Spoiled Read Online Free PDF Page A

to smile. ‘My dear Lusty, how very Machiavellian. If Buckleigh is indeed related to the earl, then Ashbourne, or his son who resides in Illingham, will recognize this … ah … unofficial relative, and will be anxious to hide the scandal. I will only agree to remove him if Ashbourne signs his vote over to the church of England in perpetuity.’
    â€˜On the other hand,’ Lusty put in, ‘even if I am wrong, young Buckleigh, who seems to have a tendency to blot his copybook, will no doubt entrance some other village maiden with his rather strange good looks and cause another scandal. He will have failed for a third time. Not even Paul Buckleigh will expect you to find him a fourth curacy, so you will have an excuse to be rid of him permanently.’
    â€˜Don’t put it like that, Henry,’ answered the bishop. ‘You make it sound as if I was going to have him murdered.’ They both laughed. ‘I’m sure I could find some far distant, obscure diocese that would have him, or perhaps some missionary work? I hear that America needs priests. What if he succeeds, though, and proves to be the model parish priest?’
    â€˜He will be eternally grateful to both of us for giving him another chance and will be falling over himself to oblige us. We cannot lose.’
    â€˜Well then send him in, Lusty. Let’s break the good news.’
    Quite unaware of the scheme that had been hatched against him, Michael had left the bishop’s palace with a spring in his step. From there he had travelled to tell his stepfather and sister what had happened. The Revd Paul Buckleigh was delighted. He had been invited to join a party of academics travelling to Greece to inspect some ancient sites. He intended to give up his parish and take up an academic career in Oxford on his return. Michael’s sister, Theodora, could have no place in such a future, and the older clergyman had been hoping to see her settled with her brother before leaving for the Continent. Thanks to Michael’s new appointment, this might now be possible. Much would depend on the accommodation that was made available for him.
    Resolved to save as much money as possible in order to make a home for his sister, Michael had set out to walk to Illingham. On the first day he had had a stroke of luck when a carter had taken him up and enabled
him to break the back of the journey. On the following day he had met up with an acquaintance of his stepfather who had given him a ride in his carriage. The day after that he had been obliged to walk. It had been fine to start with and he had made good progress. The weather had begun to deteriorate at about the time when he was thinking of taking shelter for the night, and he had entered The Pheasant with the first droplets of rain standing out upon his hat and the shoulders of his greatcoat.
    He was feeling rather hungry but, constantly aware of the need to economize, he ordered a bowl of soup, which he decided to eat downstairs rather than alone in the room that had been prepared for him. The only company to be had was that of the landlord himself, for the evening was far too unpleasant for anyone to be out except on essential errands.
    The inn was rather a small establishment, not really suitable for the entertainment of the quality, for there were not many bedrooms and no private parlour, guests who had no liking for the taproom being obliged to dine in the privacy of their chambers.
    â€˜Nasty night, Reverend,’ the landlord remarked, setting down the glass of wine that the young clergyman had ordered.
    â€˜It certainly is; but we have the best of it here,’ Buckleigh replied with a smile, glancing at the roaring fire.
    â€˜Far to go?’
    â€˜I am to take up a curacy in the parish of Illingham.’
    â€˜You’ve another ten miles, then.’
    Michael sighed. He did not object to walking and had indeed accomplished the journey from Oxford to his father’s