The Heart's Companion Read Online Free PDF Page A

afternoon sun, she looked up the hill toward the miniature replica Greek temple that sheltered a telescope. Bertram loved that telescope. He spent hours using it to scan the park, spying on the servants’ comings and goings or on the wildlife of the wood. But there was no sign of children or maid there now. A concerned frown pulled at Jane’s lips. Where could they be? Jane scanned the park, searching for any sign of movement. The boys knew it was near to their teatime. Their aunt didn’t put it past them to engage in a game of hide-and-seek in order to prolong their time outdoors. She started to walk back toward the house. The only thing to do was to send the grooms out in search of them. She hoped they had not talked Becky into letting them explore too far afield. The maid had a poor sense of direction and was often lost. One day she had been sent to the village, only to end up circling the town five times before she came upon someone who could direct her way. That memory brought with it a shiver of uncertainty. Jane picked up her pace, walking quickly back toward the house.
    "Miss Grantley! Miss Grantley!"
    Jane sighed thankfully. The high, strident voice was Becky’s. She turned toward the sound, which was followed a moment later with Becky bursting out from the shadows of trees surrounding the park. Her mobcap was askew, and leaves clung to her dress.
    Becky ran up to Jane and seized her arm. "Oh, Miss Grantley, it is reet sarry I is. I can’t git him down. The tyke’s just a hangin’ there. I didn’t think it would be no harm, truly I didn’t. I tried, miss, I did try. Now only it’s a cryin’ he is."
    "Calm down, Becky, calm down. It’s all right. Tell me slowly. Where are the children," Jane asked firmly grasping the hysterical maid by her shoulders.
    "Like I been sayin’, miss, uppa tree! Leastwise, Master Bertram insisted he stay with his brother."
    "Edward is caught up in a tree? Where is he?"
    "In the ol’ orchard, miss. Near the lane to his estate. I’m that wurrit lest he sees them. He eats children, ya know, miss," the little maid finished in an awed whisper.
    "Do not be ridiculous, Becky," Jane said, prying the girl’s fingers loose from her arm. "Go on up to the stables and fetch one of the grooms. I’ll go on to see if I can’t be of some assistance. At least I may be able to get Edward to calm down."
    Becky shook her head, clinging like a leach to Jane’s arm. "But miss, I heard tell he does even worse to young ladies!"
    "Becky, that will be quite enough! Do as you’re told!" Jane said with exasperation.
    "Yes, miss," Becky’s face screwed up in anguish, tears threatening to fall. She meekly bobbed a curtsy before running toward the stable.
    Jane watched after her for a moment, then picked up her skirts and ran through the forest toward the orchard. Poor Edward! He could not understand that he was too little to do everything his elder brother did. She hoped he was not too badly frightened and had the sense to stay still until help arrived.
    Jane tripped once over a root, ripping the hem of the same dress she had worked so hard that morning to keep from harm, but she scarcely noticed. Her hat fell back off her head and bobbed up and down on her shoulders with each step. Strands of black hair curled as perspiration ran down her face and neck.
    "Bertram! Edward!" Jane gasped when she reached the edge of the orchard. She stopped for breath, her sides heaving.
    "Here, Aunt Jane!" came Bertram’s clear, high voice.
    She followed his call, relieved not to hear panic in his voice. When she finally spotted him, he was on the ground, peering intently up through the branches above his head. "Bertram, where’s Edward?"
    "He’s up here, Miss Grantley. I’ll have him down to you in a moment," drawled the sardonic voice of the Earl of Royce, coming from above.
    She looked up in time to see the earl free Edward from his tightly wedged position high in the tree. He swung the child onto his back and