Promise Made Read Online Free PDF Page B

it.’
    â€˜We were only scrumping in Granny Hern’s orchard,’ Connor said and grinned. ‘She’s an old witch. She runs out after the kids with her stick and waves it at them. We only done it for a dare.’
    â€˜You “did it” not “done it”,’ Frances corrected. ‘Don’t they teach you anything at that school of yours?’
    â€˜Not a lot,’ Connor said and grinned at her. In that moment he looked very much like Daniel and she softened towards him. ‘Nothing I want to learn leastwise. Can I go to bed now?’
    â€˜Yes, go on,’ Frances said and gave him a reluctant smile. ‘Don’t wake Charlie. I had a terrible time getting him to sleep tonight. His grandfather gets him too excited. He has now promised to buy him a pony of all things!’
    â€˜Dad bought us boys ponies,’ Connor said. ‘What’s wrong with Charlie having one? You rode when you were younger. Henry told me about it. He taught you.’
    Frances bit her lip. ‘Yes, well, that was different. I was eleven when I started to ride. Charlie is much too young.’
    â€˜He won’t come to harm if someone looks after him,’ Connor said. ‘You can’t keep him in cotton wool forever, Frannie.’
    â€˜Don’t call me that!’ She was reminded of Sam Danby’s words earlier that afternoon. He often called her by that name and she hated it. Her bruised feelings made her sharper than she intended. ‘Go to bed – and behave yourself. Marcus will be home this weekend and I’ll get him to take a strap to you if I find out that you’ve been up to something dishonest.’
    â€˜Marcus isn’t my father – and he isn’t my brother either,’ Connor said defiantly. ‘If he takes a strap to me he’ll be sorry – and so will you!’ He ducked his head down and ran up the stairs, leaving Frances to stare after him in frustration. The trouble with Connor was that for the past four years there had been no one he respected around to discipline him. Henry was busy, tired and ill, he couldn’t be expected to administer physical punishment, and she hadn’t tried. In fact she had closed her eyes to what her young brother was doing, because she didn’t want to know.
    She would be glad when Marcus was home – and Daniel too. Perhaps then Connor would realize he couldn’t continue to run wild.
    Everything would be better once Marcus was home!
    Frances looked at the clock for perhaps the fiftieth time in an hour. When he’d phoned her the previous evening, Marcus had said he hoped to be home by lunchtime and it was now half-past four in the afternoon. Where could he have got to? She jumped to her feet as she heard the sound of a car engine outside, running to the door eagerly.
    â€˜Marcus!’ she cried as he got out of the car. ‘I was starting to worry . . .’
    â€˜Sorry, old girl,’ Marcus said. He took two strides towards her, sweeping her up in a bear hug and swinging her off her feet. ‘I was late getting away – bit of a get together with the lads – and then I called to see Mother. Father wasn’t there but it was her I wanted to see . . .’
    â€˜Oh . . .’ Frances felt a bit resentful. He ought to have come straight home and visited his parents another time. ‘I thought you would be here for lunch . . .’
    â€˜Mother wrote to me, asked me to call,’ he said. ‘She was worried about something and wanted to talk when Father wasn’t around, that’s all. Anyway, I’m here now – where is Charlie?’
    â€˜Connor took him for a walk,’ Frances said. ‘He was a bit fretful. I expect they will be back soon – but we have a few minutes alone.’
    â€˜Missed me that much?’ Marcus lifted his fine brows. Frances felt her heart turn over. He wasn’t in the