Madcap Miss Read Online Free PDF Page B

asked, releasing her. Staring in fascination, Grace saw a tear glistening on that raddled cheek.
    Her fear and revulsion softened to pity. “ Grandma, how should I be afraid of you? ” she asked, smiling.
    “ Ah, she ’ s a fine gal, a bonnie lass, ” Lady Healy decreed, turning to Whewett. Mousiness, dumpiness, all were forgiven at such a slim indication of love.
    “ Indeed she is. I am very proud of her, ” he replied in the accents of a fond father.
    “ Let us all sit down and be comfortable, ” Lady Healy suggested. “ We shall have some wine before dinner. Wretched stuff old John had laid in. He had no taste; never had. No wine for you, missie. Till your hair is up and you are into long skirts, you get no wine. I hope you ain ’ t feeding her wine, Alfred? ”
    “ No, Augusta does not drink wine. ”
    “ A glass of lemonade. I had them make you up some lemonade. Brought the lemons with me from Scotland. You may think we are savages in the north, but I have six lemon trees in my orangery. You will like lemonade, eh, Augusta? ”
    “ That will be lovely, thank you. ”
    “ Wine stunts the growth, you must know. Not one drop was I permitted till I was sixteen. My brothers were into it before they were fourteen and were not an inch taller than myself. John was shorter, though he put wedges in his boots to hide it. Your growth don ’ t want stunting, Augusta. You are going to be squat, like your mama. ”
    “ Irene was not squat, ” Whewett objected.
    “ She was a squab, Whewett, and if you had not been blinded by love, you would have known what a sight the two of you looked together, like a kitten and a bear. No matter, Augusta is young yet. She will grow a couple of inches. I want you to grow at least three inches, Gussie. I was called Gussie when I was young. It sounds like a bruiser. I daresay they call you that name, too. ”
    “ Sometimes, ” Grace answered carefully.
    “ I suppose you have lots of friends at Downsfield? ”
    “ Some friends, ” she said vaguely. This point had not been covered in the sketchy lesson.
    “ How about that silly girl you told me of in your last letter? Did she get her tooth that was bothering her drawn? ”
    “ Sally ’ s tooth fell out before it was necessary, didn ’ t it, Gussie? ” Whewett mentioned casually.
    “ Yes, ” Grace said, taking it up eagerly. “ She was relieved. No one likes going to the tooth drawer. ”
    “ Rubbish. I never minded having a tooth drawn when I was young, ” Lady Healy told them. “ I am seventy-five years old and still have my own teeth. Not so white as they used to be, and jiggling loose at the back of my mouth the half of them, but they ’ re all there, and they ’ re all mine. Do you brush your teeth every night, Gussie? ”
    “ Certainly I do, Grandma. ”
    “ You have a nice set of teeth. Not so white as mine were. Take care of them. There is nothing ruins a girl ’ s looks like a set of brown or yellow teeth. They have a good many yellow teeth in Scotland. They wear well, the yellow ones. With your mousy hair, Augusta, you will want all the help good teeth can give you to make you pretty. ”
    “ Actually, ” Whewett pointed out, “ Gussie ’ s hair is chestnut, not mousy. ”
    “ Looks mousy in this demmed dim light. We want another brace of candles. John was so cheap, I could find nothing but tallow candles. They have a stench. Never mind, we ’ ll be going to dinner soon. I am famished. I daresay you two are as well. You are eating with the grown-ups tonight, Gussie, as a special treat. For once it won ’ t spoil you. I hope you don ’ t have her at the adult table at Downsfield, Alfred? ”
    “ Not for dinner. We take breakfast and lunch together. If I have no company in the evening, Gussie joins me. ”
    Grace listened closely to learn what she could of her imaginary past life. “ It is lonesome eating alone, ” Lady Healy said. “ Since Willie up and died on me, I have been alone but for old