yet there was really no one to turn to with her problems. Dr. Davenport would merely counsel more studies, she felt sure, and Lord Leyburn would as soon swoop down and pluck her cousin from her household as discuss the matter with her. No, it was something she would have to handle from day to day, and pray fervently that Henry did nothing in his youthful exuberance which would come to his guardian’s ever-receptive ears.
An interview with Dr. Davenport was not Selina’s idea of the supreme pleasure of the week. He entered the drawing room with his grave smile, the white hair standing out from his head after the removal of his voluminous scarf. Try as she might,
“Hmm. I have not decided. Now I wonder, would you be more attentive to Dr. Davenport if you knew beforehand, or if you had to wait to find out?”
“Well, it stands to reason, Selina, that now you have told me there is a surprise, you must also tell me what it is. Otherwise, I shall fidget throughout the entire lesson trying to guess. On the other hand, if I know, I shall do my best to please Dr. Davenport, because he always leaves sooner if I am well prepared.”
“Do you think so? No, I cannot believe it would be wise. If you know the surprise, you will be eager to be done with the lesson and will probably rush through it. And you know how Dr. Davenport detests undue haste.” She eyed her cousin mischievously.
“If you don’t tell me, you wretched girl, I shall toss your beloved cap on the fire,” Henry proclaimed sternly as he whisked the offensive item off her brown curls and held it out of her reach.
Selina sighed with mock gravity. “Very well, you undisciplined boy. Return my cap and I shall tell you.”
“Oh no. Tell me and then I shall return your atrocious cap.”
“Don’t you trust me? Despicable child! What have I done to deserve such ingratitude?” she asked dramatically, a tear forming in her eye.
“You know, Selina, you really should go on the stage. Your talent is wasted on me. Tell me this instant or your cap becomes a cinder.” He made as if to toss it on the blazing logs, and she squealed, unable to wrest it from his grasp.
“I have had an old sledge repaired for us! Now give me my cap!”
“A sledge!” Henry unconsciously retained his grip on the cap, staring at his cousin with wonder. “One pulled by horses?”
“Yes, of course. I thought you would enjoy trying your hand at just such a new game.” Selina pried his fingers from the crumpled cap and attempted to smooth it out. “Now look what you’ve done! I shall look a fright in it.”
“You always do, anyway,” he retorted. “Let me buy you a real bonnet, Selina. One with ostrich plumes that you can tilt at an angle. It would do wonders for your appearance.” At her glare, he laughed. “Never mind. I can hardly wait to try the sledge. Will you be ready the minute Dr. Davenport leaves?”
“I shall invite him for a cup of tea before he meets with you. That way you will have longer to prepare, and we can be away as soon as you’ve finished,” she promised.
“You’re a love, Selina. I give you my word I’ll not botch the lesson. And thank you.” With an affectionate tug at her curls, he determinedly pushed her toward the door, his restlessness forgotten in the excitement of the new sport.
Selina sighed when the door closed behind her. For the moment he would be satisfied with the sledge; it would be a unique demand on his driving skills and would no doubt prove diverting. Were all sixteen-year-olds so eager to throw themselves into every kind of amusement, she wondered, as she paced about the drawing room. For five years Henry had been content, more or less, to attend to his studies, interspersed with picnics and rides, walks and shooting. Now it seemed that every day he grew more restless and less content to lead the quiet life she had worked so hard to achieve for him. Selina agonized over what was best for the boy, and yet there was really no one to turn to with her problems. Dr. Davenport would merely counsel more studies, she felt sure, and Lord Leyburn would as soon swoop down and pluck her cousin from her household as discuss the matter with her. No, it was something she would have to handle from day to day, and pray fervently that Henry did nothing in his youthful exuberance which would come to his guardian’s ever-receptive ears.
An interview with Dr. Davenport was not Selina’s idea of the supreme pleasure of the week. He entered the drawing room with his grave smile, the white hair standing out from his head after the removal of his voluminous scarf. Try as she might,
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